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Priorities of each task were delivered with a strong balance between business and development goals.Project overview
Our Client, Picup Media, specializes in high-quality jewelry photo retouching for various customers. At a certain point, Picup Media grasped that smartphones had almost overcome standard photo cameras, as they are small, easy to carry, easy to use, and, actually, have now quite good built-in cameras. That drove the Client to the idea to create a comprehensive hardware and software solution to photograph jewelry for everyone who has a smartphone. That’s how GemLightBox solution was born.
When the Client came to us, they already had GemLightBox App developed but it didn’t meet the Client’s requirements in terms of optimization, functionality, and performance, which needed to be significantly improved. There were also other challenges to be addressed, which are shown below:
- Find a reliable software development partner to outsource development of mobile applications for both Android and iOS devices;
- Get fully functional Android and iOS apps;
- Find an optimum solution to improve camera quality on all devices regardless of the platform and physical sensor type;
- Obtain modern and native design in the apps;
- Track the project development process and intervene, if needed, at any time.
Solution
DIGIS developers were awarded the contract to re-built the existing Android mobile solution of the Client so that to upgrade its design and implement algorithms allowing to get high quality of photographs virtually on all Android devices, and to transform the existing outdated iOS version of the app into a new, functional, and user-friendly product. DIGIS also needed to add advanced photo editing functions to ensure the best quality of jewelry photos.
Client Results
Having chosen DIGIS as an outsourced partner to develop their software, the Client obtained required results that facilitated their business and technical operations, namely:
- Obtained their fully functional mobile apps for Android and iOS within the agreed period of time;
- Managed to offer their customers a unique, studio-quality photography solution for the jewelry industry;
- Remained in full control of the development process and provided their valuable input as required;
- Needn’t to hire and pay in-house developers and pay associated taxes;
- Improved their brand awareness and number of citations and searches which later converted into purchasers;
- Focused on their business matters and didn’t waste time on technical issues.
Solution Overview
After the project kickoff, DIGIS set up the project team that took all efforts to produce a world-class mobile solutions for both Android and iOS devices in line with all requirements and wishes of the Client.
Android and iOS Apps Optimization and Design
Following the Client’s wishes as to the UI/UX design of GemLightBox App and the newest Google Material Design Guidelines and Apple Human Interface Guidelines, DIGIS has injected the Client’s designs into the app. We picked up Kotlin and Swift as the primary technologies for this project as they allow getting not only quick but also accurate and results.
We also used JavaRx as we needed to ensure synchronous operation of the app regardless of its load, and Android JetPack as it is a perfect choice to speed up and optimize the development environment for Android app. Choice of Kotlin allowed DIGIS to add Kotlin Coroutines to substantially accelerate asynchronous programming and lighten the code of the app - all ‘heavy’ things are executed within libraries not within the source code body.
Another technology we injected into the project was Koin as it is much easier than Dagger and ensures great processing of outside dependencies.
In the case of the iOS version of the app, DIGIS developers used Swift as the programming language, iOS SDK and other Apple’s native tools and technologies.
Bluetooth LE Devices Support
In addition to the app’s native ability to connect and work together with Picup Media’s Jewelry Photography Box, GemLightBox App received improved algorithms to interact with a wide variety of BluetoothLE devices. This was one of the key requirements to the app as it needs to be very power efficient and tolerant to a smartphone battery. Users can hook to remote shutters, remote wireless storages and other external devices in order to share their images.
Pixel Perfect Smartphone Photos and Videos
Smartphone camera sensors are now on almost the same level as the cropped consumer photo cameras. The main problem is to ensure proper processing of raw image data. DIGIS developed effective and optimized algorithms that ensure virtually no losses during image processing. We also added Camera2API integration to connect GemLightBox App’s camera software with the user’s smartphone camera hardware in a proper manner.
Following the Client’s request, DIGIS enabled 4K video recording from within the app to allow users to get superior video footage of their jewelry products. For this purpose we used OpenGL, AVfoundaton, CoreGraphics, FFMPeg. We also added some live filters users can apply before the photo is taken and see how it changes the photo on the smartphone screen.
Unique feature for the app is its subscription-based in-app secure photo gallery. Users can store their photos both in GemLightBox cloud or locally on their devices but fully protected by secure passwords.
Project Team
The DIGIS Project Team is made up of 5 members, two of which are Android developers, two more are iOS developers, and one Project Manage to keep full control of the development process, adjust it as needed, and maintain reliable communication link between the developers and the Client.
The Team has dedicated 4 months already to recreate the Client’s existing apps and convert them into modern, scalable, functional, and user-welcomed mobile solutions that promote the Client’s business and help users enjoy studio-like quality of their smartphone photos of the jewelry.
Development technologies
