iOS app development
iOS app development company for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch
We are an iOS app development company in Lahore building native Swift and SwiftUI apps for founders and product teams in the USA, UK, UAE, Europe and Australia. We handle the full Apple cycle: design to Apple’s conventions, build in Xcode, beta test on TestFlight, and take the app through App Review without surprises. You own the code, the Apple Developer account and every design file from day one.
- Native Swift and SwiftUI
- Built with Xcode 26 and the iOS 26 SDK
- TestFlight build every two-week sprint
- App Store submission handled
What you get from our iOS app development company
A native iOS app is written in Swift, Apple’s preferred language, with the interface in SwiftUI, Apple’s declarative UI framework. We still use UIKit where it earns its place: complex text editing, some camera flows, and older codebases that cannot be rewritten in one go. Mixing the two is normal and well supported.
Native matters most for apps that live close to the operating system. Widgets, Live Activities, HealthKit, Apple Pay, background location and Apple Watch companions all work best, and ship soonest after each WWDC, when you build with Apple’s own tools. If you only need standard screens, forms and lists on both platforms, cross-platform app development may cost you less, and we will say so.
Every engagement includes a dedicated project manager, two-week sprints with a TestFlight build at the end of each, QA on real iPhones and iPads, and App Store submission. Code goes into your own GitHub or GitLab repository from the first commit.
iOS devices and app types we build
One Swift codebase can target several Apple devices, but each has its own layout rules, input methods and review expectations.
iPhone apps
Consumer, commerce, booking, fintech and health apps from our iPhone app development team. We design for one-handed use, Dynamic Type and Dark Mode from the first wireframe, because retrofitting accessibility late costs far more.
iPad apps
iPadOS 26 windowing (resizable windows, tiling and a menu bar replaced Split View and Slide Over), keyboard shortcuts and Apple Pencil input. Our iPad app development page covers the detail. iPad is often where field-service, retail POS and education apps earn their money, and a stretched iPhone layout is a common review complaint.
Apple Watch apps
watchOS apps, with or without an iPhone companion, for workouts, reminders, quick actions and WidgetKit complications (see Apple Watch app development). We keep watch features narrow: glanceable data and one or two taps, synced with the iPhone app.
SwiftUI apps
New builds default to SwiftUI with a clear architecture (see our SwiftUI app development service), so screens stay testable and previews stay fast as the app grows past a few dozen views.
iOS upgrade and migration
Moving Objective-C or UIKit-only apps to modern Swift, adopting new SDK requirements, and replacing deprecated APIs before Apple’s deadlines force a rushed release, through our iOS app upgrade services.
Enterprise and internal iOS apps
Staff apps distributed through Apple Business Manager or MDM, with single sign-on and role-based access. Apple’s Enterprise Program costs $299 a year, versus $99 for the standard Developer Program.
Apple platform rules that shape every iOS build
Most App Store rejections are predictable, as our guide to app store rejection reasons shows. These are the rules we design and test against from sprint one, not discover in the week before launch.
| Rule | What it means | How we handle it |
|---|---|---|
| Xcode 26 and iOS 26 SDK | Since April 28, 2026, Apple only accepts uploads built with Xcode 26 or later against the iOS 26 family of SDKs. | CI builds on the current Xcode; we flag any third-party SDK that blocks the upgrade early. |
| Guideline 5.1.1(v): account deletion | If users can create an account, they must be able to delete it from inside the app. | Deletion flow, backend data removal and confirmation emails are scoped in the backlog, not added after rejection. |
| Guideline 2.1: App Completeness | Crashes, broken links, placeholder text and missing demo credentials cause rejections. | Release checklist, crash-free TestFlight runs and a demo account with notes for the reviewer. |
| Guideline 4.2: Minimum Functionality | Thin web wrappers with no native value get rejected. | Native navigation, offline states and device features that justify an app. |
| Guideline 5.1.1: Data collection | Privacy details and permission prompts must match what the app actually collects. | Data map per SDK, purpose strings reviewed, privacy labels drafted with you. |
Sources: Apple’s upcoming requirements notice and Apple’s account deletion announcement. For the upload checks on SDKs, see our guide to the Apple privacy manifest.
Apple integrations we build
These features are why many teams choose native iOS. Each one comes with its own entitlement, review notes or privacy implications.
Apple Pay
Checkout for physical goods and services through your payment provider (Stripe, Adyen, Checkout.com). Digital goods follow Apple’s in-app purchase rules instead, a distinction that decides your margin.
In-app purchases and subscriptions
StoreKit 2 products, free trials, server-side receipt validation and restore flows. Apple’s standard commission is 30%, or 15% under the Small Business Program for developers earning up to $1M in proceeds in the prior calendar year.
HealthKit
Reading and writing steps, workouts, heart rate or sleep with explicit consent. Health data carries stricter review scrutiny, so we document every data type and why you need it.
Sign in with Apple
If you offer Google or other social logins, Guideline 4.8 requires an equivalent privacy-focused login (name and email only, with a private email option). Sign in with Apple is the usual way to meet it, handled with private relay emails so your CRM still works.
Push notifications
APNs through Firebase Cloud Messaging or a direct provider, with segmentation, deep links and quiet hours so notifications help retention instead of hurting it.
Widgets and Live Activities
Home screen and Lock Screen widgets built with WidgetKit, plus Live Activities for deliveries, rides and scores. Often the highest-value native feature per hour of effort.
When to build iOS-first
Platform share depends on where your users are. According to StatCounter’s September 2026 figures, iOS holds 53.6% of mobile OS share in the United States, against 46.4% for Android. Worldwide, the picture reverses: Android leads with 69.2%.
So iOS-first is a market decision, not a technical one. If your early adopters are US consumers, or your revenue depends on subscriptions and in-app purchases, starting on iPhone usually gets you to paying users sooner. If your users are spread across South Asia, Africa or Latin America, Android app development probably comes first.
Launching on one platform also halves the surface area of your first release. Our MVP app development service often starts on iOS alone, then adds Android once retention data says the product is worth doubling down on.
iOS-first usually fits when
- Your first market is the US
- Revenue depends on subscriptions or in-app purchases
- You need HealthKit, Apple Pay or Apple Watch
- Your users are clinicians, executives or creative professionals on iPad
- You want one polished platform before adding a second
Planning an iPhone or iPad app?
Send us your feature list or a rough idea. Within one business day you get our view on scope, platform order and the main App Review risks, plus the next step toward a fixed quote.
Our iOS development process
The same backbone as our wider delivery process, with the Apple-specific steps made explicit.
Discovery and Apple account setup
We map users, flows and integrations into a backlog with acceptance criteria. You enrol in the Apple Developer Program under your company name ($99 a year) and invite us with the right roles.
Design to Apple conventions
A clickable Figma prototype following the Human Interface Guidelines: native navigation, system fonts, Dynamic Type and Dark Mode. Our mobile app UI/UX design team tests key flows with real users before code.
Architecture and project setup
Swift Package Manager dependencies, environment configs, crash reporting with Crashlytics or Sentry, and CI with Xcode Cloud, GitHub Actions or Fastlane, so every merge produces a signed build.
Two-week sprints with TestFlight builds
Each sprint ends with a working build on TestFlight. You and your testers install it on your own iPhones and give feedback against the acceptance criteria.
QA on real devices
Testing on current and older iPhones and iPads, different iOS versions, poor networks, permission denials and interrupted purchases. Security checks follow the OWASP MASVS baseline.
App Store submission and launch
Listing, screenshots, privacy labels, review notes and demo credentials, then submission. If Apple raises an issue, we respond and resubmit. A phased release limits risk on day one.
TestFlight, App Review and what happens after launch
TestFlight is Apple’s beta channel. Internal testers on your team get builds almost immediately; external testers need a light beta review first. We use both: internal for every sprint build, external for a wider beta before launch.
App Review is where unprepared teams lose weeks. The most common reason first submissions bounce is not code quality but missing context: no demo account, an unexplained permission prompt, or a login wall with nothing behind it. We write review notes the way you would brief a new colleague, and keep a log of every rejection reason so it does not happen twice. Our guide on how to publish an app on the App Store covers enrolment, privacy labels and phased release step by step.
After launch, Apple’s annual cycle sets the rhythm. Apple ships a major iOS release every year and later raises the minimum SDK for uploads, as it did on April 28, 2026. Post-launch app maintenance and support covers crash triage, OS-update testing and dependency upgrades so your app can keep shipping updates.
Hiring iOS developers instead of a project team
If you already have a product manager and designers, you may only need engineers. You can hire iOS developers from us on a dedicated or staff-augmentation basis, with a two-week trial before you commit. Our engagement models page explains when fixed price works better than time and material.
For cost context before you talk to anyone, our guide on how much it costs to build an app breaks down the drivers feature by feature.
iOS work we have shipped
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iOS app development: frequently asked questions
Do you build iOS apps in Swift or SwiftUI?
Both. Swift is the language; SwiftUI is Apple’s declarative UI framework built on it. New apps default to SwiftUI because it is faster to build and preview. We use UIKit alongside it where SwiftUI still has gaps, such as some complex text and camera screens, or when extending an older app. Mixing them is fully supported by Apple.
How long does App Store review take?
Apple does not guarantee a review time, and it varies with season and app category. We plan for review in the launch schedule and use TestFlight external testing first, which surfaces many issues early. The bigger risk is rejection, so we prepare demo accounts, review notes and privacy details before submitting to keep resubmissions to a minimum.
Why do iOS apps get rejected most often?
Most rejections fall under a few guidelines: 2.1 App Completeness (crashes, placeholder content, missing demo login), 4.2 Minimum Functionality (thin web wrappers), and 5.1.1 data collection and privacy, including the rule that users who can create an account must be able to delete it in the app. We test against each of these before every submission.
Whose Apple Developer account is the app published under?
Yours. You enrol your company in the Apple Developer Program, which costs $99 a year, and add us as team members with limited roles. The app, its reviews, its revenue and its certificates stay in your account. If you ever change vendors, you simply remove our access; nothing needs to be transferred.
Should I build for iOS only, or iOS and Android together?
It depends on your market and budget. StatCounter’s September 2026 data shows iOS at 53.6% of US mobile share but Android at 69.2% worldwide. US-focused consumer and subscription products often launch on iOS first. If you need both platforms at launch on one budget, a cross-platform build with Flutter or React Native is usually the better fit.
Can you take over or upgrade an existing iOS app?
Yes. We start with an audit of the codebase, dependencies, crash data and certificates, then confirm it builds with the current Xcode and iOS SDK, which Apple has required for uploads since April 28, 2026. You get a written plan covering fixes, upgrades and whether parts should be rewritten in SwiftUI.
Do you build Apple Watch and iPad versions too?
Yes. iPad apps get their own layouts for larger screens, multitasking and keyboard or Pencil input, rather than a stretched iPhone design. Apple Watch apps are built as focused companions for quick actions, notifications and health or fitness data, sharing logic with the iPhone app so features stay in sync.
Start your iOS app with a clear plan
Book a 30-minute scoping call. We will walk through your features, Apple integrations and launch timeline, and you will leave with a recommended scope and the review risks to plan for.