Mobile apps have transformed the way we shop, learn, communicate, work, or do business. As they continue to evolve, each year heralds new mobile trends and changes.
Within the past couple of years, many technological advancements have forever changed the mobile development landscape, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud-native development, the Internet of Things (IoT) and much more.
This article is a review of the main technology trends set to influence mobile development during 2021 and beyond.
1. M-Commerce
No 2021 mobile trend list would be complete without m-commerce. With the outbreak of COVID-19, mobile phones became the primary way of making purchases for many people. Not surprisingly, grocery app downloads grew by over 200 percent at the beginning of the pandemic. It is expected that in the coming year m-commerce will outpace non-mobile commerce. In other words, mobile commerce sales will comprise well over half of total e-commerce sales. As more and more people move their transactions to their mobile devices, companies are feeling the impending pressure of making their businesses mobile-friendly.
2. Edge Computing
While Cloud Computing isn’t going anywhere, it is predicted that Edge computing will be the trend to watch in the upcoming years. While it’s not one of the more “visible” trends per se, it’s an important one nonetheless. As IoT continues to take center stage, the need for uninterrupted data processing becomes more and more relevant.
To process the vast amounts of data generated by connected devices, developers are no longer relying solely on cloud computing. Instead, they’re turning to edge computing by putting compute resources in close physical proximity to endpoint devices, including on-premises data centers and purpose-built gateways and servers. What this means is that instead of sending data to the cloud, waiting for it to be processed and then sent back, developers are sending it to a local device to get the job done much faster.
3. Beacons
First introduced by Apple in 2013, beacons continue to make great strides in terms of growth and popularity. According to Global Market Insights, the beacon technology market is set to surpass $25 billion by 2024 with a CAGR of over 80%.
These small transmitters use low-energy Bluetooth connection to send signals to other smart devices nearby. They make it easier to perform location-based searching and proximity marketing in order to provide a highly personalized service to customers. In other words, they take ads campaigns to a whole other level.
4. Foldable Phones
Foldable devices like the Motorola Razr, the Huawei Mate X, and the Samsung Galaxy Fold have started to make a comeback in the past couple of years. As their name suggests, the phones fold to extend or compress their screen size. What this means for mobile design and development teams is that they have to take into account the seamless display of the app regardless of the state of the flip phone.
While the market share of foldable phones might not seem so significant at the time being for companies to bother themselves with the new display dilemmas, the foldable display market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 75% from 2019 to 2025. Hence, the need for mobile development tailored to these devices will also continue to gain in popularity.
5. AR & VR
2021 is also expected to push AR one step further still, beyond gaming. AR technology really took off and became mainstream several years ago with Pokemon Go, but its applications are quickly becoming rampant in all kinds of industries. The entertainment industry, for example, gives users the opportunity to experience live concerts or sports events through AR. Similarly, e-learning apps are utilizing AR technology through instructive how-to guides and one-on-one teaching.
In m-commerce, AR & VR are bringing an unprecedented level of personalization to shoppers by allowing them to try on products virtually, before they make their purchasing decisions. They can even get real-time help and assistance from store associates just like they would in person.
6. Superior Security
With the amount of sensitive information stored on our mobile devices, the need for mobile app security has become paramount. It is no longer enough to develop a seamless, intuitive apps with superior performance. Yet, many companies continue to forego many security measures when they feel pressed for time during the app development process, and it’s not hard to understand why.
More often than not, clients tend not to look beyond the required features and functionality. Being in a rush to get to market first often forces them to skimp on the often time consuming and expensive process of implementing security. Even worse, many development teams lack the skills to properly integrate security into the applications they’re developing.
The global pandemic is currently shining a light on security flaws of many apps due to spiked usage, and companies like Zoom are feeling the heat for exposed security gaps that had previously gone unaddressed. This is why, for the coming years, app security is no longer likely to take a backseat to features when it comes to development.
Final Words
If you’re looking to build a mobile app for your business or upgrade your existing one, make sure you familiarize yourself with the latest trends and strike up a conversation with your development team.
