With the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning, the future of mobile app development is bright. Developers are exploring new horizons and implementing features that greatly enhance the user experience. Let’s take a closer look at the future of development and emerging trends.
Embracing the Evolution: Trends in Mobile App Development
To fully embrace the future of mobile app development, it’s important to understand what trends are emerging, such as:
- On-Demand Apps: These include entertainment apps, grocery or food delivery apps, telehealth and more.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML): AI and ML have taken the app development sector by storm, thanks to the wild success of ChatGPT and similar products. ML and AI algorithms can be used to create smart apps faster than ever before.
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- ChatBots: While chatbots aren’t a new trend, their potential is being realized after the release of ChatGPT. More apps are incorporating chatbots powered by AI technology.
- Cloud-Based: More apps are being developed on cloud technologies, which allows for more streamlined development, lower costs and improved productivity and collaboration.
- Voice User Interface (VUI): VUI is becoming increasingly popular among mobile users. More users are comfortable using voice search. In fact, over 80% of people are using voice to control their smartphones.
These are just a few of the emerging trends in mobile app development. One thing you will notice is that most of these trends are focused on the user experience.
User Experience Redefined: Crafting Seamless Mobile App Experiences
One of the biggest mobile app development trends to emerge this year and in recent years is the focus on user experience. The user experience is being redefined, and brands are more focused on creating a seamless mobile app experience.
How do you create a seamless mobile app experience?
- Make navigation easy and intuitive
- Keep the UI clutter-free
- Optimize all of your content for mobile
- Make tap targets easy
- Focus on accessibility
Creating a seamless experience also means that the user feels comfortable navigating around and using the app’s features just as they would when using the brand’s website. In fact, many brands make it easy to switch from the website to the app seamlessly.
Integrating m-commerce (mobile commerce) features into apps also empowers users to make purchases without having to leave the app.
Native vs. Cross-Platform: Choosing the Right Development Approach
Cross-platform apps hit the market faster and allow you to begin securing market share as quickly as possible. However, native apps allow for a higher level of security and stability than cross-platform solutions offer.
Teams will need to continue to work together to understand the app’s:
- Target demographic
- Ideal platform preference
- Viability cross-platform
Cross-platform development often involves more than one team focusing on Android and iOS devices. You can also choose a hybrid approach. If performance is crucial to the app’s users and functionality, it may be worth focusing on native apps.
Native app development is often the best choice for performance and security, but it is more time- and resource-intensive to develop.
Team leaders and business stakeholders must consider all options before starting the development cycle.
Security Matters: Ensuring Data Protection in Mobile Apps
The future of mobile app development must focus heavily on the ever-changing security environment. A staggering 77% of financial apps have one or more security flaws. Circumventing security issues is a trend that is here to stay and includes:
- Proactive security measures using automated vulnerability management to identify and assign the risk of a vulnerability
- Over-the-air updates evolving to include greater levels of security to prevent authentication and even man-in-the-middle attacks
Mobile app development must focus heavily on security as more users rely on many apps to connect to their financial and business accounts.
IoT Integration: Building Smart and Connected Mobile Applications
Smart and connected apps are exploding and are one of the most in-demand solutions in the industry. Connected products work to improve user experience alongside physical products to provide new insights.
For example, a mobile app development company in UK can offer:
- IoT sensor integration into lighting, doors or wearables to read data and environmental elements
- Pharmaceutical applications are being created to detect medication temperature and improve drug quality
- Businesses are developing custom apps that integrate with machinery to identify operational issues and notify stakeholders of the issues
Monitoring, tracking and maintaining are the three goals, among many others, that IoT integration allows businesses to achieve.
In Conclusion
Mobile app development trends continue to evolve as user needs and habits change. With the introduction of folding displays, competitors releasing cross-platform apps and the introduction of VR & AR, it’s an exciting time to build a cutting-edge app.
If you follow the trends and focus on user experience, you’ll be able to develop an app that users will integrate into their daily lives.