Cloud-Based Custom Metric/Timer Definitions and Real-Time Analytics of Mobile Applications

A method for real-time capture of analytics from real users of a native mobile application (app) includes storing a custom metric/timer definition for a native mobile application (app) in a configuration file on a server. The custom metric/timer definition includes one or more identifiers of an element or object of the native mobile app selected by touch gesture input via a user interface on a mobile device running the native mobile app in a special mode. The configuration file is downloaded from the server to real users running the native mobile app on associated mobile devices. Immediately thereafter, one or more collector servers receive data beaconed in real-time from the associated mobile devices of the real users. The beaconed data includes custom metric/timer data obtained from the custom metric/timer definition.