Since iPhones were first introduced in the mid-2000s, the technology related to mobile apps and their development and applications has changed immensely. It especially took off after android devices entered the market and gave iOS a run for its money, especially with a larger array of companies developing mobile devices that were running android compared to iOS devices, which had always only been developed by Apple. 

Today, iOS has been in the market for nearly one and a half decade, and android for a little more than a decade, and in that decade both these mobile platforms have gone through more than ten OS versions each, each incorporating more and more features aimed to deliver the maximum performance and functionality to its users. Each version had numerous advancements and changes over the previous versions, all in line with the various technological trends and custom software development norms, and introduced new UI/UX as well better and more enhanced functionality with each new version. Most of these upgrades and changes were for the better, but some were considered a failure by general consensus. 

And that is the case with any industry. New trends appear periodically, just like in the technology world, and only time tells which of those are there to last, and which of these trends are just momentary fads. And that is how an industry evolves. 

Just like in years past, this year has also brought with it some new trends for mobile app development, especially as many new businesses have found themselves suddenly needing a mobile app for their businesses due to the changing market dynamic brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. So without further ado, let’s look at some of these trends. 

Top App Trends for Mobile Development:

Following are some of the trends that are decidedly the most popular this year. They are:

Progressive Apps

These types of apps are those which are in reality web apps, but are able to portray a comprehensive mobile app experience. The most attractive thing about them is that they do not require downloading and saving to your device’s storage, and can be run directly via a web browser. But if you require that it work offline, then they can be downloaded as well. 

This allows apps to be able to run on low-spec mobile devices, with a slower internet service. This can be quite beneficial for companies who are developing apps for people living in the developing or third world countries, as they are still a little behind on the latest mobile and internet technology and its adaptability. In fact, Alibaba and Flipkart have been quite successfully using this type of apps for some time now. 

Apps designed for the Google Go smartphones generally use these types of apps, such as the Google Maps app made for the Go versions. These apps are cheaper to develop, and as they are web apps, they can be run on a multitude of mobile platforms without the need to develop a separate version for each operating system. 

Instant Apps

Instant apps, introduced by Google, are a great innovation for the android mobile platform. This has allowed developers and many app development company to market and showcase their apps in a new way to possible customers, by allowing them to use a demonstration version of the relevant app online without any need to download or install it. This way, users can try the apps they think they might like, and only download them after trying their demos online.

While there are many possible ways this can be used to better the mobile development market, its use is still a little less than can be expected. But developers are coming around to it slowly.

As this service allows people to test apps before downloading them to their devices, it helps them make the better choice, especially if they want to find the difference between multiple aps offering the same functionality, without the need to download all the apps to their mobile device. It also allows many new and upcoming developers to showcase their product without having unwary users leave bad reviews, due to unknowing downloads.

Internet of Things

The last couple of years, we have seen brands like Amazon and Google clash repeatedly in the name of home automation or smart homes. With the increased acceptance and popularity of devices such as the Echo series of devices with the in-built Alexa digital assistant, and the Google Home device line-up with integrated Google assistant, more and more homes are going towards a central control of many appliances and devices in their homes. 

Day by day more appliances and electrical and electronic appliances are being manufactured to work with such smart home devices, and this year has seen a rise in the sale of such devices, especially during the pandemic. This can be seen quite evidently in the recent collaboration between Google, and the home security camera systems manufacturer Nest, which means that soon more and more devices could be linked up to a central hub, controlled via an app. That will mean that demand for developers who can create innovative and intuitive apps that are easy to use and deliver maximum efficiency, will surely rise in the near future.

AR

Augmented reality has seen a massive boom in its use within the last couple of years, mostly since the arrival of the AR based mobile game called Pokemon GO. Benefitting from the popularity of the source material, this game allowed people a better gaming experience by allowing them greater immersion in the game world, while slowly making them get used to the augmented reality portion of the game. 

That opened up users’ eyes to the implications and benefits to using this technology in various other fields such as science, medicine, and many others. And it has now surpassed its sister technology VR or virtual reality in both popularity as well as adaptability. 

We see many companies using this technology, such as Google using it to give a better experience for users of their Maps app. By using visuals that provide the relevant information for your mobile device, it will be able to give a better and more detailed experience to the user.

Not only that, it is used by the apps that use adaptive filters to images and camera feeds, such as that used by Snapchat, are also examples of AR usage. 

Blockchain

Blockchain might be a hard concept for many people to understand, but a lot of people have heard of it being used in one industry or the other. What we can do is assure you that it is going to be one of the main pillars and a major driving force behind the revolutionizing of the mobile app development world. 

If you are a developer, it would be in your best interest if you develop such modules which could be easily integrated with a variety of different mobile and web development environments, so that it can get widespread usage easily. That will help the users and even the developers come around and warm up to it sooner and more easily. 

While you can learn this technology somewhat to beef up your app development skills, if you are a potential developer looking for a less contested field to go into, or a skilled developer looking to change, then becoming a full-fledged Blockchain developer is also in the cards, and is going to be in huge demand soon.

Well. These are some of the trends in the mobile app development world that we believe credit the top billing. Now which of these trends are here to say and which will fade, only time can be the judge of that. The only thing that we can say for sure, the market for mobile app development and the app developers is going to be quite competitive in the coming days, but for those who are fast at keeping up with the new trends are going to find themselves in greater demand.

If you are in the market for reliable mobile app developers, look no further than the developers at Sky Potential. Their expert developers will develop the best app for your brand that is guaranteed to give maximum effect where your brand requires.

Also Read: Pros And Cons Of Third-party Apis In Web Development