Mobile GIS Application Development

Work with your data wherever you need it.

Turn an iOS (iPhone, iPad), Android, Windows Surface, or Windows Phone device into a powerful GIS data collection tool. Mobile GIS applications make it possible to leverage hardware capabilities typically found on mobile devices, such as the camera, compass, and GPS, to build richer applications.

State and local agencies can effectively report on and the condition of the facilities they maintain. Real estate experts can use a mobile GIS solution to correlate photos with geographic locations for comparable properties and broker price opinions instantly in the field. The potential for mapping solutions that perform well on mobile devices is virtually limitless.

When is a mobile GIS solution the best option?

Both mobile apps and web-based apps make your solution accessible outside of the office, but there are some key scenarios when a mobile app is a better option. Carefully consider a mobile app solution if:

  • Having a highly performant user interface for operations such as graphics editing is critical
  • The application needs to use mobile device hardware features, such as its compass, gyroscope, GPS, or camera
  • End users need to have the ability to input data, or continued functionality of some app features even when Internet connectivity is poor or unavailable (e.g. a remote field location)

How I Do It

Often I find that using the ArcGIS Runtime Software Development Kits (SDKs) for mobile devices is the most efficient way to build powerful mapping solutions for mobile devices. However, there any many other SDKs that can be used very effectively, even if these are not intended for use with mobile apps! I also prioritize building highly available mobile applications that can still be effectively used for data collection even when there is not a strong or available Internet connection.

Why It Matters

The Internet is more available now than it has ever been in history – but it’s still not everywhere. A good offline data synchronization strategy is key to building a mobile mapping application with the desired level of usability in the field.

Explore creating more with GIS.

I can build highly available GIS applications for the web.

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