The number of mobile phone users is increasing with time. Recent stats indicate that the number of smartphone users will cross 3.3 billion at the end of 2019. This increase in the popularity of mobile devices is due to the gradual change in hardware-related technologies. Let’s have a look at various mobile app development trends in the year 2019.
#1. Internet-of-Things
The connected devices industry is enjoying its boom. Surprisingly, we can connect impossible things to the Internet. We already use smart TVs, smart watches, and smart refrigerators. At CES 2018, we saw whole collections of the strangest possible connected devices presented at the exhibition.
IoT is becoming more important for society and individuals. Smart devices, smart homes, smart cities, smart vehicles – all these solutions sit on top of profound research and advanced technology that aims at making our lives more comfortable and secure.
#2. Wearable devices
As part of the general trend of the increasing popularity of IoT, we should note the growing number of wearable connected devices. According to the statistics, the global market of wearable shipments is going to grow by about 50% between 2018 and 2020.
This upward trend includes both the number of devices used to maintain a healthy lifestyle – fitness trackers and smartwatches – and those designed to monitor vitals for chronic patients – blood sugar, cholesterol, and heart rate meters.
#3. Augmented and virtual reality
G2 Crowd introduced forecast for 2018’s major digital trends. But this year, the focus is towards trends in specific markets. Moreover, how digital transformation can affect these trends in 2019.
Using AR, a surgeon can directly project the x-ray on the patient’s body at the time of operation. With Virtual Reality, visitors can test-drive a new car or shop in a virtual mall. Augmented and virtual reality is being applied in almost all industries, which, naturally, creates a high demand for the development of mobile AR and VR apps.
#4. Mobile payments
With so much of our lives in our smartphones, we are gradually turning them into our wallets, too. Online shopping is getting bigger than its brick-and-mortar counterpart, and online payments are becoming easier and more secure. Any mobile application that involves a checkout transaction should support a number of possible payment methods such as PayPal or Stripe.
We spend a lot of time on our smartphones and now these smartphones are getting turned into wallets. Online shopping is preferred more than its brick-and-mortar counterpart, and online payments are becoming easier and more secure. A mobile application including a checkout transaction must support various possible payment methods – the major credit cards as well as a couple of popular payment gateways, such as PayPal or Stripe.
#5. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and chatbots
There are certain apps like FaceApp that colors our hair or show how would we look with a different gender. They apps looking funny and casual use powerful technologies like neural networks and artificial intelligence.
AI has broader use in mobile apps. There are virtual assistants like Siri, Google Assistant and Cortana help us manage our schedules, regular payments, pizza orders, and workout playlists.
In AI, chatbots are becoming quite popular with time. Either messenger-based or native, chatbots are becoming an essential component of most customer-facing applications offering human-like service.
Facebook itself recorded around 300,000 active bots in its Messenger. As conversational commerce is developing at a high pace, we may see amazing figures next year.
#6. Instant apps
Till now, this trend has been used only by Google for Android devices. Google got a way to overcome users’ unwillingness to install new apps in addition to the dozens that are already present on their smartphones. Users do not update the app as they want to save memory. Well, with instant apps they do not require it.
In case of the instant app, not much memory is consumed as it downloads one small part of data and another part is available through a URL. It is an ideal solution for users, as instant apps reduce downloadable data volume. Vimeo is an instant video streaming and sharing app. Its developers reduced its size from 15 MB to just 4MB.
#7. Progressive Web Apps
Progressive Web Apps are websites that behave like native apps. When you add a PWA to your screen, it creates an icon and presents a UI that is quite responsive and navigable similar to other mobile apps.
It is a website that works outside the browser and can even perform offline due to an efficient caching role. Other benefits are faster page loading, higher customer acquisition, and conversion rates. Furthermore, PWAs are a better fit for SEO and return results that are relatively better than native apps.
Nowadays, you can easily find PWAs under names like Forbes, Uber, and Pinterest, and there will happen a further increase in their number in 2019.
#8. Blockchain
Here, it is a big controversy that Instead of its positive applications across various industries like Healthcare, logistics, Banking etc., there are people who do not trust this technology. However, we can look at its true potential when we change our point of view. The blockchain is much broader than just making cryptocurrencies more secure.
According to Gartner, blockchain will create around $176 billion in business value by the end of 2025. The same report estimates that the blockchain technology will attain its peak growth in 2020.
Therefore, we can say that the development of mobile blockchain applications is entering its major stage. Private enterprise apps, blockchain-based healthcare, insurance, logistics apps, marketplace platforms, mobile cryptocurrency wallets, exchange apps – we are going to see many of these.
#9. Cloud integration
Mobile app developers focus on cloud storage as it reduces the memory used by the app on your device. Moreover, data on the cloud is more secure and can be shared among users.
For instance, when you use Gmail, your emails are not actually stored on your device. Your emails are stored in the cloud which is more secure and can be accessed from anywhere.
Since cloud technologies are evolving, it will lead to increased usage of these technologies in mobile apps. Moreover, Mobile apps integrated with cloud are faster and lightweight.
#10. Security
App security has been a major concern. Our precious data is accumulated in apps present in smartphones such as mobile banking apps, smart home apps, mobile wallets, payment gateways, plus lots of identity information in social networks and other personalized products. Facebook has informed that some of its user data have lost. Moreover, LinkedIn also faced a phishing attack in the past.
In the coming days, securing users data can gain more focus. And it can be assured by applying encryption mechanisms and permission systems as well as by releasing security updates when needed.
Here, we can conclude that the market of mobile apps expanding and gaining more ground with time. In the year 2019, any business can enhance its growth by creating a user-friendly and efficient mobile app. Come up with your idea, we will turn it into reality.
