Aren’t You Leveraging the Continuing Trends in Mobile App Development?

Technology-based systems are fast upgrading as technological research and development is very rapid. When it comes to mobile apps, users get bored of old features too soon and switch to apps that offer something new and exciting. So, mobile app developers persistently strive to bring innovative features to the table to attract and retain users and beat the competition. 

Is it easy to assess the changing user needs and perceive what they want next? We know the answer! So, most businesses keep track of the trends in mobile app development. 

Figuring out what the next big trend is tells us what we should focus on.

-Mark Zuckerberg

If you are in the business of mobile app development, you must keep yourself aware and open to adopting new trends else the competitors will anyway take the lead. So, let’s discuss the top trends in mobile app development that are expected to continue for a significant time.  

Mobile App Development Trends That Will Shape the Future   

Mobile app developers are trying hard to build lighter, smarter apps that are welcomed by the users. It is not easy for businesses to prepare for the changing demands of the market and the needs of the users as these change very rapidly. So, most mobile app developers follow these emerging trends in app development.

Let’s remember that the trends could differ from one industry to another. Here are some general trends applicable to mobile apps in most industries.

Micro-Apps

Micro-apps are small applications focussed on specific tasks. As these are small apps with limited functionality, the code is easy to maintain. Developers can fix bugs easily in such apps so we can expect secure and successful outcomes. These apps load faster and so the performance is better.

Obviously, apps with limited size and functionality are considered poor in customer engagement and retention. This is one of the reasons why some businesses are apprehensive about adopting micro apps. The best mobile app developers, however, know the hacks and they are finding ways of developing better engaging micro apps while maintaining the benefits of micro apps. So, we can expect the micro apps trend to grow like never before in the future.

AI and ML

Some mobile app development trends have existed for years now and are still continuing in this list because they keep bringing something new to meet the changing user needs. AI and ML are such technologies that have switched from the list of emerging mobile app trends to continued app trends over the years. These technologies will reserve their position in the list till they keep offering innovative solutions. For example, everyone is discussing generative AI worldwide and mobile app development companies are finding new ways to leverage it in their apps. They have started incorporating such tools in their apps to eliminate repetitive manual work which can be slow and prone to human errors and biases.

Here are the most trending applications of AI in mobile apps.

AI developers are building new and innovative business solutions in mobile apps with the use of AI. This technology is now a part of various functions such as market analysis, customer service, virtual assistants, decision-making, business intelligence, and a lot more.   

Suggested Reading: Top Ways Android App Developers Are Leveraging AI & ML

5G Technology

5G is not going to be an emerging trend, but a norm in the near future. The worldwide adoption will take some time to complete as many are configuring their systems to adapt to 5G. Mobile app developers will have to consider the adoption of 5G while developing their apps for the changing systems. As the world becomes faster, a slow app won’t survive the competition. So, 5G is also a challenge for app developers, and those who have the expertise to leverage it will lead in the long run.

Internet of Things

You must be hearing about the Internet of Things development a lot lately! IoT is all set to grow like never before as it connects systems, devices, facilities, and users into one network that can be managed smartly. Smart cities are on the rise with more and more cities competing to add to the list worldwide. If you are wondering how IoT is a part of the list of latest trends in mobile app development, remember, that IoT is also dependent on mobile apps! And so, mobile app development will grow technologically, qualitatively, and quantitatively will the development of IoT.

IoT developers are excited about the trend and those who want to do something big aspire to build apps for these systems. IoT depends a lot on voluminous data generated from heterogeneous sources such as users, devices, networks, transactions, etc. So, the storage and management of such data is a challenge at a high level. Moreover, user experience, security, connectivity of different types of devices, etc., is not easy so IoT will keep the developers on their toes unless they focus on building robust systems. Some have mastered the art and they are leveraging the trend exceptionally well. 

Enhanced Security

Cutting-edge technology integration is also generating new security risks for mobile apps. Developers must address this issue to build successful apps. For example, apps in huge or heterogeneous systems pose challenges in integrating. They need to address version compatibility through regular upgrades to maintain security and performance. Most mobile app development tools and platforms are heavily focused on security to make sure that the security threats do not fail their efforts to develop highly functional apps.

AR and VR

Businesses are competing to make their apps more engaging for the users so that they do not switch to competitor apps. For this, they must adopt creativity and innovation. But what new or exciting can they keep bringing to the table? And for how long? Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality are permanent answers to these questions! AR and VR development is a step ahead in adding exceptional real-life experiences to mobile apps. Such user experiences are a perfect recipe for user engagement and retention as they add fun to otherwise monotonous yet essential mobile app functionality.

Be it virtual product trials, or immersive tourist interactions, AR and VR are becoming a part of all modern-day applications in different industries. Educational app developers are making the apps more experiential using these technologies. Users are embracing AR and VR in apps so well that the developers now know that by using these technologies they can build apps that keep attracting and engaging users without even doing something extra each day.

AR and VR development is going to be a vast domain for mobile app developers to learn, innovate, and master.  

Instant Apps

As the needs of mobile app users are increasing, the best mobile app developers are trying hard to build solutions that are easy for device storage and access. In a step further, to increase user engagement, Google Play Instant allows native apps and games to launch without full installation. This facilitates simplified development using specialized tools. 

Instant apps offer benefits such as privacy as they have limited access to user data. However, the biggest limitation of Instant apps is that they can only run on Android devices and Google Play imposes a size limitation on such apps. 

Graphic Design

User Interface and User Experience are becoming significant parts of mobile app development and no businesses can ignore these aspects. Graphic design is a crucial component of a high-quality user interface and user experience as users are impressed and attracted by visuals and how they are presented. 

It is a fact that users can understand and retain graphical data much better than other forms so the effective use of graphic design in apps is further essential. Graphic designers are leveraging the available tools, technology, and trends to make apps that can beat the competition.

Suggested Reading: How Graphic Designers Leverage Tools to Enhance Creativity  

Low-code and No-code Development 

Mobile app development has advanced through the years with developers trying to build ready-code solutions or graphical user interface app development tools. These tools generally suffice for beginners and small businesses who want to build simple apps quickly and on low budgets.

No-code app development and low-code app development are becoming increasingly popular among those who do not want to start by inventing the wheel. There are obvious limitations in such modes of app development as they can’t cover very complex functionalities. However, these are still popular as not every business needs complex functionality apps.  

Summary!

Mobile app development is one of the fastest-growing fields due to technocentricity. New technologies are making apps more engaging. Developers thus have to keep learning every day to keep up with the competition. Keeping up with the app development trends is a good way to start!

The emerging trends in mobile app development are fast updating. These trends are sure to exist in the near future. So, let’s prepare for these and leverage all the technology and resources that can keep us way ahead in the competition.