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Based on IMD-SUTD Smart City Index 2021, Singapore came in top for consecutively 3 years. Undoubtedly, mobile devices and, consequently, mobile applications, are growing rapidly in our society. Technological advances offer us opportunities to improve our existing solutions. Not to mention, creating brand-new ones. Hence to stay competitive, we must monitor and leverage the latest mobile app development trends.
Though there are several emerging trends for mobile app development this year, we have listed the top 10 trends (in no specific order) based on our perspective.
Trend #1: 5G Technology
5G technology first arrived on our shore in September 2020. It was officially launched in May 2021 by Singtel as the first standalone network. In recent times, we also start to see more 5G-enabled mobile devices being launched.
But what is 5G exactly? What does it mean for the development of mobile apps? Firstly, 5G is the 5th generation of the wireless cellular network. It offers higher speed & bandwidth, lower latency, and improved connectivity to ensure uninterrupted communication.
We can use 5G to help improve our mobile applications in a variety of ways. These include faster operating speed, higher quality of live streaming, and implement numerous changes without worrying about our app’s performance.
All in all, 5G opens up new possibilities for us to create mobile apps that are more reliable, efficient, and secure than before. Therefore, you should not be surprised that meeting the 5G standard is one of the most popular mobile app development trends.
Trend #2: Mobile App Security
Based on the data from Statista, malware attacks are still happening worldwide. Even though 2021’s number was 5.4 billion which was lower than 2020, cybersecurity continues to be a priority concern for us. Trust you have also noticed that more and more mobile apps such as banking, healthcare, etc. are being updated with extra security steps. Examples are 2FA (2-Factor Authentication) via fingerprint, face recognition, and OTP (One-Time Password), etc.
As a business owner, you need to ensure the data security of all your business app users. Just one data breach is enough to make you lose the trust of your customers. You can consider options such as data encryption, 2FA, and restricted data access to make your app more secure. You also need to conduct regular penetration testing to ensure a high degree of security for your business app.
Trend #3: M-Commerce (Mobile Commerce)
Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, our lifestyle has been substantially impacted. In particular, how we shop. Many large retailers and small businesses have started to adopt M-Commerce instead of relying on E-Commerce. So what is the difference between E-Commerce and M-Commerce? E-Commerce refers to the buying and selling of goods and services over the internet. On the other hand, M-Commerce, or mobile commerce is merely an extension of E-Commerce. Simply said, it is an online transaction that takes place specifically through a mobile device. With people spending more time on their mobile phones, it is crucial for you to invest in a mobile application to retain and convert new customers.
Trend #4: Mobile Apps for Foldable Devices
For the past 10 years, mobile phone designs have been evolving. From those with a physical keyboard, we now have touch screens with either no or only one button. With nostalgia and vintage becoming a recent fad in many businesses, flip/foldable phones are making a comeback to the smartphone industry. Examples include Samsung Galaxy Fold, Huawei Mate X, and Motorola Razr.
From the perspective of mobile app development, we should also consider these devices when we develop or update our app. The goal is for our app to react to the screen folding or expanding without any user intervention. Although foldable smartphones currently only account for a very small fraction of the smartphone market, their demand may increase in the future due to the immersive experience of a larger screen with many windows for multitasking.
Trend #5: Mobile Wallet
Similar to M-Commerce, you should also consider the change in how your customers pay with their mobile phones these days. According to the data on Statista, mobile wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay are getting common year by year. In fact, it is forecasted to continue growing for at least till 2025. That said, mobile payments using Beacon technology are also getting popular. More and more smartphone users are even using mobile applications for payment on connected wearable devices. Hence, you should consider integrating mobile wallets as a standard feature on your mobile app to process transactions. Your business will benefit in the long run when you allow your customers to have a wider selection of payment modes.
Trend #6: Super Apps
Traditionally, it has been the approach of mobile app developers to create an app for a single purpose. However, many of us are shifting from single-purpose apps to all-in-one solutions that can help address many needs. Thanks to WeChat, such apps first gained popularity in China. They are known as Super Apps. Other examples include Facebook, Shopee, and Snapchat. Even though Super Apps are currently more popular in Asia, all of us appreciates convenience naturally. Thus, this is why we should still keep an eye on this mobile app trend.
Trend #7: AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality)
In the past, AR and VR are typically linked to gaming experiences. However, with the advent of the 5G network worldwide, big E-Commerce players like IKEA and Loreal are starting to leverage AR and VR to offer more appealing experience to their users. Google and Meta have also joined in the race with Live View and Metaverse. Even though most Singapore businesses have yet to integrate AR and VR into their mobile application, it is still a trend worth monitoring. With the number of AR and VR users expected to increase every year, we may soon find more businesses using these technologies to bring about game-changing experiences to their mobile users.
Trend #8: Blockchain
Many of you may first hear about Blockchain during the boom in cryptocurrency. Quoting from IBM, Blockchain is defined as “a shared, immutable ledger that facilitates the process of recording transactions and tracking assets in a business network.” An asset can be tangible (a house, car, cash, land) or intangible (intellectual property, patents, copyrights, branding). Virtually anything of value can be tracked and traded on a blockchain network, reducing risk and cutting costs for all involved.
But since then, Blockchain technology has advanced significantly. It is currently used by many industries such as healthcare. Using Blockchain, we will now be able to create mobile applications with a decentralized database. This equip us against fraud and make our mobile app fully resistant to data breaches and hacking. As you may expect, doing so not only benefits FinTech apps but also any type of product that needs data protection.
With the various benefits that Blockchain offers, it is advancing quickly worldwide and is projected to earn $39 billion in revenue by 2025.
Trend #9: IoT (Internet of Things) Apps
Over the past 2 decades, our lives are getting integrated to the internet every day. Many of us now live in a world of Internet-connected gadgets ranging from smartphones, laptops, and tablets to voice-controlled smart home appliances. The Internet of Things (IoT) has developed into much more than a trend.
For businesses, IoT apps are prebuilt SaaS applications. We can use these apps to analyze and display IoT sensor data to corporate users via dashboards. We can also utilize machine learning algorithms to analyze huge volumes of connected sensor data in cloud environment. In turn, allowing us to gain visibility on important business information with real-time IoT dashboards and alerts. These include KPIs (key performance indicators), statistics for the mean time between failures, etc. We can also use machine learning algorithms to help us detect issues in equipment, inform users, and even start automated fixes or preventative measures. As a result, we can quickly improve current operations for supply chains, customer service, human resources, and financial services with cloud-based IoT apps.
In recent times, IoT is also redefining the automobile industry. Examples of such innovations are remote car control features such as preheating the vehicle before the driver gets in it, or remotely summoning a car through a phone.
With the growing demand for IoT gadgets and systems for a “smarter’ living, the demand for IoT-enabled applications is anticipated to increase over time.
Trend #10: Mobile Learning
Before mass vaccination comes along, most of us are confined in our homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Children are introduced to home-based learning while working adults are working from home. Not limited to the education sector, many businesses have also started to leverage mobile learning. Mainly to onboard & train new employees, and upskill their existing staff. Even when we are moving towards the endemic, mobile learning remains as one of the most promising trends in mobile app development. In fact, Statista forecasts global e-learning to reach almost 400 billion dollars by 2026.
Closing Words
The mobile app market will keep growing quickly. The field of mobile app development will also continue to evolve. Mobile app solutions will continue to be driven by the developing backend platforms, microservices, and mobile app platforms as well as new hardware capabilities.
You will need to keep up with the latest mobile app development trends to understand how to take advantage of the technologies to create powerful, feature-rich apps for your users.
That being said, would you like to use a progressive mobile app solution to boost your company? Or do you wish to incorporate cutting-edge technologies into your current mobile app solution? If you have a brilliant idea for a mobile application, please do not hesitate to contact us for a friendly discussion. Our experts at TechTIQ Solutions would be happy to help you develop a top-notch mobile application that takes your business to the next level!
