3 Effective Ways To Get More Out Of Mobile Apps by Designing For Larger Screens

Over the past couple years the trends have been obvious when it comes to mobile devices… Big is in.

It seems like mobile phones get bigger every day. These phones have captured the interest of the market and seem to be in the driver’s seat.

Interestingly larger phones create several opportunities for marketers as these devices show some exciting trends. For instance, larger screen sizes strongly correlate with increased minutes of app usage. (Modida) These larger screen devices increase engagement and increase engagement creates revenues as well.

Remember that what worked when you originally released your app for the iPhone 4 may not be the best solution now. Its time to update your app and rather than just giving it a minor facelift,  you may will want to look at changes in the market and adapt. You will reap the rewards of doing this before starting your mobile application development project.

Big phones and phablets are everywhere we look, but how do brands and marketers take advantage of this trend?

Use the space

You have more space—use it. When it comes to mobile applications this trend presents some exciting new opportunities for mobile application development.  More space means more opportunity – go bigger and  go bolder.  Don’t be afraid to make navigation or social buttons big enough to tap with ease.  Interactive features and calls to action should be easy to spot. No user likes to accidentally click the wrong button and you don’t want to put them into the position to do so.

Let creative stretch its legs with big, bold offers and  recommendations. The space is there so you might as well use it.

Understand the size difference

Often users use larger phones or phablets different than they would a smaller device. Make sure you keep that in mind as you layout navigation and organize your application. A layout that worked well on an iPhone 4 may not be optimum for the current market. Don’t just stick with what worked in the past. You may want to consider moving important controls from the top of the screen down to improve reachability.

Look at your media

Users love watching videos on phablet and tablet screens—don’t leave them wanting. Mobile is maturing and so should your applications and media. Not only do your controls need to take into account the larger device size but you need to consider that users will interact with a larger device differently and have different exceptions from it content wise as well.

Photo: Kārlis Dambrāns (Flikr) http://bit.ly/1FQlPIy