Top Mobile App Development Trends in 2020

A new year is not only accompanied by the annual New Year's resolutions, but also by the steady and ever more rapid development of technology. What was once only intended for phone calls can now take pictures, act as a flashlight, be used for payment and so much more. A decade ago, nobody could have imagined how the mobile phone would develop into a smartphone that replaces so many devices. In order not to completely fall away from belief in 2020, we are now giving you a brief insight into the changes and movements of the mobile world that lie ahead.

A new year is not only accompanied by the annual New Year's resolutions, but also by the steady and ever more rapid development of technology. What was once only intended for phone calls can now take pictures, act as a flashlight, be used for payment and so much more. A decade ago, nobody could have imagined how the mobile phone would develop into a smartphone that replaces so many devices. In order not to completely fall away from belief in 2020, we are now giving you a brief insight into the changes and movements of the mobile world that lie ahead.

Looking back on 2019

Before we show you what you should put more emphasis on in the New Year, let's look back at the past year. The following statistics reflect consumer behavior in relation to apps in 2019.

In order to go from the rough view into the details, we first want to take a look at the stores that enable us to get our active helpers on our smartphones. The number of apps available in stores increases every year, so that in 2019 more than 2.4 million apps were available in the Google Play Store and 1.9 million apps in the App Store. As we will see later, these numbers will rise steadily in the future, as users are increasingly moving away from the typical desktop and switching to mobile use.

Social media apps are among the most popular applications in 2019. WhatsApp and Facebook are among the apps with the highest number of “Daily Active Users” and reach a maximum of 221.38 million users. The social networks in the app store only make up 2.23%. With regard to the app categories, only game apps can assert themselves.

The mobile trends of the future

Looking forward to what we can expect, we will now introduce you to the mobile trends of 2020, which should not go unnoticed in terms of your app development. To give you a brief overview, the individual technologies are listed in a summarized form.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning

Anyone who works in the software and Internet industry will not be surprised that AI (Artificial Intelligence) is becoming increasingly important. Even if one does not yet agree on the definition of artificial intelligence, these are computer programs that are intelligent and capable of thinking humanly and rationally, as well as acting.

Chatbots in particular are an important part of this, as they significantly improve the user experience of the users. Chatbots can be used in a wide variety of industries. Whether with services such as a delivery service or online shopping, chatbots can greatly relieve companies with regard to human resources. The bots are programmed to provide answers to questions from customers or consumers in real time. Consumers no longer have to struggle with long waiting loops, but get instant information. Artificial intelligence enables bots to respond to specified triggers in a predetermined manner. Since the requests from consumers are individual and different from one another, the chatbots continue to develop through machine learning. You collect user data, get to know consumer behavior better and can ultimately offer personalized answers. This in turn has a positive effect on the user experience of your app, which can be profitable with regard to reviews and purchases.

Related Blog : What Is the Cost to Develop a Mobile Application

Artificial intelligence and machine learning will also play an increasingly important role in terms of voice search and control. In a few years, we will be able to have real conversations with our helpers Alexa and Siri and not just ask for information. To drive the user experience to the top, you could even let it speak in your own dialect.

Instant apps

Another trend, which you should stay close on our heels with our little helpers, is instant apps. Before the question arises "What are instant apps?", here is the explanation. The difference between instant apps and a conventional app is that instant apps do not have to be installed on the smartphone. This removes the hurdle for the user to download the app from the app store. This is particularly advantageous in e-commerce, since the app can be opened using a Google search or a link. As soon as the instant app is closed, the app also disappears from the smartphone.

It is also possible for developers of an instant app to make only a certain part of the app or selected functions available without installation. To be able to use all functions, users must install the application. This enables users to try out the app first and allows providers to become more familiar with the app. If a user uses an instant app frequently, they are more likely to download the app to access full features.

AR integration

Augmented Reality has made its breakthrough with the release of the “Pokémon Go” app at the latest. AR is the experience of the real world combined with individual virtual elements. With “Pokémon Go” you can see real surroundings on your screen, but also wild Pokémon in the area and Pokémon eggs that you can hatch by walking.

Augmented Reality can not only be used in gaming. This is also shown by Google with its “AR navigation” of the Google Maps app. The street is shown in Live View and the user is guided to his destination with the help of large arrows and signs that appear on the screen.

Augmented Reality is the technology of the future, which is why you definitely can't let this trend go by.

Internet of Things

For many people, operating a light switch in-house is no longer a matter of course, since you can operate and set your entire house remotely via smartphone. IoT describes the process of operating devices from your smartphone, which is why almost everything can become “smart” with IoT. Data and information are conveyed quickly and made accessible.

To be woken up at 6.20 a.m. with slowly illuminating light, get the latest news while getting dressed and to stroll out of the house with freshly brewed coffee shortly before 7 a.m. without actively executing the commands. What a life. You only have to define the settings once, then the activities are carried out automatically at the specified time.

Wearables

Another trend that has emerged in recent years, but will continue to be important in the future, is wearables. The mobile apps, which are installed on the bracelets and / or watches, make it possible to remotely control a lot of things around you and thus to live more flexibly and freely.

Who doesn't have them, the friends who keep looking at their watch in the middle of a conversation? Not polite? Partly, partly. You receive a notification from your smartphone on your smartwatch and can check whether the notification is now more important (or more interesting) than the conversation that is currently taking place. From news reports to social media messages to push notifications of various business apps, everything can be there. Each wearable user decides which notifications should come on the smartwatch. So if the conversation partner remains involved in the conversation, you can take that as a compliment.

As we will turn even more towards “smart” life in the future, wearables are another development that will take off at full speed in the future. So better not to let yourself go by.

5G technology

In order to continuously improve the mobile speed, 5G networks are now being introduced. The notorious 5G network is already available in some developed countries. With the implementation of 5G networks, the transmission rate increases, which means that smart home devices can be controlled quickly, even from a great distance. So you can operate your entire home comfortably on the go.

Beacon technology

Before we look at who the beacon technology could be important for in the future, let's look at how this technology works. Basically, the technology is based on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), which shows lower energy consumption than conventional Bluetooth. Amounts of data, also called beacons, are exchanged between the sender and the receiver. The receivers must be within a radius of approx. 10-30 meters in order to receive the sender's messages. Most smartphones have this technology and are therefore designed to receive beacons as soon as they have installed the corresponding app.

Beacon technology is often used especially in marketing. Companies like Apple or American Eagle are already using the technology to offer added value for customers and to improve communication and customer loyalty. Especially in times when online shopping is preferred by many, it makes sense to create a better in-store experience. This ranges from customers navigating through the store to getting push notifications with the deals of the day. The retail trade on the other hand receives data regarding the viewed articles and the in-store consumer behavior. This data can in turn be used to optimize the in-store experience.

So if you have a store, a location-based app is extremely useful for you and at the same time for your customers. We would be happy to help you realize your app presentation.

Apps are the future

To come back to marketing again: Especially nowadays it is extremely important to meet the target group wherever they are. Since the smartphone is now seen as a constant companion, apps are the best way to reach your consumers in a target group-oriented manner. We are happy to support you in the implementation of your individual app project.