Appy Pie LLC, a provider of cloud-based mobile application builder software, today announced integration with Amazon.com Inc.’s Appstore and the availability of a new app-building tool called Turbo Boost next month.

Appy Pie’s platform provides businesses with the tools needed to create iOS and Android mobile apps using drag-and-drop prompts without the need for any programming skills. The company also launched its own app marketplace as well as the ability for business users to make money from their apps. Apps created on Appy Pie can be published to Google Play, iTunes and now also on the Amazon App Store.

There are various app-building services on the market, including Google Inc.’s App Maker, which the company launched earlier this month, and Microsoft Corp.’s PowerApps, which was made generally available in November.

Here’s a look at Appy Pie’s Amazon Appstore integration and its new Turbo Boost feature, as well as how you can create your own app using the Appy Pie app building service:

Amazon Appstore integration

The integration is available via an application programming interface, which the Amazon Appstore has opened up to Appy Pie. The submission process is completely automated, users simply have to create their business app on the Appy Pie website.  

“At Amazon, we value businesses that create technologies with the user in mind,” Levi Gibson, senior partner and developer marketing manager of Amazon, said in a press release. “With Appy Pie being one of the fastest-growing DIY mobile app-building tools being used worldwide, we love how the company’s drag-and-drop platform makes it easy to build mobile apps and are excited to see how our customers react.”

How to create an app on Appy Pie

Step 1: Visit the Appy Pie website

Go to the Appy Pie website > click the “Create Your Free App” button.

Step 2: Select the category for your app

Enter a valid name for your app > select a category from the provided options (including, business, restaurant, education, etc.) > click Next.

Note: A demo of your app will display in the right-hand corner of the screen.

Step 3: Select a theme for your app

Select a theme for your app from the various options > click Next.

Note: The demo of your app will be updated with your chosen theme.

Step 4: Complete the app details

Complete all the details for your app, which includes app description, an “about us” section, contact details, uploading of relevant images, etc.

You can also customize various aspects of the app, including the app’s icon, font, style, color and overlay.

Tip: You can customize each page of the app separately, by selecting the relevant page at the top of the screen.

Step 5: Sign up

Click on the third tab called “Build” > sign up with your name, email, etc. On the Subscription page > select the relevant paid service or select the free service > tap Subscribe Now.  

Step 6: Your app is complete

You can go to your dashboard to see your final app. It will take approximately two hours for the app to go live, after which it will be available for download.

Turbo Boost features

Designed as an upgrade to Appy Pie’s proprietary mobile framework Snappy, Turbo Boost is a hybrid framework that supports native app transitions, native scrolling and caching.

Apps created on Turbo Boost will be faster due to the increased performance, security and user experience offered by the hybrid interface. The native transitions offered by Turbo Boost are a combination of AngularJS and jQuery components and relies on Cordova for native compatibility.

“We noticed a huge performance bottleneck when it came to hybrid versus native app downloads and wanted to implement a solution that would allow our customers to build apps that could seamlessly function regardless of the platform their customers are using,” said Abhinav Girdhar, chief executive officer and founder of Appy Pie. “Not only does Turbo Boost deliver better overall performance but it also enables for better reviews and in turn, more revenue and full customer acceptance.”

Other Turbo Boost features include:

• The ability to create an app similar to dating app, Tinder.
• Users can organize similar pages into a single directory.
• Users can integrate app data with third-party databases, like Google’s Firebase.
• The incorporation of one-touch call.
• Allows inquiry form connectivity with Salesforce.com Inc. and Zoho Corp. customer relationship management.

Turbo Boost was launched under a closed beta on Dec. 1 and is available to new users only. The beta will run until Jan. 31, at which point it will be made available to all Appy Pie users.

Images via Appy Pie