There has been an evident and a gradual shift in the digital world, from desktop to smartphones in the last few years. Interestingly, the number of smartphones in the world has crossed the 5.135 billion mark, according to the report from We are Social. This goes on to tell how smartphones have taken the front seat when it comes to digital usage.
A decade ago, some of the market researchers and analysts were uncertain about mobile application, their future in the ever-so-changing digital world and their long-term prospects but now everyone is certain that smartphones are here forever. Mobile app development is now a fastest growing market and interestingly startups are the early adopters of all the mobile app trends.
Without a hinge of doubt, mobile apps have transformed our lives and revolutionized the world we live in.
The future of mobile app development is bright and the market is still growing. It is also noteworthy that mobile apps see different trends with every new year, as the usage patterns and technologies evolve.
According to the projections of Statista, mobile apps will be generating approximately $188.9 billion in revenue by the year 2020.
Here are some mobile app development trends we think you need to watch out for in 2019 in this space:
1. Machine learning & AI
The proliferation of Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning has significantly impacted this space. AI is being increasingly used by a large number of mobile apps in the form of chatbots, replacing human customer reps and making business services available 24/7. Virtual assistants in mobile apps use machine learning to make customers feel as if they are talking to a real salesperson. If your customer-facing app is not using AI and machine learning yet, it is high time to consider these technologies and increase your competitiveness.
2. Augmented & Virtual reality
Remember two years back, when Pokémon Go suddenly became a craze and in their pursuit to catch Pokemon, many people experienced augmented reality for the first time. We think that both augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are here to stay and will see increasing use in mobile apps. Whether it is related to shopping, gaming or even attending seminars. Mobile app developers are expected to create experiences for their users that include AR and VR. The market for such apps is showing astonishing growth in 2019 and beyond
3. Integrated gateways
Consumers are always looking for easier and streamlined payment options. We have transitioned from cash to contactless cards, mobile wallets, and digital currencies. Making it easier to pay for your service or product helps in boosting your conversions. Therefore, for any eCommerce or Shopping app to be loved by its users, a streamlined payment experience is an absolute necessity. It is expected that integrated payment gateways will be increasingly used in mobile commerce apps this year.
4. Cloud integration
Cloud has taken the world like a storm; its importance can be felt throughout the digital world. Cloud integration helps you in tremendous ways, for instance: with the cloud technologies, businesses are able to significantly reduce their capital costs and provide highly available, flexible and scalable solutions to their customers. Cloud is no stranger in the mobile applications world either. Whether the applications are cloud-based CMS systems, APIs to Storage, cloud adoption is only increasing in the mobile space with every passing year.
5. Analytics
Analytics will play a vital role in keeping a track and analyzing the behaviors and expectations of your users. To give their users better and improved experience, mobile applications will use analytics to make it smoother and user-friendlier. For example, in a shopping cart app, you can know the exact stage your users were in the sales funnel before they left the app. This will help the app owners in knowing their weaknesses and find ways to encourage users to click on the sale button. Analytics enable you to get actionable insights into the interests, intentions, and behaviors of your leads. In this year, it is highly anticipated that predictive analytics is going to be increasingly used by mobile apps to optimize user journeys.
If you have any questions or queries, feel free to drop a comment.