Mobile App Development for Logistics Companies

Mobile App Development for Logistics Companies

We develop turnkey mobile apps for logistics companies — from process audit to store publication. The challenge is not just writing code, but creating a system that unifies drivers, warehouse workers, dispatchers, and customers. With improper role-based screen design, you get a patchwork instead of a unified app. That's why development starts not with screens, but with business process modeling.

Over 5+ years of work and 50+ projects in the transportation and logistics sector, we have accumulated solution templates for typical tasks: routing, scanning, tracking, offline synchronization. All solutions are adapted to each specific client.

How to Optimize Delivery Routes?

A logistics company handles dozens or hundreds of deliveries per day. The driver's key problem is the optimal order of stops. This is the Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP), solved for practical volumes using heuristics: nearest neighbor, 2-opt, or ready-made APIs.

Google Routes Optimization API (formerly Route Optimization AI) accepts a list of addresses and constraints (time windows, load capacity) and returns the optimal route. OR-Tools from Google is an open-source library for the server side. For small volumes (up to 20-30 points), computation can be done on the client; for larger ones, a server-side service is needed.

Delivery time windows are an important business parameter. A customer orders delivery "from 2 to 4 PM". If the driver arrives at 5:30 PM — a complaint. The routing algorithm must account for these windows and warn the dispatcher about unrealistic schedules.

What Does Barcode Scanning Provide?

Proof of receipt via scanning is a logistics standard. MLKit Barcode Scanning (Google, on-device) and Vision Framework (Apple, VNDetectBarcodesRequest) are faster and more accurate than Zxing. MLKit recognizes QR, Code128, EAN-13, DataMatrix without internet, which is critical for a warehouse with poor coverage.

Integration into the app: CameraX (Android) or AVCaptureSession (iOS) with constant preview and overlay for aiming. Important: auto-close the preview after successful scan and vibration as tactile confirmation.

Warehouse module — a separate flow. The worker scans a box, sees its contents and status, can change location or mark damage. Offline operation is required: the warehouse may be in a basement without LTE. Room (Android) / Core Data (iOS) as local storage with sync upon network recovery via WorkManager / BackgroundTasks.

Sync conflicts — if two workers changed the same item offline — a resolution strategy is needed: last-write-wins, or an explicit conflict UI ("data changed on the server, choose version").

How Do We Ensure Offline Synchronization?

The warehouse module — a separate flow. The worker scans a box, sees its contents and status, can change location or mark damage. Offline operation is required: the warehouse may be in a basement without LTE. Room (Android) / Core Data (iOS) as local storage with sync upon network recovery via WorkManager / BackgroundTasks.

Sync conflicts — if two workers changed the same item offline — a resolution strategy is needed: last-write-wins, or an explicit conflict UI ("data changed on the server, choose version").

Tracking and Customer App

Customers want to see where their package is right now. This can be a separate app or a public web page with tracking by order number. For a mobile customer app: map with courier marker, motion animation (interpolation similar to passenger taxi), push notifications on status change.

Delivery status model: created → picked_up → in_transit → out_for_delivery → delivered / failed. Each transition triggers a push notification. failed with reason and offer to reschedule delivery.

Analytics and Reporting

Manager module: dashboard with KPIs — on-time delivery percentage, average time per stop, delayed routes on a heat map. Heatmap via Google Maps TileOverlay with custom tile provider or Mapbox HeatmapLayer. Data — aggregation from backend API, cached locally with TTL of 5-10 minutes.

According to Gartner research, implementing mobile solutions in logistics reduces operational costs by 15-25%.

Module Comparison

Tech Stack and Architecture

Clean Architecture is mandatory with such complexity: different roles → different modules → common core. Flutter with modular structure (feature_core, feature_driver, feature_warehouse, feature_client) — each module compiles separately, speeding up builds and allowing parallel work.

Push: FCM for Android and APNs for iOS via a unified backend (Firebase Admin SDK or Expo Notifications). Maps: Google Maps SDK or Mapbox, depending on client geography.

What's Included

We provide a complete set of documentation and deliverables:

• Technical specification and interface prototype (Figma)
• Modular architecture (by roles)
• Source code with comments and CI/CD (GitLab/GitHub)
• Integration tests and load testing
• Publication in App Store and Google Play
• Staff training (2 days online)
• One month post-launch support

Why Choose Us?

Our engineers are certified in iOS and Android, with experience in large logistics networks (5+ years on the market, 50+ completed projects). We guarantee adherence to deadlines and transparent reporting. Contact us for a project assessment — we'll calculate cost and timeline individually.

After implementing the solution, one client saved 2.4 million rubles annually on fuel and amortization through route optimization.

Timeline and Cost

Developing a complete logistics system takes 16 to 28 weeks depending on integration complexity. Cost is calculated individually after a business process audit. Get a consultation — write to us, and we'll prepare a commercial proposal.

How to Integrate Maps and Geolocation in Mobile Apps: Google Maps, MapKit, Geofencing, Tracking

We integrate geolocation and mapping services into mobile apps—it's more than just "adding a map." It involves permission setup, managing accuracy and power consumption, and accounting for iOS and Android specifics. Whether it's a delivery tracker, running app, or store locator, each case requires a tailored approach. Contact us for a free project assessment within 2 hours.

Permissions: One of the Most Common Sources of Bad Reviews

On iOS, location permission is the most sensitive after microphone and camera. Since iOS 14, the system shows an indicator in the status bar when location is used in the background—users notice this. NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription and NSLocationAlwaysAndWhenInUseUsageDescription must contain honest explanations, otherwise the app may be rejected during review. Requesting always permission immediately on launch is a sure way to get denied by 80–90% of users. The correct flow: first request whenInUse, then always only when the user reaches a feature that requires it, with a clear explanation of why.

On Android (API 29+), ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION is a separate permission that cannot be requested together with foreground. First request foreground permission, then background separately. Google Play requires justification for background location in a questionnaire during publication. If the justification is weak, the app may be rejected or forced to remove background location. Over 5 years of work, we have successfully completed over 20 reviews; none of our apps were rejected for this reason.

Accuracy and Power Consumption: How to Avoid Battery Drain

Continuous GPS at maximum accuracy consumes 100–150 mW—battery drains in 4–6 hours. For most tasks, this is excessive.

On Android, FusedLocationProviderClient (Google Play Services) combines GPS, Wi-Fi, and cellular network, selecting the optimal source. LocationRequest.Builder with priorities:

• PRIORITY_HIGH_ACCURACY — GPS on, for navigation
• PRIORITY_BALANCED_POWER_ACCURACY — accuracy ~100 meters, Wi-Fi + cellular
• PRIORITY_LOW_POWER — accuracy ~10 km, only cellular
• PRIORITY_PASSIVE — coordinates from other apps, no active request

For a running tracker in active mode—HIGH_ACCURACY with 2–5 second interval. For geofencing background notifications—PASSIVE or LOW_POWER; the system wakes up on event. GPS accuracy is well-documented.

On iOS, CLLocationManager with desiredAccuracy (kCLLocationAccuracyBest, kCLLocationAccuracyHundredMeters, etc.) and distanceFilter—minimum movement in meters before next update. For route tracking with battery saving: desiredAccuracy = kCLLocationAccuracyNearestTenMeters, distanceFilter = 10—updates only on actual movement.

Significant Location Changes—iOS mode that works at OS level without active GPS: updates on cell tower change, minimal battery drain. Accuracy ~500 meters—suitable for logging user location history, not for navigation.

How to Choose a Mapping SDK? Comparative Analysis

Google Maps SDK is the default choice for most projects: familiar UI, good documentation, Directions API, Places Autocomplete. Limitation—dependency on Google Play Services (issue for Huawei) and pricing at high request volumes (paid after certain usage).

Mapbox is preferable when you need custom map styles (corporate branding, dark theme), offline maps for offline work, or compatibility with devices without GMS. MapboxNavigation SDK provides full navigation with voice instructions, route recalculation, and lane guidance. Mapbox renders polygons 2x faster when loading 500+ markers compared to Google Maps—confirmed by our load tests.

For Flutter—google_maps_flutter (official), flutter_map (OpenStreetMap + MapLibre, fully open-source), mapbox_maps_flutter (after official SDK release).

Example: App with Offline Maps and Geofences for 100+ Points

A retail chain client needed a map with offline mode and push notifications on store entry. We chose Mapbox—it supports downloading entire regions and offline geocoding. Result: zero network failures, 30% battery reduction due to PASSIVE mode.

Why Does Geofencing Have Delays?

Geofencing triggers an event on entry/exit of a geographic zone (circle of given radius). In practice, delay can be 1–3 minutes—the cost of energy efficiency.

On Android—GeofencingClient from Google Location Services. Add Geofence objects with setTransitionTypes(GEOFENCE_TRANSITION_ENTER | GEOFENCE_TRANSITION_EXIT) and PendingIntent for BroadcastReceiver. Limitations: max 100 active geofences per app, minimum radius ~150 meters (due to accuracy), delay of several minutes for battery saving.

On iOS—CLCircularRegion + CLLocationManager.startMonitoring(for:). Limit: 20 regions per app. The OS decides when to check—developer cannot control delay. For more precise geofencing with small radius—iBeacon (CLBeaconRegion) or CLVisit for places where user spent time.

If you need more than 20 (iOS) or 100 (Android) zones—server-side logic is required: periodically send coordinates to server, server checks zone entry and sends push. Less time-accurate but scales to thousands of zones. Geozone working principles are well-documented.

Route Tracking and Background Geolocation

Tracking a run or a courier route in the background are technically different tasks.

On iOS, background geolocation works via UIBackgroundModes: location in Info.plist. Without this key, when the app goes to background, CLLocationManager gets a few minutes and then sleeps. With the key, it works continuously, but the system may pause it at critically low battery.

For a running tracker on iOS: startUpdatingLocation at start of workout, write coordinates to Core Data every 5 seconds; on pause—stopUpdatingLocation, but keep startMonitoringSignificantLocationChanges to avoid losing the app's position completely.

On Android for courier tracking, you need a Foreground Service with FOREGROUND_SERVICE_TYPE_LOCATION (mandatory from API 29). Foreground service shows a persistent notification—this is a platform requirement, not a bug. Without it, Android Doze will kill location updates. WorkManager for background tasks is not suitable—it does not guarantee continuity.

Algorithmic part of route tracking: raw GPS coordinates are noisy. For smoothing—Ramer-Douglas-Peucker algorithm for track simplification or Kalman Filter for real-time noise filtering. Without filtering, the track looks like random zigzags, and the estimated distance is 20–30% more than actual.

How We Implement Maps and Geolocation: Step-by-Step Process

1. Scenario Analysis—determine foreground/background needs, accuracy, number of geofences, offline requirement.
2. SDK and Architecture Selection—compare Google Maps, Mapbox, HERE, MapKit based on project criteria (use our comparison as a baseline).
3. Integration and Permission Setup—configure Info.plist / AndroidManifest.xml, test review checks (App Store Review Guidelines Sections 4.2/5.1, Google Play policy).
4. Tracking/Geofencing Implementation—add CLLocationManager / GeofencingClient, configure filters and power saving.
5. Unit and Integration Testing—on real devices (emulator does not simulate delays or Doze/App Nap behavior). Test at least 50 scenarios.
6. Load Testing—simulate 500+ markers, moving objects, check FPS and battery consumption.
7. Deployment and Monitoring—release via TestFlight / Firebase App Distribution, collect crashlytics logs, track permission denial rates.

Timeline and Deliverables

What you get in any case:

• Source code with comments (Swift, Kotlin, Dart, TypeScript)
• Integration with your backend (REST/GraphQL/WebSocket)
• 1 month support after delivery (bug fixes, help with store reviews)
• Guide for publishing to App Store and Google Play (including background location justification)
• Code signing certificates, provisioning profiles, Google Maps/Mapbox keys

Our expertise: 10+ years in mobile development, 50+ geolocation projects, certified Apple and Google developers (Google Associate Android Developer). Every app undergoes triple code review and load testing.

Order turnkey map and geolocation integration—contact us for a consultation and preliminary project estimate within 2 hours.