If statistics are anything to go by, at least 2.6 billion people in the world right now have access to smartphones. Truth be told, these smartphones have revolutionised the way we human beings function, or better yet, communicate. When was the last time you actually used a landline to call up your friend? WhatsApp and text messages seem to do just fine, right? Also, think about it from a business point of view. Smartphones have led to a sudden boom in the technology industry. Startups today and other booming businesses revolve entirely around this field.
Companies today are striving to set up mobile apps so as to not lag behind; restaurants, commercial stores, hospitals and others all have mobile apps today to make themselves more easily accessible to customers. Naturally, mobile app development happens to be a budding business today. To say that designers and mobile app developers are in demand would be an understatement.
What an exciting time to be alive in! Do you aspire to try your hand in mobile app development too? Well then, there are certain trends that have cropped up recently. A thorough knowledge of these trends would give you just the boost you need. Here are five of them:
- Artificial intelligence
Yes, artificial intelligence is a reality now. More and more apps today come with artificial intelligence built in. You see, app users today want mobile applications which can sense their mood and function accordingly. Millennials today are so accustomed to having things brought to their doorstep that they require an app which functions according to their needs and their situation. Without artificial intelligence, you can kiss customer satisfaction goodbye. As a matter of fact, the key to winning over customers is to provide them with AI, or artificial intelligence.
- Location-based services
Today, all smartphones come with GPS and thus, tracking locations shouldn't be a problem. You must be knowing that not all kinds of services are possible at all locations. Thus, if the app developers have an idea of the location of the user, it would be easier to provide them with services that cater specifically to their location only. Customers today don't want to be inconvenienced at any cost; integrating location-based services as part of your apps will only help you score brownie points.
- Augmented reality
For long, apps that use Augmented Reality have been called promotional and have been laughed at for being gimmicky. But here is the truth. More than being promotional (we aren't ignoring that aspect since it's true!) using augmented reality can actually make it easier for the users. Let's say the user is planning to hire a cab and the moment they type the word, the app automatically detects it and redirects to an app for cab sharing. Now yes, while this is annoying at times, it certainly gets the job done and your users are sure to appreciate it at times, let alone introducing a more intricate functionality.
- Instant apps
How do you normally use apps? You go to the Google Play store, select the kind of app you want, click on the download option, install it and finally operate it. Quite a lengthy procedure, don't you think? A recent trend started by Android basically allows you to use the Android apps instantly, without having to go to the trouble of downloading and installing it. Also, it might so happen that you require an app for just a short period of time. In that case, you shouldn't have to waste your mobile data and actually download the app. Simply searching on Google would redirect you to such an instant app which is really easy to use.
- Application security
While developing your app for mobiles, do not get carried away by the vast possibilities. It's good to stick to the basics at time. Do not forget to make your apps as secure as possible. Remember, the users of your app will be trusting you with valuable personal information. Any kind of security breach could lead to severe consequences for everyone involved. With the internet and the vast unknown it brings along with it, application security has become a priority for most app developers.
If you didn't know it already, there is something called mobile application testing. This happens to be a boon in disguise. Let's say you have come up with an app that is stellar in performance. But is it secured enough? You can find out with mobile application testing. Simply creating a mobile app isn't enough; it is equally important to make it user friendly, secure and equip it with a fabulous interface.