A mobile app PRD template must include platform-specific requirements for iOS and Android, offline behavior for every user flow, notification permission handling, OS-level constraints, app store metadata, and crash reporting. The template below covers all eight mobile-specific sections that generic PRD templates miss. Applicable to native iOS, native Android, and cross-platform React Native / Flutter apps.
What mobile PRDs need that desktop PRDs don't
A mobile app PRD is not a web PRD with "iOS and Android" added to the scope. Mobile-specific constraints create requirements that don't exist on web: background processing limits, OS permission gates, offline-first behavior, app store review requirements, push notification opt-in flows, and device-specific hardware access. Every one of these is a potential rejection reason from the App Store or a post-launch bug that bypasses QA because no one wrote it down.
The mobile app PRD template
1. Platform targets
iOS: iOS 16.0 minimum (covers 94% of active iPhone devices as of May 2026). iPhone primary; iPad optional (state explicitly if iPad layout required).
Android: Android 10 (API level 29) minimum (covers 87% of active Android devices). Phone primary; tablet not required for v1.
Cross-platform: [React Native 0.73 / Flutter 3.19 / specify framework and version]
2. Offline behavior
Define what each user story does when network connectivity is unavailable. This is the most commonly skipped section in mobile PRDs.
Core read flows (view dashboard, view history): available offline using cached data up to 24 hours old. Cache staleness indicator displayed when data is over 6 hours old.
Write actions (submit form, create entry): queued locally and synced when connectivity resumes. User shown "will sync when online" confirmation. No data loss on app close.
Authentication: if auth token is valid (not expired), user can access cached data offline. If token is expired, user sees "you're offline — please reconnect to continue" with a retry button.
3. Notification permissions
Notification types required: Push notifications for order status updates (critical), promotional messages (optional), in-app badge for unread items.
Permission request timing: Request push permission after the user completes their first successful action (not on first launch). iOS requires explicit permission; Android 13+ requires explicit permission.
Permission denied state: App functions without notifications. Settings screen shows "enable notifications" prompt with deep link to OS settings. Do not re-prompt more than once per 30 days.
Permission granted state: Register device token with backend within 5 seconds of permission grant. Handle token refresh on iOS (APNs token rotation) and Android (FCM token refresh).
4. OS-level constraints
Background processing (iOS): Background App Refresh required for sync. Handle the case where the user has disabled Background App Refresh — sync on foreground only, no silent notifications. Do not rely on background processing for time-sensitive operations.
Battery optimization (Android): App must function correctly when placed in Android's "battery saver" or "restricted" modes. Doze mode will defer background sync — acceptable; document expected sync delay (up to 15 minutes in Doze).
Storage access: Scoped storage (Android 11+) — do not use legacy external storage paths. iOS Files app integration: not required for v1.
Camera/microphone: [List any hardware access required and the permission flow for each. If none required, state "no hardware access required."]
5. Deep linking
Universal Links (iOS) and App Links (Android) required for: email notification CTAs, shared content URLs, password reset flow.
Fallback when app not installed: redirect to App Store / Play Store. After install, deep link to the original destination.
URL scheme format:
app://[resource]/[id]for internal navigation.
6. App store metadata requirements
App name: Under 30 characters (iOS App Store limit). Exact string: "[App Name]"
Subtitle (iOS): Under 30 characters. Exact string: "[Subtitle]"
Description: First 255 characters visible without "more" tap — most important copy. Keywords must not be repeated from app name.
Age rating: [State intended rating and any content implications — e.g., in-app purchases, user-generated content, location data use]
Screenshots: Required sizes: 6.7" (iPhone 15 Pro Max), 6.1" (iPhone 14), 12.9" iPad (if iPad supported). Android: phone and 7" tablet minimum.
Privacy nutrition label (iOS): List all data collected: [data type → linked to user Y/N → used for tracking Y/N]
7. Crash reporting and stability
Crash reporting tool: [Sentry / Firebase Crashlytics / specify]
Minimum crash-free session rate: 99.5% (industry standard for consumer apps). Launch blocked if crash-free rate drops below 98% in first 48 hours post-release.
ANR rate (Android): Under 0.47% (Google Play "bad behavior" threshold above which apps receive reduced visibility).
Escalation path: PagerDuty alert if crash-free rate drops below 99% for 15 consecutive minutes. On-call engineer + PM notified.
8. Mobile-specific edge cases
App receives phone call mid-flow → resume from last state on return; no data loss.
App backgrounded during long operation (file upload, sync) → operation continues; completion notification sent when done.
Low storage state (iOS: less than 500MB free) → warn user before any download operation; do not silently fail.
Screen rotation mid-flow → state preserved; layout adapts without resetting form inputs.
Large text accessibility setting (iOS Dynamic Type / Android font scale) → UI must not clip or overlap at 200% text scale.
Generate this template with AI
Paste your mobile feature description into Scriptonia and the generator will populate all 8 mobile-specific sections — including platform constraints, offline behavior, and notification flows — from your rough idea in under 30 seconds.