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2021 Mobile Application Development Trends

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There are nearly three billion smartphone users in the world today. This means app developers have to cater to different demands and design trends to make the best possible products. But how can you possibly keep up with mobile application trends and what are the most important trends going into 2021? That’s what we’ll be looking at today. In this article, we’re outlining the top mobile development trends that you should know for 2021.

Top Application Trends

Aside from the pandemic, there are a few other key top app trends that are going to affect the industry in 2021. These include: emphasis on remote work, including in healthcare where wearable medical devices became popular, e-learning, social networking, and video communication apps are all likely to get more investments in 2021, Internet of Things tech will become more widespread, and cross-platform development is becoming prevalent for companies that are developing multiple applications at once

In addition, we’re seeing the below themes carry over into viable mobile app development trends and strategies in 2021.

Internet of Things

Internet of Things, or IoT, is not a new concept. The expanded use of mobile devices in today’s society, however, is creating endless possibilities for IoT technology.

IoT is the growing network of devices that are connected to the internet. It provides greater convenience and automation for consumers.

Smart thermostats are a great example. Smartphones can access thermostats in your home and adjust temperatures through IoT capabilities.

The IoT market is expected to grow to $222 billion this year, meaning there’s no better time than now to capitalize on this trend.

5G

While cell phone providers made a big deal about 5G, for app developers, it’s a crucial trend.

5G greatly improves network speed and efficiency. This means 5G is going to improve the functionality of mobile applications.

For app developers, this means they can add more app features without compromising performance. This does, however, present some challenges for app development software.

Whether it’s for Android development or iOS development, programmers will need to be on the lookout for new 5G software.

There’s no doubt that more advanced software capable of developing apps that are optimized for 5G devices. With 5G connections expected to nearly triple in 2021, developers are sure to take note of this trend.

Apps for Foldable Devices

When many of us see foldable mobile devices, we probably think of the old flip-phones from the 2000s. However, foldable smartphones are making a splash in the current market.

Devices like the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Motorola Razr can fold over to compress or expand the screen.

This design trend means that app developers need to account for these specific devices when building an app.

Many are using React Native app development services for Native apps on foldable devices. For Hybrid apps, developers are using Phonegap development services.

Flutter app development and Xamarin app development are also commonly used for cross-platform application development as well.

Beacon Technology

Beacon technology uses wireless transmitters and Bluetooth connections to send signals to nearby devices. It’s designed to make location-based search more effective.

For businesses and marketers, beacon technology is an incredibly useful trend. You can develop an app that uses beacons to connect with a customer’s device if they have the app on their phones.

This lets that customer immediately know about store deals or track their spending habits to build recommendations. It improves customer experiences on the app and allows stores to practice proximity marketing.

Beacon technology is expected to grow to a $10 billion industry by 2024. But this isn’t a development trend that’s off in the distance – beacon technology is the present.

Google is already offering their own beacon platform to help businesses and developers integrate the technology. This means that beacons will only continue to be a popular development trend going into 2021.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is nothing new when it comes to mobile app trends. There is, however, plenty of progress being made in the industry every year.

For instance, Apple just released Core ML 3, the latest version of the iOS machine learning framework. It helps developers embed AI tech into their apps.

These days, app developers can leverage features such as facial recognition, image detection, and predictive maintenance to elevate the quality of their products.

Investing time into AI technology will help your apps become smarter and improve your performance at every level.

Augmented Reality

While VR headsets and games often make the big headlines, augmented reality also has more practical uses in mobile apps.

While Pokemon Go put AR on the map, companies like L’Oreal are using AR technology to help users check out different makeup and hairstyles on their app.

Google Maps use AR for their “Live View,” allowing users to physically turn their phones to see ground-level shots of a certain area.

Companies are looking to use AR for employee training. Construction companies might leverage this technology for on-site visits as well.

There are all kinds of AR development software, including AR visualization software and AR content management systems.

AR CMS like Kentico Kontent and ZapWorks are making waves in the industry. ARKit is a commonly sought-out AR development framework for iOS app development.

With more and more companies investing in AR development software, leveraging AR in 2021 is a good bet.

Chatbots

While chatbots are nothing new for most of us, they’ve become extremely advanced over the past decade. They’re one of the most prevalent mobile app trends when it comes to customer service and virtual assistance applications.

As a rapidly growing industry, app developers should look towards integrating chatbots into their app designs in 2021.

Platforms like Diagflow and Kommunicate are becoming popular among Android app developers when it comes to integrating chatbots into mobile apps.

More and more businesses are expected to use chatbots to improve their customer service.

Leverage Mobile Application Development Trends Today

While the mobile app development landscape is constantly changing, you don’t have to get left behind. Use this article to understand the top mobile app trends and incorporate them into your development strategy in 2021.

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