Technical Resources

Mobile App Maintenance

Upgrading, updating, patching, and adjusting the various toolsets and technologies foundational to the Mobile Application systems developed by Black Line.

Maintenance is completed throughout the to ensure custom applications are kept at the highest version levels and supported by the manufacturers of the technologies a custom system are built.

Below are the various components covered by the Black Line Mobile App Maintenance program:

Black Line authorized to act on behalf of Client with Apple & Google Play:

  • Once a mobile app is in Apple/Google Play store, releases prompts that must be acted on to keep the app updated and compliant. The failure to act on these prompts can prevent Black Line from performing the necessary app maintenance (see “steps 2 & 3” below, such as releasing new versions, managing testers, renewing annual certificates, etc.) and may result in Apple removing it from the App Store altogether if neglected. Transferring the Account Holder role gives Black Line the authority to keep your account in good standing perpetually, in streamlined and efficient manner.
  • Assumes Account Owner has authorized Black Line as approved multi-factor authorization contact.
    • https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204915

Annual App Store Management:

  • Annual App Store management includes:
    • Annual Apple App store/Google Play store developer fees.
    • Resolve policy changes, accept agreements, and keep the account in good standing with Apple/Google.
  • Payments managed by Black Line.

Annual Maintenance:

  • Annual Maintenance depends on the platform in which your app was developed. Black Line typically uses one of the following frameworks: Xamarin/Maui or GoNative.
  • Xamarin/Maui Platform Application Annual Maintenance:
    • Xamarin + 3rd-Party dependency updates
    • Commercial 3rd-Party library license renewals (if required).
    • iOS/Android SDK retargeting to account for new device and operating system releases.
    • Address bugs and/or crashes reported by usage tracking.
    • Cleanup or refactor legacy implementations of features.
    • Testing upgrades.
    • Manage deployment pipelines.
    • Produce installable App in required format.
    • Deployments to Beta Testers/Stores.
    • Multiple review processes.
  • Document Maintenance and Client report.
  • GoNative Application Annual Maintenance
    • Rebuild iOS/Android apps with latest feature-set.
    •  Re-release App to stores once a year to ensure that the App itself can target new operating systems and devices.
  • Testing & Adjustments.
Service Group
  • Software Maintenance
  • Software Proactive
Technical Value Propositions
  • Software Maintenance
Black Line Value Propositions
  • Access
  • Availability
  • Compliance
  • Performance
  • Risk Reduction
  • Scalability
  • Strategic
  • Technical Stability

Why does this matter for your business?

Mobile Applications, and their underlying technologies, become outdated very rapidly and keeping up with maintenance ensures critical business systems operate at a very high level of effectiveness. The Black Line Software Development team is much more effective when they are working with technologies kept at reasonable version levels. This allows Engineers to be trained and maintain training in the most current technologies and reduces the risk of outdated systems needing support. The more technically relevant each component is kept the larger the pool of engineers there are available to support. Black Line engineers are most effective (cost and time) when the variations of technologies is kept to a minimum. The more variations in technologies to support the more training is needed, our talent pool shrinks and there is significantly more technical debt to carry

Specifically with Mobile Applications, working with organizations like Apple and Google requires another level of coordination to ensure our Clients systems can be updated and deployed without delay or red-tape

What value does this add to your business?

  • Technical Stability
  • Risk Reduction
  • Availability
  • Scalability
  • Compliance

What common problems does this solve for your business?

Unplanned downtime, features that no longer work with newer technologies, browsers that are no longer supported, security gaps creating serious organizational risk, systems not in compliance with regulatory rules, Regular business interruption, data corruption, performance issues

Why do you need a solution?

Client’s need confidence their investment in technology is accomplishing the goals as intended. Conducting regular maintenance translates into systems protected from security threats, available when needed, scalable to meet growing needs, stabile, and addresses compliance requirements. Conducting regular maintenance dramatically improves the likelihood of a system is serving the business at the highest level of value.

In addition, Black Line reduces the frustration of working with Apple and Google to ensure when systems are deployed, updated or otherwise need adjustments there is no delay or red tape to be involved with. Black Line’s team manages the whole process and no technical knowledge is needed

What can you and your business expect from this service?

Business Leaders can expect:
  • Black Line’s team will conduct maintenance activities aligned with the needs of the organization. It will be planned, scheduled and conducted with the appropriate level of communication and attention to detail expected for a critical business system. Engineers will be thorough in identifying what maintenance needs to be performed, prioritized to address urgency or risk to the organization, and completed with limited interruption to operations
End Users can expect:
  • End-users will see that systems just work as intended, available when needed and low on interruptions to their normal workflow. They will experience rare interruption to their daily routines and will find their business systems work seamlessly as part of their daily work

How does Black Line do it better?

Maintenance is often an ignored and under-prioritized aspect of the software development lifecycle. Most Engineers view maintenance work as tedious and not matching their skills or advancement. Black Line Engineers see the effort as critical to serving the needs of the organizations we serve. Performing maintenance means being proactive and preventing unplanned downtime or negative impact to the business people relying on it for their work

More Questions or Want to Talk?

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