9 Essential Skills to Become a Sought-after iOS Developer

Almost everyone has a mobile phone. I bet you also have one. No wonder because it’s a powerful tool that can do almost anything. Banking, photography, communication, online shopping, and even tracking your pet dog.

As our needs evolve, more and more mobile applications are launched every day. And one of the biggest platforms is Apple’s iOS. As they say, it’s Apple iPhones versus the rest. As of January, there are roughly 1 billion active iPhones in the world. 

That’s why iOS developers are one of the most in-demand online jobs you can do today.

Here’s the average salary for iOS developers, depending on the skill level. With that, here are 9 essential skills to become a sought-after iOS developer.

 

Understanding of the iOS Ecosystem

Apple has created an ecosystem of products that seamlessly work with each other. They have the iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and more to come. 

As a sought-after iOS developer, you should know how they work together. And create integration with your development with that in mind. For example, you may include additional functionality when using the Apple Watch alongside the iPhone with the app.

Have the ecosystem in mind, and watch your app get traction.

 

Technical Expertise in Computer Science of Software Engineering

Development is pretty technical. It needs practice and hours of study. So a degree is not necessarily a requirement. But you should have the expertise in computer science or software engineering to back your development up.

Creating an app that will be impactful to users is not really something you can simply Youtube. Gain the technical expertise, and watch your career grow in this field.

 

Mastery in Apple Programming languages

Apple has a different set of programming languages for your software development, such as Objective-C, Swift, and Cocoa Touch.

Are you adept in these languages? You should practice your programming skills and be experts in them. You’ll never know what fantastic program you can create with mastery in these languages. 

 

Use of Grand Central Dispatch

On top of mastery in programming languages, Apple is known to make the most out of Apple devices’ hardware. Some may say that Apple devices are underpowered compared to their Android counterparts. But because of the optimization of applications, Apple products are one of the fastest phones in the world.

One reason is the Grand Central Dispatch (GCD). The GCD is a technology developed by Apple for the optimization of multi-core processors and multiprocessing systems. 

Be adept in using this tool to optimize your app even further in the iOS ecosystem.

 

Basic Graphic Design

Now that we established the internals. Let’s work on what the people can see. With iOS development, you should also have basic graphic design skills. It’s not necessary that you will do the graphics on your own. That’s why there’s a team.

But then, you should still know the basics of design to align what assets you need for your project. 

Is it cohesive with the company’s branding? Does the color match? Are the fonts readable? Knowing this will set you apart from just basic developers in the market. After all, you understand what you want, and you know what possible elements are needed in your app.

 

UI/UX Design

What’s the use of great graphics when the app is hard to use? Alongside graphics, you should be adept in User interface and experience or UI/UX design. 

Not everyone has the patience to tinker with an app. In fact, a lot have low tolerance, and most will delete your software if it’s hard to use. And for sure, you’ve done it yourself. 

So keep the UI/UX design in mind to create the best experience for your users.

 

Spatial Reasoning

There will be different elements in your application. Some might even be 3D in nature. You should have spatial reasoning to develop and visualize the outcome of your app.

Take note of the relative shapes, sizes, text, and even location of the elements in your app. And create a sequence that would be visually pleasing for the users. In this way, it can contribute to a better UI/UX experience. And will be a practical application for your target audience.

 

Collaboration

You will not be alone in a software development project. You will be working with fellow developers, graphic designers, writers, and more. Can you work well with people?

You will have different skills. You should know how to utilize each other’s strengths and weaknesses to create the best output you can.

Your collaboration skills will bring out the best in your team. And hopefully, a successfully developed software for your target audience.

 

Up-to-Date

As technology evolves, there will be changes in your field. You should be up-to-date with the latest happenings and updates. 

Check out thought leaders in iOS. Watch out for new trends. And you can even join a community of iOS developers. In this way, you can adapt to the changes and still be relevant to your clients in the long run.

 

Conclusion

Are you ready to become a sought-after iOS developer? When you hone your skills above, you will be better than the rest. 

If you’re looking for opportunities in this field, you can check this link for more information. Cheers!