Why you should update your mobile app frequently

9 mins read

Once you’ve finished developing your Android or iOS mobile app, you launch it and then people start downloading it. After the initial wave of app download has passed, things may slow down, and if you don't update your app, it may become lost in the sea of many others. When you invest in a business, you anticipate a profit, just like any other company owner. The correct parameters were initially set to give the ceratin outcomes. Your application is a ship, and the updates it receives are a breeze, ensuring that users receive continuous value.

It is no longer enough to give a high-quality digital platform in today's infinite application environment. The world of technology is rapidly evolving. Your application really shouldn't stop in order to exist and compete with other apps. Regular software feature upgrades will keep it from rusting, and consumers will be given new chances rather than abandoning it.

Building a mobile app for your business is a significant undertaking, therefore you must comprehend the significance of having a mobile app for business and the benefits of updating it periodically. This article will explain why your company needs to update the app it manages, what are the downsides of not updating it, and how often you should do it.

Table of contents


Issues with apps that are not updated

The world is going mobile and your app is competing with millions of others. But with great power comes great responsibility. Believing that once your app is released, the work is over, couldn't be further from the truth. It's important to understand the significance of mobile app updates. Updating mobile apps is essential to keep your users and maintain a sense that your business still exists and is doing well.

1. The user experience is damaged

Apps that appear hastily constructed or as if creators aren't striving to address particular problems within the software, have a hard time holding their users. Most of the time, they are soon forgotten.

By upgrading your app on a regular basis, you not only keep it current and up to date, but you also demonstrate to consumers that you actually care about their experience and want to enhance it.

In the battle for the greatest app, consistently upgrading yours with meaningful new features demonstrates to customers that you are truly concerned about their requirements.

2. Going incognito is a brand killer

Users can see the last time you updated an app, whether it's on Google's Play Store or Apple's App Store.

If the user perceives the design to be outdated and notices that it hasn't been changed in a long time, it appears that your organization is stagnant. Users are left to wonder if the firm is still in operation and if they are committed to maintaining their own app. These are the kinds of doubts that no company wants to be linked with.

This is particularly necessary as mobile app expectations continue to evolve. When a new feature is introduced to the world of applications and becomes popular, it is no longer considered an additional value, but rather the standard by which other apps must be judged.

This type of function is changing the landscape of every app style, and upgrades may help you keep on top of current trends.

3. You don't care about brand loyalty

You should constantly seek user feedback as a developer. While programs are thoroughly tested before being released, certain bugs and mistakes are unavoidable.

Even a minor problem might result in a remark being displayed on app reviews. By addressing concerns as soon as they are raised, you will gain the trust of your user base.

So, examine app store customer reviews, ask users to rank your app internally, or encourage answers via email. Whatever you decide, keep an eye on reviews and resolve issues as soon as you can.

4. You’ve got nothing to tell

Developers should be searching for new and enhanced features to optimize the end-user experience from the minute an app is launched.

It is critical to notify users when you hit particular benchmarks. Not just for the purpose of openness, but these improvements may also revitalize users and increase engagement.

It is common for people to install the app and afterwards fail to engage it. When you plan a new update around a milestone, you remind users why the app exists in the first place while also welcoming them back with better features that encourage interaction.

5. Out of sight, out of mind

As Homer said in The Odyssey, Out of Sight, Out of Mind represents exactly what you think it does, once something is gone for a period of time, it is no longer thought about.

When you update your app, you provide consumers with another opportunity to interact with it. You're putting your brand back to the forefront of their minds the instant you invite them to see what fresh things you've done.

When you update your mobile app, you have the option of sending out a relevant push notification informing users of new changes. You may inform your users about all of these new features and how your app's functionality has improved.

6. Making users vulnerable to hackers

The major reason anyone creates updates is to protect oneself from vulnerabilities. Older software will continue to include the same bugs and weaknesses in the code that hackers and cybercriminals may exploit.

This is amplified by the fact that all of these vulnerable entry points are often made public whenever hackers discover them.

Unfortunately, just as engineers rapidly find ways to close vulnerable gaps in their software, hackers find new ones too.

App Maintenance

Why is it important to update your app?

  • People enjoy novelty, so do something new and follow the trends.
  • Get rid of everything that is no longer relevant and make room for renovation.
  • Mobile status, because you need to maintain a good reputation.
  • Amend your mobile strategy.
  • Optimization of user experiences like outdated design, interface, rebranding, and OS.
  • Keeping everyone safe.

How often should you update your app?

What do you say? Every week, a month, a year? Customers, as well as Apple App Store and Google Play Store, prefer applications that are regularly updated. In theory, there are a few straightforward options:

  • Consistent updating -- It implies that there is a method and a schedule for updating mobile apps.
  • As a result of necessity -- bug fixes, new feature releases, and so on.
  • At the moment -- you update your app whenever you want, without any schedule.

According to Instabug data, the top 100 revenue apps are published every 14 days. Appbot discovered that the top 200 free apps are updated every 18 days.

The frequency with which you should update your app is determined by your business goals and functionality. In the context of a free app, we recommend that updates be released more often, every 20–25 days. This is due to the fact that you must monetize it by offering advertisements, paid premium services, and in-app purchases. You should continuously expand and improve the application's capabilities. In the event of a paid app, updates should be made every 50 to 55 days. To summarize, the ideal choice is to deliver updates every 20 to 40 days.

How does Google rank your app update?

  • Retention of an app
  • Number of downloads
  • Download growth
  • Number of user ratings and reviews
  • Regular app updates
  • Page rank
  • Social media "Rep"
  • The keyword rate factor
  • Video demonstration

How does Apple rank your app update?

  • Length of use, duration, retention app stay time, uninstall
  • Number of app searches
  • Number of app downloads
  • Number of user ratings and reviews

App Update Frequency Statistics 2021

The rate at which mobile app developers update their apps on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store provides a different perspective on the Android and iOS marketplace. While apps update provides a general view of the worldwide app industry, it may also be used to investigate the engagement, and thus market vitality, of each genre, subgenre, location, or country.

Updated vs. not-so-updated

Here is a quick comparison between apps that update more frequent, keeping themselves over the top, addressing issues and improving their app constantly and the ones who don’t:

Health & Fitness: MyFitnessPal vs. Ergomo

While MyFitnessPal updates its app 2,3 or 4 times a month, with a sum of 9 updates in the last 3 months only, Ergomo did its last update 11 months ago. Okay, sure, it’s not fair to compare one big and popular app with any other, but if you want to grow your business, and make your app a success like the other one, you need to update and be up-to-date. As a result, MyFitnessPal has 1.3 million ratings, and Ergomo has non yet.

Entertainment: Crunchyroll vs. Stremio Organizer

Yep, as you guessed by now, Crunchyroll is updating its app often, once a month specifically. Therefore it has many users, hence the 377.9K ratings. On the other hand, we present you Stremio Organizer which unfortunately did its last update 1 year ago and with a habit of updating once a year, therefore no reviews or ratings are available yet.

Podcasts: The Podcast App vs. RadioPublic - The Podcast App

And lastly, here are two Podcast Apps. Both of them should be popular right now since almost everybody listens to podcasts lately, right? Wrong. While The Podcast App has a tendency to update 2,3 or 4 times a month, keeping the app fresh, safe and bug-free, justifying its 209K ratings, RadioPublic made its last update 2 years ago and people don’t really like that, therefore they don’t download, rate or review the app.

Consequently, the fact is that apps must be updated on a frequent basis in order to remain relevant and functional. Just like you wouldn't launch an app with a confirmed flaw, updates keep your program safe and allow you to fix any issues that arise. Acknowledge that upgrading your app isn't a suggestion, but rather a need if you want to stay relevant. Taking advantage of possibilities to improve your app is a continual process that evolves in tandem with market changes and improvements.

The suitable choice of what you require will aid in the efficient use of resources, time, and effort. In turn, appssemble is prepared to maintain and upgrade your app in addition to building it. It’s simple, contact us for further information on how to fine-tune your application with no worries.

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