There is hardly any area or space in life where mobile apps have not penetrated. An increasing number of people spend a large part of the day with their eyes glued to their device screen. Consequently, there are too many apps fighting their way to get more visible and gain more traction.
Most apps in their constant effort to gain more visibility and traction are primarily depending on innovative technologies. A creative design put together with sophisticated and innovative features is helping apps to deliver a user experience that easily stands apart from the competition.
Based on these creative pursuits for innovative design and features backed by the latest technologies, we can easily see some app development trends that are going to rule in 2021 and years beyond.
AI Chatbots
The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been a great value addition for digital solutions including both web and mobile apps. AI technology paired with voice recognition, chatbots, and face identification, can deliver the most sophisticated and effortless user experience.
Particularly AI-based chatbots are now revolutionizing the app user experience in a never-before manner. Unlike rule-based chatbots, AI-powered intelligent chatbots can answer user queries as per the specific user context, situation, and user preferences. Building AI chatbots based on user-centric data gathered through the analytics engine can communicate just the right way to ensure user satisfaction.
On-demand apps
On-demand apps starting with Uber have penetrated across all service and product niches and these apps almost made a separate economy catering to the needs of millions. From grocery delivery apps to food delivery apps to on-demand apps for private tutors to mobile apps for hiring professionals such as a plumber or interior designer, there are too many on-demand apps across every niche and necessity.
The increasing popularity of on-demand apps is also making the so-called brick and mortar stores embrace this new approach of extending their business reach. Due to the recent pandemic and resulting increase in the demands of home delivery of essentials, once again there is a boom for on-demand apps representing small and local entrepreneurs.
Folding Display
Folding smartphone displays are going to rule the mobile device market in 2021 and several months ahead. Already several flagship smartphone manufacturers like Samsung Galaxy Z Flip and LG G8X ThinQ have come up with the folding screen display.
The app developers in the time to come have to take into account the new display opportunities, constraints and challenges posed by these folding smartphone displays. It can definitely be a game-changer for app UI and UX design.
Mobile Wallets
Mobile Wallet apps have already become popular as the easiest and sophisticated method to carry out transactions. The popularity of Google Pay, Apple Pay, Amazon Pay, PayPal, PhonePay and several others is continuously on the rise.
In the years to come, they can altogether diminish the importance of credit card or net banking for making cashless payments. In the coming years, powerful AI-driven authentication and Blockchain database system will further empower mobile wallet apps.
Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality
Both AR & VR technologies are no longer limited to mobile gaming apps. These immersive technologies are playing a great role in delivering sophisticated shopping experiences for retail stores, engaging learning experiences for eLearning apps, intuitive Healthcare solutions through HIPAA compliant medical texting apps and many more.
With the emergence of several new AR and VR gadgets to the emergence of AR-based virtual manuals, powerful visual learning tools to live VR events, these technologies are going to be game-changers for industries in the years to come.
Progressive Web Apps (PWA)
Progressive web apps (PWA) basically refer to web apps that can deliver several user experience attributes common to native mobile apps. By bringing the best of both worlds, PWAs offer lightweight and non-committal browser access like web apps and sophisticated ease of use and performance like native mobile apps.
Creating a mobile app from scratch is not easy, especially when you need to build apps for native platforms. PWAs, developed by using the tried and tested web technologies ensure lower development cost and faster time to market while offering ease of instant access through Home Screen, quick loading time thanks to local cache support, and ease of interactions through a native app-like mobile notifications.
Synching Wearables
There has really been an exponential growth of smart Wearables like smartwatches, fitness bands, healthcare monitors, smart shoes, connected luggage and bags and several others. While innovations with smart wearables will continue to take place, more apps will come syncing these smart connected gadgets.
Mobile apps that are capable of syncing wearable devices with smartphones will continue to face more demands in 2021 and years beyond. Instead of a smartphone app specific to particular wearable devices, there will be an upsurge of apps capable of connecting multiple wearable devices. Particularly, Healthcare and personal care devices will be the biggest beneficiaries of these new wearable syncing apps.
Blockchain Technology
Blockchain representing a decentralised database technology has emerged as a game-changer for many industries including mobile apps. Blockchain unlike traditional databases can record and store the data across decentralised blocks that do not allow overwriting or tampering data. It is the most secure technology to prevent all kinds of data theft, data tampering and data breaching efforts.
Already fintech apps to streamline their transaction process and to ensure optimum security for their customers have embraced Blockchain technology. Other niches of mobile apps dealing with mission-critical transaction and financial data are also finding Blockchain as the ultimate solution to safeguard data and ensure smooth accessibility.
Conclusion
There are several others apart from the ones in this listing of app development trends we have discussed so far. For example, the 5G network will be a game-changer and mobile commerce will grow in the years to come. In overall measure, there will be more emphasis on speed, performance, smooth user experience and user engagement.
