Logistics App Development Overview: An Essential Guide

Applications for logistics help collect and process data and control logistics processes.

After a brief downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the logistics industry has returned to robust growth. By 2027, the global logistics market is expected to exceed 13.7 billion euros.

The main competitive advantage in logistics is the speed of delivery. To some degree or another, all innovations and improvements in transportation and warehousing relate to reducing delivery times and improving the safety of shipping and storage.

Software applications help make the logistics business more efficient.

Our review focuses on logistics app development and the business benefits of implementing software solutions.

Types of Logistics Applications

Application types depend on the area of logistics in which they are applied.

Routing and fleet management software applications are designed to collect, process, and store data related to transportation.

App users can track the fleet location, analyze fuel consumption, repair costs, and distance traveled, and look through the vehicle maintenance history. Apps can remind users of scheduled fleet maintenance.

Timely decisions based on data analysis allow the company to optimize routes, save resources, and increase business efficiency.

Asset tracking and warehouse applications are built to keep records of goods delivered to storage, track the location of assets, and monitor temperature, humidity, expiration dates, and other parameters.

A warehouse IoT system consists of devices equipped with humidity and temperature sensors. Gadgets transmit data via LoRaWAN to the AWS server. AWS Lambda, Amazon SNS, and AWS IAM services are used to store and process data.

A cross-platform mobile logistics application receives and analyzes device data.

Sensors' data-receiving process

Many goods require strict adherence to storage conditions.

The C++ application, developed using the Qt framework, displays the temperature and humidity of the warehouse in real time and notifies users in case of significant deviations from the set values.

The app's functionality contains statistical time reports on fluctuations in temperature and humidity.

A warehouse app pre-design

This monitoring system allows companies to reduce storage costs and minimize raw material losses.

Transportation and warehouse software can be integrated into a single system that covers the entire supply chain, from order processing to delivery of goods to the consumer, including return shipping.

The world's leading suppliers of logistics management systems are the German company SAP and the American company Oracle.

The HMI application displays information related to product placement and order priority.

Warehouse process automation is growing along with the warehouse industry.

The size of the warehouse automation market increased by $10 billion over the ten years from 2012 to 2022, with further growth of $12 billion by 2026 projected.

Size of the warehouse automation market worldwide from 2012 to 2026 (in billions of U.S. dollars). Source: Statista

The logistics industry is driving the growth of autonomous IoT and robotics markets as companies incorporate robots and drones into their workflows. Mobile logistics robots are expected to generate more than $9.8 billion in revenue by 2025.

Revenue from logistics robots until 2025. Source: Statista

The global warehouse robotics market is forecast to triple in dollar terms in the next ten years.

Features Logistics App Devs Should Optimize For

All software applications, regardless of their scope, need to possess shared features to be beneficial:

• Speed and efficiency,
• Reliability,
• Data security,
• A reasonable price,
• Easy to install and use,
• Integration with internal and external systems

Logistics applications have unique features related to the scope.

Mobile applications for the logistics industry have unique features.

Truck Tracking

Apps can get vehicle location information using real-time GPS location.

The simple and effective system helps track vehicles, optimize delivery, and provide consignees with information about where their cargo is.

The system consists of GPS devices installed on trucks and an application that stores the GPS coordinates transmitted by the sensors and displays them on a map.

The Qt framework, its useful tools, and C++, QML, and JavaScript helped create a cross-platform app for iOS and Android, and the Kalman filter helped improve the accuracy of the GPS positioning of logistics vehicles.

Best Routes

You can plan the best delivery routes and save time, fuel, and overhead costs without having a bunch of reports and files, but only by installing a logistics application on your smartphone. 

Route planning and optimization support solving the “last mile” problem when consumers want fast and inexpensive delivery, although this is often the most expensive and time-consuming part of the logistics process.

For example, a navigation system developed for a delivery service assists couriers in choosing the best routes.

The manager assigns tasks to the courier through the web portal, indicating the delivery addresses on the map. He always knows the couriers' location by receiving GPS positioning data.

Route optimization

Couriers use mobile cross-platform applications that depict the shortest route calculated using mathematical algorithms.

The application sends notifications to the company manager and the shipper when the courier marks the delivery.

Multilingual Support

Misunderstandings and translation errors can be troublesome when decisions should be taken quickly.

Multilingual logistics applications are user-friendly and can attract more customers to your company.

Offline Functions

The web connection is not always stable. If the mobile app has offline functionality, app users can enter data, view saved numbers, and access reports even when the network is unavailable.

Chat and Calls to the Driver

Built-in messaging and calling can be useful communication channels between company managers, shippers, and drivers.

Logistics managers can learn about car accidents or breakdowns on the road and adjust the route. Customers can obtain the necessary delivery data directly from the driver.

Network Protocols and Technologies Support

Logistics software solutions typically interact with IoT devices, robots, and sensor-enabled systems to obtain the GPS positioning, temperature, humidity, and other data. 

Applications can support various communication protocols such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, and BLE.

The customizable GPS tracking platform is built for asset monitoring. The system consists of a GPS tracking device with BLE, Wi-Fi, and GSM/HSPA communication interfaces and a cloud platform that stores the location and status of assets and displays this data to users in real time through a web interface and a mobile app.

An asset tracking system is a GPS tracking device, a server, a mobile app, and a web app for displaying the asset’s location and condition.

A cross-platform application for iOS and Android with Google Maps allows employees to monitor the location of assets 24/7.

Asset tracking not only helps with warehouse management but also extends to other related areas.

For example, the plug-and-play solution can be applied to localized online advertising of shops, restaurants, and other places using a distributed BLE beacon system, a web server, and a mobile application.

Using the Android Studio IDE, the developers have created an SDK that can be integrated into any Android application.

The Android application uses the iBeacon protocol to receive data from beacons located in shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues. The application then sends it to the web server, which determines the user's location.

Data related to discounts, sales, and promotions is stored on the server and can be sent to recipients using push notifications.

Interaction of components in our Bluetooth Low Energy beacon system

This system allows various businesses, such as small coffee shops, boutiques, or cinemas in shopping and entertainment centers, to effectively advertise their services and promotions to their target audience.

Cross-Platform App Capabilities

Cross-platform logistics applications can run on iOS, Windows, and Android operating systems on mobile and desktop platforms without any or minimal differences in the UI. Users can choose the most convenient way to use the app.

Logistics Software App Benefits

The implementation of logistics applications contributes to the diminishing of transport and storage costs and the reduction of human errors.

There are other crucial benefits to developing transport and warehouse applications:

• Good company image

The convenient interface of the logistics application captivates users and positively affects the company's image.

• Automated fleet tracking and management

By automating fleet management, the company frees up labor resources and saves time.

The manager receives real-time data on the state of the company's vehicles, corrects routes, and uploads data.

• Customer trust and confidence

Senders and recipients are always aware of the cargo location and delivery times, thanks to mobile logistics applications.

Customers are confident in the safety of goods because they control the logistics process 24/7 and can contact the driver on the way.

If the delay does occur, the customer receives comprehensive data on the timing of cargo receipt and never remains in the dark.

• Fewer paper documents

Reducing paperwork to a minimum saves time and resources.

Benefits of having software apps for your logistics business

Logistics App Development Outsourcing

When entrusting the development of logistics applications or software and hardware complexes to an outsourcing company, you should state your wishes and requirements regarding the final product in as much detail as possible.

Requirements may take into account the following points:

• application platform (mobile, desktop, or web version),
• operating system,
• application functionality,
• UI design,
• description and brief technical characteristics of the device with which the application will communicate,
• equipment communication protocols,
• certification requirements (if the project involves hardware development with subsequent certification).

Software application development is not always beneficial. Sometimes software solutions turn out to be unsuccessful, inconvenient, or of little use.

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