The mobile application development landscape is continuously evolving to meet the ever-changing market demands and user expectations. An Independent report by Statista states that the global revenue for mobile apps, which was $318 billion in 2020, is expected to reach a whopping $613 billion by 2025. This surge will unlock an array of business prospects and growth opportunities for companies trying to create a niche. However, to take full advantage of these opportunities, keeping up with the mobile app development trends is of paramount importance.
We have entered 2022, and it is time to fine-tune your app development strategies to deliver the best user experiences. This blog will give you all the necessary information to look forward to and make a successful plan to dominate the year. It will outline the current trends and other related technology aspects that business owners and mobile app developers should not miss out on.
Table of Contents
Mobile App Development Trends that Will Lead the Way
Our experts bring you this interesting compilation of the top 15 latest trends in mobile app development that are bound to satisfy the requirements of the modern customer. While avoiding these trends may put your project at risk, following them would help you generate profitable outcomes in the long run.
1 5G
The emergence of 5G or the 5th generation connectivity standard is one of the leading trends in mobile app development. It is a technology that has the potential to change the way app owners, developers, and resellers operate. By 2024, the number of 5G subscriptions is expected to reach . This means it has become more than necessary for businesses to incorporate 5G at full-scale while designing mobile apps.
As compared to 4G, 5G will offer much greater speed alongside amplifying traffic capacity and network efficiency. Developers will be able to add new features and functionalities to an application without negatively affecting the overall performance. Altogether, the right implementation of 5G will drastically transform the roadmap to build, test, publish, and use mobile apps.
2 Development For Wearable Devices
Wearable technology has been around for quite a time now and is going to deliver 1 billion connected wearables by 2022. Google’s Wear OS is taking the necessary steps to match this demand by offering tools that make app creation much easier for developers. Apple has also announced its Watch OS 8 update with enhanced features and fine-tuned UI. This signifies the importance of this trending technology and how it will impact the app development process.
To put it simply, creating apps that offer seamless digital experiences to users on their wearables and smartwatches is becoming the need of the hour. While businesses that embrace this trend will experience better conversions, the ones avoiding it might limit their progress.
3 Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR), and Extended Reality (XR)
Although many businesses are reluctant to use AR, VR, MR, and XR (an umbrella term covering AR, VR, MR, and everything in between), these technologies still need key recognition in our top mobile app development trends list. Because they are the reason behind the immersive app experiences that businesses are able to deliver in today’s digital age. And with new players entering the market every other day, these technologies are poised to get more mainstream.
L’Oreal’s virtual makeup app and Google Maps’ Live View feature are prime examples of their growing popularity. Even Apple has invested in these imperatives to transform the furniture shopping process. The company has leveraged LiDAR technology to launch a unique Studio Mode feature that helps users to point their devices to the place where they want to keep their furniture.
4 Internet of Things (IoT) App Integration
IoT is not new to the app development sphere. Be it tablets, smartphones, laptops, or any other voice-enabled mobile device; we can see its application across a broad range of categories. Independent research states that this technology will gather a revenue by the end of this year and create countless opportunities for businesses trying to create a niche in the app development field.
IoT stands amongst the most important mobile app development trends that are widely adopted by tech giants like Amazon, Samsung, and Bosch, to name a few. It is time that startups and SMEs also make their move towards this trend and use it to their benefit. Their focus on building IoT-enabled apps will help them thrive and grow exponentially.
5 Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)
AI and ML have been amongst the popular mobile application development trends for the last few years in a row. From introducing the world to Alexa and Siri to helping brands like McDonald’s personalize their drive-thru menus, these technologies have come a long way. Their use cases across app development go far beyond human imagination. Many companies are embedding them into their apps to provide tailored user experiences.
AI and ML are helping developers optimize frontend and backend development processes. Their ability to make apps smarter, automate business-critical operations, and improve system performance is what makes them two of the most considerable trends to watch out for in 2022.
6 Mobile Commerce or mCommerce
Our list of 2022 app development trends would surely be incomplete without mentioning mobile commerce. This trend is playing a significant role in helping businesses survive the cut-throat competition and expand their user base. Adopting mCommerce apps is a way towards accelerating sales and marketing funnel. They not only simplify the entire buying process but also make it more convenient for the end-user.
Many large retailers, legacy brands, and small-scale enterprises have started investing in mCommerce apps to increase user engagement. What’s making them deploy such apps is their contemporary features that include easy navigation, social media integration, detailed analytics, multiple payment options, etc.
7 High-end App Security
No mobile devices or operating systems are immune to cyberattacks, online manipulations, data breaches, or any other malware. According to the CheckPoint State of Mobile Security 2021 report, approx 46% of enterprises had at least one employee who unknowingly downloaded a malicious app. That’s why superior security is amongst the mobile app trends that you should not underestimate in any manner.
You need to make sure that your developers don’t take any shortcuts while securing your mobile applications. You can follow some new approaches like Apple did. The tech giant has introduced an advanced feature called Passkeys in iCloud Keychain that offers a more secure login process and eliminates the use of passwords.
8 Cloud and Edge Computing Integration
These are the mobile app development trends that app owners should definitely keep an eye on. will be cloud and platform-based by 2023, says Gartner. With cloud computing in place, your developers can improve the performance of your mobile apps. Instead of storing data on users’ devices, your apps can perform complex tasks and gather all the data on the cloud effectively.
Edge computing will take the cloud capabilities to the next level. It will bring the cloud closer to the user by processing computational requirements locally or at the nearest station – an edge. Adopting this technology makes your devices a critical part of the cloud and ultimately removes some of the latency issues.
9 Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Payment Apps and Mobile Wallets
Digital solutions like Samsung Pay, Apple Pay, and Google Pay are great examples of how the mobile payments space has changed over the years. This change is driven by nothing but convenience. And convenience is what makes P2P mobile payment apps and digital wallet integration the key iOS and Android app development trends that businesses can’t resist investing in.
If you are planning to launch a P2P payment app, there is no better time to do it. You can also leverage app functionalities for payments on connected wearables. Because users have started to understand the importance of wearable devices and digital wallet penetration rate in apps is surely on the rise.
10 Predictive Analytics
Another technology that is being considered amongst the leading mobile app development trends is Predictive Analytics. Combining the capabilities of data modeling, AI, ML, and data mining, this trend is successfully analyzing data to help businesses make future-ready decisions. Companies like Netflix and Amazon are using this technology to provide customized user experiences.
In 2022, Predictive Analytics is about to make some major changes to the app development industry. With execution on a more mainstream level, this technology will optimize how an app is created and recommend better alternatives with the help of data. It will also enhance the UI/UX experience for different types of mobile applications.
11 Mobile Apps for Foldable Devices
The idea of an app adjusting its UI as the screen folds or unfolds is what makes Foldable devices one of the most challenging mobile app industry trends to look for. More than 50 million Foldable units will be shipped by the end of 2022, says Statista. As a business owner, you need to make sure that your development team designs prototypes while keeping such devices in mind.
An app created to support Foldable devices can improve your user engagement by 2X. Users will be able to gain maximum benefits by just increasing their screen size and you will be able to provide an immersive experience by highlighting more specific features and functionalities with the additional space.
12 Beacon Technology
Introduced in 2013, Beacon has significantly evolved from Apple’s basic Bluetooth device to a powerful technology that is helping developers create world-class mobile applications. By 2026, the global Beacon technology market is anticipated to produce a revenue of about , which makes it the finest of mobile app development trends for this year and ahead. The major advantage of adopting this trend is proximity marketing.
Beacon technology helps brands, retailers, and agencies track in-store buying behaviors. They can identify whether a particular aisle is getting the needed attention and time. With its right implementation, your mobile app can trigger push notifications to your customers about an upcoming offer or a product launch automatically.
13 On-demand Apps
On-demand apps are another mobile app development trend that are offering diverse business opportunities. From laundry services and food delivery to eLearning and hospitality, their application across different industry sectors seems endless. For mobile app resellers, it is a perfect medium to reach their target market, expand the user base, and generate profitable outcomes.
Exploiting on-demand capabilities can help developers add advanced features and functionalities to an app and target the right necessities. It gives them the needed agility, feasibility, and affordability to promote your business objectives irrespective of their scale and size.
14 Instant Apps
Instant apps for Android launched a few years back. But 2022 will show the world how these apps can help businesses gain a competitive edge. Your developers can easily create proactive app experiences and refine your app discovery with the Android Studio. This way, you can enable your target audience to try and check out the features of your mobile application without downloading and installing it.
Yes, this won’t be the complete version of your app and will also possess some size restrictions. But it is just a matter of time when these limitations become your strength or change entirely to add advanced functionalities. So, make sure to have an instant version of your app before publishing it on various mobile app stores.
15 Super Apps
Gone are the days when companies were solely dependent on the one app, one purpose approach. Today, they are closely paying attention to Android and iOS app development trends like Super apps that have the ability to solve multiple purposes from a centralized platform. The biggest example is the growing popularity of the Natural AI mobile app in the US market.
Super apps can transform the way people interact with their smartphones. They have the potential to shorten the way to the desired action, thereby offering a uniform and personalized user experience. Its other benefits include individual data security, quick onboarding, and much more.
The Final Words
With approximately 3.48 million apps on Google Play Store and 2.22 million apps on Apple App Store, how would you ensure that your app satisfies user requirements and experiences maximum downloads? The answer is by staying abreast with the above-mentioned mobile app development trends and exploiting them to the best of their capabilities. You can also choose our end-to-end to keep your apps up and running in accordance with these trends and technology advancements.
Author’s Bio:
Pritam Barhate, with an experience of 12+ years in technology, heads Technology Innovation at Mobisoft Infotech. He has a rich experience in design and has been a consultant for a variety of industries and startups. At Mobisoft Infotech, he primarily focuses on technology resources and develops the most advanced solutions.
This content was originally published here.