Order digital photos from your Windows 8 tablet

• The tools that ifolor makes available to its customers are subject to major technological change  

• ifolor benefits from Zühlke's experience from other Windows Store App projects  

• Timely product launch without blocking own resources 

A new app for Windows 8 tablets from ifolor enables customers to order prints of digital photos in a range of sizes and formats. Zühlke was responsible for developing the app on ifolor’s behalf.

Task

ifolor, based in Kreuzlingen, Switzerland, is one of Europe’s largest online providers of digital photos. The technology behind the design tools provided to customers (which ifolor makes available for a number of different platforms) has undergone some major changes. With the launch of Microsoft’s Windows 8 based tablets, the company needed to provide customers with the ability to order its digital photo products on these devices. The company commissioned Zühlke to programme and deliver a certification-ready Windows Store app in accordance with the concept set out by ifolor. 

Solution

An internal ifolor design team developed a layout for the user interface in keeping with Microsoft guidelines on Windows 8 Store apps. A first version of the design had been produced within just a few days. This was then discussed and implemented in a step-by-step process by Zühlke. The design was finalised by Zühlke’s engineers in close collaboration with the client. In a parallel process, software development challenges, both major and minor, were identified and dealt with. The app needed to be able to load digital images quickly and easily. In addition, the ordering experience needed to be smooth and be undertaken entirely from within the app. This meant incorporating any browser-based steps into the app. The process of uploading image files to the printing lab also needed to be efficient and robust. Zühlke implemented all of these requirements and obtained certification for Microsoft’s app store.