BDI member would like to share its wisdom about appcessories, the physical devices you can interact with from an app on a mobile phone or tablet.
With the rise in processing power in smartphones, there are few limits to what the phone can provide as a main engine for most devices – but what do you need to know before embarking on an appcessory development programme?
1 Each smartphone generally has a unique wired connection.
For example, the iPhone has a proprietary interface while other phones generally use USB. Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connections are other options, but the design intent for both wireless protocols don’t lend themselves well to communicating to downstream devices. The audio phone jack is completely universal, but it requires some challenging encoding and decoding data tasks.
2 The User Interface becomes the face of the device.
Don’t be tempted to use standard controls when programming for iOS or Android, as these experiences may not be optimal for operating your particular device. Ever increasing and improving smartphone and tablet display functionalities, should be enable you to deliver a better product experience for your customers.
3 There are security risks.
Encryption is essential when dealing with sensitive data, especially in medical and defence appcessories, when sensitive information can be in jeopardy during wireless connection. Any software being developed to store personal data, for example, must undergo security testing.
Contact: Greg Nielan, MD, PDT
+44 (0)1865 875 059,
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