iOS App Performance Metrics and Tips to Improvise them
Performance is an essential metric on which the merit of any software is valued. A high-performing iOS app will lead to improved customer experience, better chances of getting approval on the Apple App Store, improved app stability and reduced app maintenance costs. But what do we mean when we talk about "improving performance"?
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| Photo by Dennis Brendel on Unsplash |
It means to ensure your iOS app functions in the best manner possible while utilizing the least resources in the most optimal manner possible. You must strike a balance between functionality, design, security and performance.
Major iOS app performance metrics and tips to improvise them
Many factors impact the overall iOS app performance. We will discuss all these important iOS app performance metrics and ways to improvise on those metrics in this blog today. You should hire iOS developers with proven experience in devising iOS app performance. Here are the iOS app performance metrics you should always keep in mind -
iOS App Launch Time
App launch time is crucial in deciding how end users perceive your app. Quicker app launching time is not just an added benefit; it is a mandatory feature in today's competitive market. The average mobile user's average attention span and patience threshold are very bleak these days, and nothing tests their patience more than an app that gets stuck on the splash screen. Hence it is important to monitor app launch time and improve its performance if it isn’t up to the mark. Apple recommends your app launch time should not exceed 400ms.
How to improve App Launch Time?
- Understand the difference between Cold and Warm Launch.
- Understand App Activations.
- Track and analyze App Launch Time metrics
- Decode the factors affecting your App Launch Time
- Lessen the dependencies on dynamic libraries and third-party frameworks
- Reduce static initializers from your code
- Keep the Initial Views as basic as possible
Battery Consumption of your iOS app
Another important aspect to consider is how your iOS app impacts the overall battery of the user’s device. If your app causes severe battery drain on your users’ phones, they might uninstall it over a period of time. Different apps from different categories have different battery budgets, so if your game is a heavy gaming app, you might get away with a larger battery drainage percentage than a to-do app. But still, you need to optimize the battery consumption level per industry standards.
How to improve Battery Consumption?
- Defer unnecessary processes from your code
- Conduct proper tests to optimize battery drainage
- Follow Apple's battery-saving guidelines
iOS App’s Memory Usage on User Device
Any smartphone has limited memory that needs to be shared by different apps, the native OS (iOS in our case), system processes and kernel. Since this limited resource needs to be shared, if one of the apps takes up most of it, it would cause a sluggish user experience across the user's device. Apple provides several guidelines on how to reduce memory usage for Apple developers.
How to improve Memory Usage?
- Eliminate memory leaks
- Discard any unused view objects
- Improvise size of core data transactions
- Improve image assets
iOS App’s Network Performance
How your app performs in network performance determines your overall iOS app performance. If your app can quickly fetch the user's demanded data and present it to them, it creates a positive user experience. However, if your app needs to make too many requests or handles network requests inefficiently, its poor performance causes a toll on users with limited data plans.
How to improve Network Performance?
Learn and integrate network protocols like IPv6, TLS, HTTP/2 and Encrypted DNS.
- Reduce pre-fetching
- Reduce sync frequency
- Disable auto-play
App Responsiveness of your iOS App
App responsiveness is a key element in determining iOS app performance. The responsiveness of a mobile app helps users gain trust that the mobile app is genuine, the best in its ranks and the right solution for their requirements. It helps your app stand out from the competition.
How to improve App Responsiveness?
By carefully monitoring metrics such as –
- View update times
- View load times
- App Hangs
- Scroll Hitch Rate
iOS App Stability
Your app can only be genuinely performant if it can perform optimally consistently. Instability is the biggest rival to mobile app performance. Because it creates room for uncertainty if the app will do well in critical times or fail its users. Hence, it is very important to ensure your app remains stable. Generally, app stability is measured by calculating crashes per session.
How to improve App Stability?
- Use popular app stability monitoring tools like Instabug
- Reduce dependency on third-party libraries for core app functions
- Make sure to test the app on performance, UI, security and all other aspects
- Work on memory management
- Test app compatibility with previous and latest Apple products
iOS App Size
App size won't directly impact your iOS app performance. It does influence the user's decision to download your app or not. Remember, iPhones don't come with expandable storage, so your app needs to be of optimal size for users not to hesitate to download your app due to space constraints. Also, if you are planning to make your app global and your app size is too large, people still on 2G networks will not attempt to download your app. You would lose out on potential users that way.
How to improve App Size?
- Choose your target's build setting optimally.
- Use asset catalogues for your app's resources
- Find and remove unused assets
- Enable barcode
- Reduce the size of app updates
- Convert some functions of your app to on-demand resources
Final Words
These are the top iOS app performance metrics and some quick tips and tricks to optimize them for improving your overall iOS app performance. Hire dedicated developers with proven experience delivering robust, secure and highly performant iOS apps.
