Table of Content
- Expertise
Application DevelopmentServicesAI
- Blockchain
- Solutions
ExchangeBanking & FintechWalletTrading BotsDEFINFTGaming
- Blog
- Company
- Get in Touch
November 11, 2024
Table of Content
Mobile applications are now integrated into daily life. These help to entertain, shop, and bank besides health issues with almost every other aspect of modern living. As technology changes and users set higher expectations, the development of mobile apps is furthered by following the new trends and innovations for better, faster, smarter, more secure apps, and more immersive.
Let us take the key trends that are transforming the industry and see how they impact scenarios in real-time.
AI and ML are at the core of many app functionalities to provide smarter and more personal user experiences. Technologies from AI/ML allow mobile applications to not only automate or replace jobs but also predict user behaviour for optimizing application functionality or driving new business models.
Improved user experience: AI and ML provide an opportunity for apps to automatically personalize and adapt in real-time based on a user's interactions and preferences. For instance, mobile fitness applications can design individualized workout plans according to user workouts, health data, and goals.
Real-Time Data Analytics: It can process humongous data in real time with instant implications. This becomes extremely relevant for sectors like finance, healthcare, and e-commerce, where the core banking of decisions is based on data
Voice and Image Recognition: Apps make use of voice recognition-including features such as Siri or Google Assistant and image recognition using scanning and identifying objects so that it would connect more intuitively with the user.
To do this, Google Maps utilizes machine learning to predict patterns of traffic, suggest the fastest route, or even send time-to-leave notifications based on user routines and historical traffic data. The app also integrates AI to help voice recognition for those who prefer hands-free navigation, offering more accuracy in natural language understanding.
A great example is Google's AI-powered Duplex, where all its users can make reservations, schedule appointments, or even simply make calls directly via Google Assistant, simulating real human-like conversations.
5G is truly the all-important technology for all mobile applications. The blazing speeds and low latency have already begun changing industries in ways that now make it possible for developers to do things that just weren't possible on 4G networks. Significant changes in mobile app development include smoother video calls and immersive AR/VR experiences.
Ultra Low Latency: This means 5G reduces delay significantly. Applications that are real-time dependent like live streams, remote surgery, and gaming will be primarily benefited.
Fast Speed Data Transfer: Apps can download and upload all contents at lightning speed. This is extremely beneficial for apps dealing with high-definition media like video streaming services, or large data transfer-related applications such as cloud storage and backup services.
Seamless IoT Connectivity: With 5G, more devices can be connected at the same time in one package-thence being seamless for all the IoT apps from smart homes to autonomous cars.
The future of AR and VR is now umbilically tied to 5G. For example, remote surgery apps, such as the one from Touch Surgery, rely on 5G to send live high-definition video feeds from a surgeon's instruments or cameras to specialists anywhere in the world. That would not have been possible on slower networks because it requires ultra-low latency.
Additionally, cloud-based AR games such as Pokémon GO will utilize the increased bandwidth that 5G provides to offer smoother, more immersive experiences even in crowded urban areas.
With such a high demand for apps in diverse multiple platforms, cross-platform development tools like Flutter, React Native, and Xamarin have become indispensable. These tools allow developers to develop a single codebase that will run in iOS, Android, and desktop web browsers, which saves development time as well as money while providing consistency across all the above-mentioned platforms.
Single Codebase: Cross-platform development tools allow developers to write a single code that can run on both platforms. This reduces redundancy and shortens the development lifecycle.
Cost-Effectiveness: The single codebase eliminates redundant maintenance of separate teams for iOS and Android apps.
Native-Like Performance: These modern frameworks, namely Flutter and React Native, offer a near native-like feel and do not compromise performance, so the end-users will not feel a difference compared to native apps.
Airbnb built its applications separately in iOS and Android. They eventually could remove their code duplication effort, and single code base, and reduce the time involved in developing new features by using React Native. Thus, with a reduction of time wasted on debugging bugs, and cost factors, this could help enhance feature rollouts for Airbnb.
AR and VR are concepts that are no longer exclusive to games. These technologies are currently interwoven with how mobile apps are being developed, especially for retail, gaming, real estate, education, and healthcare applications.
Virtual Try-Ons: AR-fuelled mobile apps are allowing customers to virtually try on clothes, makeup, eyewear, or even furniture. This increases engagement and minimizes the returns of products.
Immersive Learning: VR-fuelled mobile apps have transformed learning by bringing lessons and simulation into immersive settings for the learner. History can be witnessed first-hand and a student can explore the human body in ways that were previously unimaginable.
Interactive Gaming: Gaming has been revolutionized. For example, Pokémon GO allowed gamers to engage with digital elements of the game in the real world through AR technology.
Perhaps the most famous use case for AR in a social media app is Snapchat. Its **AR filters** and Lenses, enabled through digital elements (hats, makeup, animal ears, etc), can be applied to images in real-time in real-world environments. Along with a huge user base, this has generated new revenue streams through branded filters and advertisements.
Furthermore, Snapchat continues to develop its AR functionality, such as Snap Map, where users can view friends and public stories pinned to real-world locations.
The Internet of Things has made tremendous progress, with apps which enable users to control and track everything from smart thermostats and lights to wearable devices and connected cars. The influence of IoT in mobile app development is quite apparent when taking the increasing market space of smart homes and wearables into consideration.
Smart Home Control: The apps, like Google Home or Amazon Alexa, enable a user to manage all the IoT devices found at home—such as lights, locks, thermostats, and so on from a mobile phone.
Wearables: The apps are connected to wearable health devices like Apple Watch or Fitbit so that a user can keep track of health data in real time and can be advised on better fitness, diet, or sleep.
Amazon's Alexa is probably the best example of the integration of IoT with mobile applications. The Alexa app enables a customer to operate their Alexa-enabled smart thermostats, security cameras, and lights by accessing them via a single interface. Alexa, of course, enjoys voice assistant functionality that will enable clients to have hands-free interaction with IoT-enabled devices. This, without a doubt, forms the backbone of modern smart home automation.
Mobile including but not limited to Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay -are compelling people towards contactless payments wherein users have a safe mode of transaction using the Near Field Communication technology. That is part of a wider move toward digital-first transactions, transforming consumer behaviour and business models in turn.
Useful Features: Credit and debit cards, loyalty cards, tickets, and boarding passes can all be stored in one place. This has been the end of physical wallets for many consumers.
Security: Good encryption and biometric security features like Face ID and Fingerprint Scanning provide the user with a more secure experience than anything on a traditional card.
Loyalty and rewards programs: They are also present in a number of applications and enable the use of cashback, points, or discounts on the application by users.
Well, Venmo, another app for peer-to-peer payment that PayPal has bought, is perhaps the most popular money transfer app in the United States, mainly because of its ease of integration into users' bank accounts or credit/debit cards, and social features which allow a user to see and share his transaction history with friends.
Such a simple interface, social media-like functions, and security through PIN code protection may be the reason why Venmo has become one of the most trusted apps for millennials and Gen Z users.
Above all, the mobile application developers have been following advanced security protocols to safeguard the user data. With increasing concern over privacy issues and data protection, along with intensified cyber threats, the idea of securing an app has become one of the prime concerns in the entire development cycle, especially with very stringent regulations like GDPR.
End-to-End Encryption: Ensures that your messages, including payments and personal data, will only see the eyes of the sender and the recipient.
Biometric Authentication: Apps already feature aspects such as Face ID, fingerprint scanning, and iris scanning for security purposes.
Data Anonymization and Masking: Sensitive user data is anonymized or masked to protect user privacy, ensuring compliance with global data protection laws.
WhatsApp was among the pioneers to embrace end-to-end encryption, which only means that the sender and recipient of the messages are able to read them. It also boosts user trust while making WhatsApp one of the safest messaging applications, especially with digital privacy concerns that have increased.
Awareness related to environmental issues is constantly growing, and sustainable development has now become a concern concerning the growth of mobile applications. With efforts from developing companies and companies, the harmful impact on the environment by their apps is now being minimized, and actions are being incorporated, which helps align with global sustainability goals. This has everything ranging from the carbon footprint of mobile applications to the usage of technology for green solution
Sustainability: Developing mobile applications is not merely the reduction of a developer's environmental impact but also making sure the apps are designed to elicit sustainable behaviours. Mobile applications are strategically positioned to assist people in making even better more eco-friendly decisions on an everyday basis.
Energy Efficiency: Mobile applications can optimize background consumption and idle power consumption towards better energy efficiency. Developers tend to adopt more minimalistic battery-draining features, optimized data usage, and better coding practices while creating more efficient apps.
Reducing Carbon Footprint: In many apps provided by various companies, carbon tracking and energy-saving features are integrated. For instance, walking/bicycle apps, and apps where one can track and reduce his or her carbon footprint in daily exercises.
App usage has been encouraged towards promoting sustainability in everyday life. For example, apps that track personal consumption of energy have been utilized to control energy use whereas others are advocating for no-waste lifestyles. More importantly, certain applications could provide access to sustainable products or services.
Another interesting illustration of how mobile applications can contribute to environmental sustainability is the search engine app Ecosia. The company tracks users' searches in the application, which allows it to plant one tree through 45 searches. Ecosia also uses 100% renewable energy for its data centres, effectively minimizing carbon footprints.
Another example is the mobile application OLIO, which connects neighbours to share surplus food and items by helping reduce food waste to meet a more sustainable and circular economy. The company has helped out as a key player in the zero-waste movement by making sure that the edible food wasted reaches fewer landfills by allowing food-sharing in communities. As of 2024, OLIO has millions of users around the world collaborating on the bigger cause of sustainability and reduction of waste
Future promises a new generation of AI and 5G, AR, IoT, or blockchain technology will shape the ways we conceptualize, develop, deploy, and consume apps. As mobile apps increasingly become faster, smarter, more secure, and combined in all areas of life, they steadily respond to user expectations.
What this would mean is that pacing these trends will be what determines the competitiveness of businesses. It is going to unlock increased user engagement for developers and companies, opening up worlds of opportunities in terms of revenue, innovation, and customer loyalty.
If you are a business looking to create intuitive and user-friendly apps, Fourchain is here to help you in Mobile App Development! Get in touch with our experts and we make it into a reality!
Connect With Us Now
Fourchain is the premier IT solution provider to help businesses in making a change for the global industry. We are industry-equipped professionals with a passion for taking business to the next level.
IT Consulting