Time flies. Trends come, trends go. New technologies are coming. And, probably, some of this will become the norm, and some will become obsolete. But mobile app development is still trending. And do not say that she thoroughly settled there. Over time, this becomes more apparent.
We are already in 2020. And, as usual, like every year, this year we will also see how some trends in the development of mobile applications will grow and successfully leave a significant mark in the technology industry.
So, let's look at the main forecasts and trends in the mobile app development market this year. And let's try to figure out where the future of mobile application development is going.
So, what will be relevant in the future regarding mobile application development?
- Beacon Technology
- Smart AI & Machine Learning Applications
- Changes in 5G Wireless Services
- APM and EMM
- Next Generation AP with AR / VR Technology
- Rise of the Bots
- Instant mobile apps
- AMP takes effect
- IoT applications
- Cloud applications
# 1 Lighthouse time
This is one of the latest technologies using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signal strength. Thus, it helps in connecting enterprises and businesses with their customers.
A variety of industries, such as healthcare, hospitality, museums, etc., are quite well aware of the true power of this technology of the future. According to experts, Beacon technology, together with another promising IoT technology, could revolutionize the retail sector.
So how does Beacon work? If your device has a mobile application for using Beacon beacons, then each time the device enters the zone, this application catches a signal and, accordingly, shows the owners of the device corresponding notifications.
You probably already know about iBeacon and Eddystone from technology giants like Apple and Google. And soon you will see that Beacon will become the main part of the development of mobile applications for devices on iOS and Android.
Briefly about upcoming trends from Beacon:
- travel and tourism industry using Beacon;
- Beacon mobile payment;
- game transformation with Beacon.
# 2 Smart apps with AI and ML
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is always in the spotlight. And it will remain for a long time. According to experts, by the end of this year, the artificial intelligence industry should grow to $ 47 billion. And looking at how the technology industry uses it, it seems that this figure can grow much more than expected.
Google brought Duplex to the market and thereby showed an example of how AI captures all industries, including the development of mobile applications.
AI has already changed the approach to e-commerce and is now opening the door to next-generation healthcare. Now that the business has begun to combine AI with ML and deep learning, new invaluable analytical data will be found that companies will subsequently use for growth to their advantage.
Moreover, in combination with other futuristic IoT technology, users don’t even have to lift their finger to complete the task! Yes, AI is so powerful that it turns into reality what seemed like science fiction before.
A bit about upcoming AI trends:
- AI-enabled chips
- Automation of IT functions using AIOps
- interaction between neural networks;
- adaptive battery for longer battery life;
- voice and language translations.
# 3 5G Wireless Technology Brings Change
5G wireless technology is on the list of trends among mobile app development. And at the same time it is gaining incredible speed, that is, almost 100 times faster than the 4G network. Experts already say that 5G is the future.
World-famous companies such as Samsung and Verizon are already working on launching 5G chips on the market. LG is also not far behind implementing this wireless technology in its devices.
And speed is not the only distinguishing factor. 3D games, data security, augmented reality (AR) - everything will change thanks to this advanced wireless technology.
# 4 APM and EMM
Application Performance Management (APM) and Enterprise Mobile Management (EMM) are not new to enterprise mobile application development. They are both an integral part of this space for quite some time.
Typically, application performance slows down due to various types of errors. To minimize this problem, APM was created, which led to an increase in the overall functional performance of the application. Today, APM is an essential part of mobile application testing tools that are used specifically to provide quality assurance.
The EMM platform helps strengthen the security framework for mobile devices used by industry employees. In addition, EMM makes it easy to exchange data on various mobile devices. Undoubtedly, this has a good effect on improving employee productivity and efficiency.
# 5 New Generation of AR / VR Technology Applications
AR and VR technologies are largely known in the entertainment and gaming industries. Good news: this year AR / VR will expand its presence in other sectors.
World famous brands such as IKEA and Sephora already use AR technology in their applications. Thus, these brands successfully deliver first-class UX, which leads to an increase in conversion rate.
Instagram and Snapchat also use AR technology. How? Funny and creative stickers or unique animated touches - these are AR technologies.
Here's a quick overview of how AR can change the mobile app industry.
- advanced healthcare applications;
- improved advertising and marketing with AR;
- AR in production.
Frankly speaking, VR still needs some time to become mainstream. But advanced applications, such as Tilt Brush or Google Cardboard, showcase virtual reality integration as an example.
# 6 Rise of the bots
Industry experts believe that by the end of this year, more than 80% of interactions with businesses will be through chatbots.
When companies can interact with their potential customers in real time, the chances of turning them into their customers become greater. And chatbots help businesses do that.
The e-commerce and healthcare sectors have already seen how chatbots can improve interactions with clients, while at the same time providing their clients with a higher-level relationship. Any request at any time of the day - chat bots are always nearby, everything is configured with informative and human answers depending on the requests!
It is not surprising that Global Market Insight reported that by 2024 the global market for the sale of chat bots will reach 1.34 billion US dollars.
# 7 Instant Mobile Applications
You do not want to download the application to your smartphone, but still want to use it? Instant mobile applications give you this opportunity.
Agree, sometimes it happens that you are not sure whether you should download the application at all. Suppose you decide to test its basic functions before deciding on a download. So instant mobile applications allow you to use the full version of the application without the need to download it.
Thus, instant applications are gaining immense popularity among their target audience. In addition, these applications have other advantages, such as a smaller size, an impressive user interface, lack of device memory usage, website functionality and much more.
The New York Times mentioned that by launching an instant app, they significantly increased the conversion rate from 20% to almost 27%. Android users can find the Google Instant Apps app right now in the Google Play Store.
Experts believe that applications with instant launch will definitely set a new trend in the field of mobile application development.
# 8 AMP takes effect
Well, in conjunction with Twitter, Google introduced AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages), an accelerated mobile page technology.
Developers can now easily create feature-rich, heavy sites that load very quickly, while delivering high-quality performance and lower bounce rates.
Now that Google has integrated AMP in its mobile search results, developers can significantly reduce the loading time of web pages. Along with the benefits mentioned earlier, AMP certainly helps to retain users.
Google announced that they will soon submit a mobile search box. With it, it will be easier to highlight sites that are convenient for mobile devices.
# 9 IoT takes over application management
Imagine that you were woken up by an alarm clock, and here you find that your morning coffee is already brewing! Or, suppose you cannot remember whether you turned off the light when leaving the house or not. With just one click on your smartphone, you can do it instantly! Great, right? And this is possible thanks to the integration of IoT in mobile applications.
The concept of a smart home is growing only on the basis of this futuristic technology. And companies are simply obsessed with investments in developing applications for smart homes.
And it's not just smart homes or smart cities. According to the German online portal Statista, by the end of this year, the total number of devices with IoT connected will reach more than 30.73 billion.
According to market experts, with the help of IoT advances in this and subsequent years, a significant increase in smart and self-driving cars is expected.
# 10 Cloud applications
Cloud applications are becoming the new favorites of industry companies. And the reason for this is undoubtedly the unlimited space provided by such applications. In addition, scalability is another important reason why cloud applications will remain trending this and future years.
Here are some of the benefits you can get by integrating cloud technology in your mobile app development process:
- lower equipment costs;
- more optimized operations;
- improved interaction;
- increased productivity;
- reduced hosting load.
Cloud computing trends worth considering this year:
- hybrid cloud solutions;
- quantum computing.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we can say that the space for the development of mobile applications over time develops more and more. New technologies are being introduced that open up more opportunities for application developers to create amazing applications.
But, in addition to the list mentioned above, you should keep in mind that blockchain is another new technology that also claims to become mainstream. In addition, this year we are likely to see how mobile application security reaches new heights, along with next-level UX and predictive analytics.
