What was once simply considered wild imagination is now a possible reality thanks to Augmented Reality. AR is basically a complex computer-produced vision that augments real environments in captivating ways. It’s redefined software and app user experience today. AR software development is a booming industry as we speak. It isn’t easy to master the technology however.

Businesses that realized the potential of AR in enticing their customer base have started investing in AR-powered apps, and developers are looking for the best approaches to mastering the technology. This is where open source comes in.

The gaining momentum of AR led developers to seek out open source technologies that could help them effectively leverage the technology to build AR apps. That said, here are the 4 most popular open source AR software development kits that have impressed AR app enthusiasts across the globe.
 

Google’s ARCore

 
Right at the forefront is Google’s ARCore. Launched in 2018, the SDK is open source under Apache 2.0 license and is designed to bring sensational AR experiences to Android devices.

ARCore enables developers to build AR apps that utilize the features of the mobile device to sense and augment real world environments transforming them into interactive, creative AR scenes that serve multiple purposes. The popular platform also features a multitude of APIs. Some of these APIs are available on iOS as well supporting shared AR experiences. The three most important capabilities of the ARCore are motion tracking, light estimation, and environmental understanding.
 

DroidAR

 
DroidAR was initially developed in 2010, and is known as the only open source AR exclusive to Android. The SDK supports image tracking, location-based and marker-based AR app development. However, it lacks a Unity plugin. DroidAR is a simple SDK licensed under GPLv3 – an ideal option for those looking for a free kit to deliver top notch location-based and marker-based AR experiences.
 

AR.js

 
Licensed under MIT, AR.js is a JavaScript-powered SDK that enables developers to incorporate AR experiences to web browsers without installing an app for it. What makes AR.js unique is the fact that it runs very fast – fast enough to hit 60 fps on older smartphone models. AR.js can be used on all popular mobile platforms such as Windows, Android, and iOS.
 

ARToolKit

 
ARToolKit stands next to Google ARCore as one of the most widely used AR open source technologies. With this SDK, developers can overlay virtual imagery on real environments while delivering a fast and intuitive user experience. ARToolKit is also cross-platform i.e. you can use it on Linux, Android, iOS, and Windows.

Its primary capabilities include tracking the user’s viewpoint and physical position to draw the imagery, tracking of planar images, Unity plugins support, and camera orientation tracking support.
 

Conclusion

 
As Augmented Reality expands its boundaries and crosses over to various industries including healthcare and fashion, the open source SDKs mentioned in this blog could be the game changer for developers who wish to utilize AR in the most effective manner.

Share your thoughts below on AR and AR app development.

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2018 was an exciting year for software testing. Agile adoption reached 97% and Forrester declared the year as the Year of Enterprise DevOps. The cultural and technological shift in testing in 2018 however is just the beginning. As 2019 begins, more testing trends will gain momentum resulting in testing hitting even more critical milestones.

That said, let’s check out what 2019 has in store for software testing.
 

Cross-functional teams for software quality

 
This trend isn’t new but it was only adopted by a few organizations in 2018. Many organizations went ahead and created cross-functional teams to evaluate and ensure software quality. Many companies have started considering cross-functionality a necessity to solidify the trust between everyone involved in software delivery while facilitating better collaboration and coordination.

As organizations prioritize software quality even more today, we will see this trend continue to be adopted by more organizations in 2019. The added bonus is the fact that QA teams get to contribute more by leading initiatives that improve the software’s overall quality.
 

QA will be QE

 
Until now Quality Assurance (QA) has been the approach of choice for a software development company that prioritizes product quality. But today, QA became too sophisticated encompassing a number of aspects including test automation, DevOps, and pipeline integration etc. More skills and technologies are involved now. Conclusively, QA evolved beyond what it used to be.

With quality being the priority for companies providing Agile software development services, and considering the rapid evolution of QA, the transformation is referred to as Quality Engineering (QE) now. As more teams in more organizations start embedding quality throughout the software development process, QE will expand proportionately. And that’s what we will start seeing in 2019.
 

Load testing will become a staple

 
Load testing was once a very challenging discipline which made it relatively less accessible to many testing teams. But technological advancements and the advent of new tools have made load testing accessible and intuitive. Load testing used to demand specific hardware that not all testers can get their hands on. It was an investment many organizations weren’t willing to make.

Even if the team did manage to procure the hardware, they are often required schedule tests in advance as many teams will be sharing the server during development. The advancements in cloud brought with it a solution to this particular issue. Cloud-based load testing platforms are now available that make it possible for testers to use multiple servers simultaneously thus eliminating scheduling conflicts. This will lead to wider adoption of continuous load testing in DevOps environments in 2019.
 

More demand for test automation

 
The increasing adoption of Agile and DevOps demanded many organizations to redevise their testing strategies to stay ahead of the curve. One of the major changes that followed was test automation that supplements manual testing. Companies that leveraged test automation became better at it in no time seeing a number of benefits in the process including faster testing cycles and improved test coverage for starters. It’s safe to assume that test automation levels will increase even further in 2019 as more organizations come forward to invest in it.
 

Conclusion

 
These are just the tip of the iceberg. There will be even more software testing trends that will turn heads this year as the field grows in importance while technologies simply it even further. More people will be pursuing a career in QA and more enterprises will realize how QA grants them high quality products that far outshine their predecessors.

In this age, startups contribute a lot in driving innovation across various industries. Not all startups succeed in their ventures however. Initially, it wasn’t easy for startups to compete and eventually surpass their already-established competitors and grow their own reputation at the same time. Software development startups, particularly, had many hurdles ahead of them at that time and they still do.

But Microsoft recently announced an initiative that could benefit startups in their run on dynamic, competitive environments – Microsoft for Startups. Also known as the Bizspark program, the initiative provides startups that lack funds for licenses and platforms an opportunity to develop and market enterprise-grade software solutions.

The ASP.NET program along with Bizspark is now considered an excellent way for startups to take their first step in the tech world. This consequently led to a rise in demand for ASP.NET development services. ASP.NET is now seen as a technology that startups can leverage for accelerated growth. We will be exploring this subject in this blog. But before we begin, here are a few facts that emphasize the importance of ASP.NET and the reason for its ever-growing popularity.

A SimilarTech research found that over 17 million websites are built using ASP.NET. According to BuiltWith, over 41 million live websites use ASP.NET in their records at present.

Let’s dig into how the popular Microsoft technology solution can help startups in 2019.
 

Easy interoperability

 
With Microsoft releasing Windows 10 IoT, startups have an opening they can utilize to grow faster in a world that’s expected to be dominated by the Internet of Things in the times to come. However, interoperability is a concern that many IoT enthusiasts have.

With ASP.NET, interoperability won’t be an issue. As a matter of fact, it’d be more secure with ASP.NET. Combined with Microsoft Azure IoT suite, the framework grants impressive open source flexibility that amplifies development speed without compromising security.

So in 2019, for startups planning to take a shot with IoT as ammunition, ASP.NET guarantees a precise aim and stability.
 

Security for the future

 
As technologies advance and IoT gains momentum, data security concerns and the increasing tenacity of cyber-criminals make startups hesitant to pool their available resources to drive innovation. ASP.NET however has evolved big enough to combat most cyber-threats with its high-end security features. The Microsoft framework’s MVC architecture makes it even easier to build scalable applications that can be easily integrated with existing business applications without opening up security holes.
 

The Azure harmony

 
We are pretty sure that the cloud holds the future for almost every kind of business that deals with new-gen technologies. For companies that rely on Microsoft platforms for growth, Microsoft Azure is an appealing and beneficial choice. But what makes Azure an ideal choice for startups is the fact that it goes hand in hand with ASP.NET. The combination has a very low fail-rate for startups that are prepared to wield them effectively. It will certainly make a difference for startups this year, and the cherry on top is that Microsoft will be there to help.
 

Improved versatility for mobile app development

 
Back in the day, it wasn’t easy for application developers to build mobile apps based on .NET. But now things have changed. .NET evolved over the years to become even more versatile than it used to be, enabling startups to build mobile apps that can provide rich user experiences without hassle.
 

Conclusion

 
ASP.NET has always been known for its versatility and diversity. Despite being pitted against strong rivals, the framework has been successfully retaining its demand and popularity for years. With its great flexibility and multitude of impressive features, ASP. NET is undoubtedly the most ideal web solution for startups to begin their journey to success in 2019.

Yet another year passes by as the Mobile App Development industry retains its tremendous growth rate. In 2018, the tech world witnessed significant changes across various industries that influenced app development, more specifically iOS and Android app development. Mobile devices and applications evolved due to various trends and technological advancements.

Statista’s research expects the number of smartphone users in 2019 to exceed 2.5 billion next year along with a proportional increase in the number of mobile apps – both iOS and Android.

However, on a technical front, app developers and mobile technologies enthusiasts are looking forward to seeing the updates 2019 will bring to the table.

That said, here are the mobile app development trends to watch out for in 2019.
 

IoT will be prevalent

 
The Internet of Things, popularly known as IoT, turned a lot of heads in 2018, and has evolved enough to boost a number of industry verticals including healthcare, eCommerce, transportation etc. It’s expected to penetrate the retail and real estate industries soon, and be the catalyst for the development of ‘smart cities’. The technology is expected to solve traffic issues and vehicle parking problems.

IoT app development is trending now though we don’t see many IoT apps gaining traction at the moment. Owing to the technology’s massive potential, it’s safe to assume that IoT will be involved more in revamping businesses across the globe next year. The technology will become common in various regions.
 

Intelligent chatbots

 
Many on-demand apps today feature chatbots with unique features and functionalities. The advancements in Artificial Intelligence helped make chatbots smarter.

Statista forecasted that the global chatbot market will increase to 1250 million by 2025. Chatbots is expected to bring forth many success stories for businesses in the form of virtual sales assistants and customer support. Customer relationship management will be further escalated by chatbots in 2019, essentially making chatbot development a big deal next year.
 

Application Performance Management (APM) will be the norm

 
APM originally was defined as the mobile metrics integrated into Google a few years back. It was meant to avoid issues that degenerated app performance. With proper APM, app performance and quality can be significantly boosted. As a matter of fact, many QA specialists use APM during the app testing process to ensure quality. In 2019, APM will have more relevance and will be more prevalent among testers and developers.

EMM or Enterprise Mobile Management is also expected to gain momentum next year improving app development technologies as well as the skill of the people behind the development. Both APM and EMM will play key roles in streamlining mobile computing, covering various aspects including app maintenance, security, finance management, and user experience.
 

Enhanced beacons

 
The Beacon technology isn’t anything new, and is primarily used to attract customers who are in close proximity of the physical store of a business. In 2019, we will be seeing an enhanced beacon technology tailored to serve various purposes. It can be of great use in airports and for mobile payments. Users will be able to access information seamlessly while businesses can get closer to their customers and prospects more efficiently.
 

Robust app security

 
A common trend followed every year, app security will have even more significance next year as new kinds of cyber-threats emerge. Corporate giants like Google and Apple are relentlessly trying to augment app security to offer uncompromising features that’d safeguard confidential user and business data. As such, we can expect better app security protocols to emerge in 2019.
 

Conclusion

 
Developers as well as testers will need to enhance their skill sets and expertise in various technologies and leverage buzzing trends to stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly competitive app market. There will also be a shift in the expectations of the average app user demanding more responsive, secure, and fast mobile app experience. Evidently, every enterprise mobile app development company has their work cut out for them in 2019. Staying up-to-date on changing trends is the key to a great start in 2019 for app development companies.

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A software development job is one of the most preferred jobs in the world now. There has always been a demand for good software developers. This demand significantly increased with the advent of powerful technologies with massive potential such as blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI).

The software development industry is also constantly evolving owing to various technological advancements. A widely used technology or methodology can fade away in no time when a different, better alternative introduces itself. The introduction of Agile almost made Waterfall development methodology. New software development startups adopt Agile methodology for faster product delivery without compromising quality. Agile development services are all the rage now.

2019 will bring about even more changes to software development which makes it important for businesses to stay up-to-date on the latest trends to remain competent.

Here are a few software development trends that will turn heads in 2019.
 

Blockchain domination

 
A powerful technology expected to revolutionize almost every major industry in the world, blockchain is already considered a good investment for future-proofing businesses and augmenting business security. The concept of a distributed ledger technology without any need for central repositories, intermediaries or middleware was seen as something out of a science-fiction movie…until blockchain started gaining great momentum.

Demand for Blockchain-based applications and services are already gaining demand now. Next year, we will witness more investments in blockchain and even more demand for blockchain application development expertise.
 

More low-code development

 
Low-code development has been around for a while but hasn’t gained a lot of traction owing to the presence of more preferred, more familiar development techniques. But lately many businesses have started exploring the potential of low-code development in developing and deploying enterprise-grade solutions. Siemens recently acquired a low-code development company called Mendix for $730 million.

Next year, we will see low-code development gaining more momentum as a potentially beneficial software development trend. Low-code development also doesn’t require much expertise in coding which makes it even more appealing in an age where great coding expertise is quite expensive.
 

Cybersecurity

 
A number of organizations including ones that relied on cloud computing reported security incidents this year. Avoiding data breaches and leakage has become top priority for many organizations particularly the cloud-dependent ones. As more threats to data privacy emerge, cybersecurity is forced to evolve beyond its present limits to combat them. Software is looked at to trigger this evolution or complement it. In 2019, there will likely be a software development boom focused on cybersecurity.
 

Artificial Intelligence

 
To compete in dynamically changing market conditions, it’s important for businesses to devise a strategy to trigger proper digital transformation. And no technology today is as effective as Artificial Intelligence (AI) when it comes to digital transformation of enterprises.

Gartner estimates that the AI industry will generate a revenue of over $1 trillion by the end of 2018. It’s been a hot trend this year, and in 2019 we will see AI dominating even more aggressively. Artificial Intelligence application development is already a highly valued skill.
 

Conclusion

 
Software development has started to demand something more than great coding skills. It evidently requires more effort from developers to figure out how to wield new-gen technologies better to build powerful software that will give businesses an edge in changing market conditions amidst rapid technological advancements. The impending evolution of software development industry due to new trends next year will also be impacting how software testing is done. We are heading for a lot of surprises next year, and it’s never too late to prepare for it in advance.