The mobile app development industry is highly dynamic. Henceforth, in this blog we will cover Top 10 Mobile App trends 2021 that you should know.
The ever-evolving technological advancements, increasing consumer demands, and various other factors directly impact the industry trends. Therefore, staying updated with the latest changes is the most vital aspect of achieving success in your space.
If you wish to take your business to the next level with a mobile app and serve your customers better, you need to incorporate the latest mobile app trends into your projects.
This article will discuss the Top 10 mobile app trends 2021, which is way more than just a personal opinion. Let’s look at the research-based leading industry trends that will help you change the way you build apps.
Beacon
Beacon Technology has been widely accepted by a wide range of industries, including education, retail, tourism, museums, hospitality, healthcare, etc. However, retailers are benefited the most from the plethora of opportunities made possible by the Beacons technology.
The first application with beacon technology was developed in 2013 by Apple. Since then, this technology has undergone a series of advancements and is considered one of the leading mobile app trends 2021. It is primarily used for proximity marketing and to track buyer behavior in stores with Bluetooth. The technology estimates the customer’s proximity and sends contextual and personalized push notifications, such as vouchers and coupons.
By informing about a special product or discounted offers, the stores entice sales and maximize customer satisfaction. However, this technology can only work when the following conditions are met:
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- The consumers should have a Bluetooth-enabled device.
- The store should deploy the Beacon in the store to send personalized messages.
- The customers should have the store’s app installed on their devices to receive notifications.
As per the mobile app industry trends report released by Global Market Insights, the Beacon technology market is set to pass $25 billion by 2024.
5G Technology
The launch of the fifth-generation wireless technology (5G) will significantly impact mobile app trends 2021.
As per the survey by eMarketer, the expected growth of 5G connections in 2024 is roughly estimated at 1,479 million. As a result, countries worldwide have begun the race of validating and deploying 5G networks to stay competitive in the global economy.
So, how does the 5G technology impact mobile apps?
5G technology offers mmW (millimeter-wave) bands to support applications requiring large capacity. It also provides a minimum of one gigabit per second for connection speeds and a good latency compared to the 4G technology.
In simple terms, the speed and efficiency will drastically improve, resulting in enhanced functionality and performance of applications. This advancement will allow the apps to respond quickly to the user’s actions. However, the capabilities of 5G applications are not just limited to speed. They can also cater to other functionalities, such as augmented reality, data security, 3D gaming, etc.
Therefore, to improve the application’s functionality as per the new standards, developers and resellers need to hop on the 5G mobile app trends.
Wearable Devices
Wearable devices are not newfangled technology and have been in the market for quite some time now. Although wearable devices in the market are steady, the trend has changed over the years.
As per the reports by eMarketer, there were 45.8 million U.S adult wearable users in 2017. Since then, there has been a considerable rise in the use of fitness bands, smartwatches, trackers, etc., which has led to an increase in this number to 60.6 million. It is undoubtedly one of the top 10 mobile app trends 2021.
Keeping this technology and growing user base in mind, more mobile apps will be compatible with these devices. As a result, users can download hundreds of apps directly from their wrist. For instance, The Apple Watch now has the App Store in it, which has opened new gates for app developers as they are working on building independent apps specifically for these devices.
This is just the beginning of the wearables and mobile app integration. This category will prove to be exceptionally progressive in the coming years.
Chatbots
Over the years, chatbots have evolved and become much more advanced.
Many websites and applications today have deployed chatbots to automate the tasks that do not require skill-based talent. It is also a great option to offer customer support, and many businesses have realized this use-case.
As customer service mostly takes place through text messages on applications, AI-driven chatbots can easily tackle the requests. As per a survey by IBM, chatbots can cut customer service costs by 30%.
However, the technology needs to go through a series of tuning and testing to simulate how a human would converse.
Here are some other fascinating chatbot statistics:
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- 1.4 billion people use chatbots.
- Virtual agents will handle 85% of customer interaction by 2021.
- 64% of internet users say 24-hour service is the best feature of chatbots.
- 37% of people use a customer service bot to get a quick answer in an emergency.
For these reasons, chatbots are one of our top picks in the list of leading mobile app trends 2021.
Chatbots are a boon for mobile apps that offer online shopping, on-demand food delivery, and taxi services as they can resolve their customer’s queries with quick and precise answers. Unless you integrate this technology into your app, your business won’t receive an immediate ROI.
Mobile Commerce
Using smartphones and tablets to conduct online commercial transactions is called Mobile commerce or M-commerce. It includes the purchase and sale of goods and services, payment of bills, and online banking. Although this trend has been dominating for quite a few years now, it would be ignorant to not include it in the list of mobile app trends 2021.
From established companies in the industry to startups and nascent organizations, everyone can leverage mobile applications to increase revenue. Therefore, almost every company that wants to expand its target market is launching an application.
Let’s precisely look at the activity of buying and selling goods online.
One of the most profiteering businesses in today’s world is the mobile e-commerce business. Within a few clicks and taps on their smartphones, the users can buy whatever they like and receive it right at their doorstep.
As per the reports by Statista, the total mobile e-commerce sales worldwide will be USD 3.65 trillion in 2021.
Therefore, if you wish to keep pace with the industry giants and successful brands, you need to have a mobile commerce application.
Mobile Wallets
Now that we’ve already discussed the role of Mobile Commerce in the mobile app trends 2021, let’s have a look at the way customers make transactions online.
We’ve all heard of Google Pay, Apple Pay, PayPal, and Samsung Pay. People who actively indulge in online shopping and banking use these wallets to make payments. Due to the rise in internet payment systems, the mobile wallet trend has surged. Moreover, the encryption in the application ensures that the user’s money is safe.
Due to these reasons, mobile wallets may soon become a standard feature for every application that makes transactions.
Here are some of the payment wallet features:
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- Two billion+ mobile wallet users
- Scan and pay.
- High security
- Quick and easy transactions
Internet of Things (IoT)
Everyone is familiar with the concept of IoT. However, mobile penetration has given rise to new opportunities across various sectors and categories. You may think, why have we included IoT in the list of mobile app trends 2021 However, it has quite a lot of relevance concerning today’s technological advancements.
We all know that people use technology to improve their everyday lives, and an application that fulfills this requirement is the need of the hour.
Smart home technology is a perfect example of using IoT and mobile applications together. You can connect your apps with security cameras, refrigerators, television, lock and unlock doors, adjust the temperature, and use it with other household appliances.
This convenience and automated control is the reason behind the growing network of IoT and mobile app development.
The global Internet of Things market is expected to reach $161 billion in 2021.
Artificial Intelligence
AI is one of the top 10 mobile app trends 2021 and is broadly used in many spheres.
In fact, developers started including Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in their apps years ago. Virtual assistants like Alexa or Siri is the first thing that comes to mind when we think about AI.
Here are some examples of AI features that you can include in your application:
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- Speech recognition technologies
- Emotion recognition
- Biometrics
- Image recognition
- Text recognition
- Image recognition
- Machine learning
The addition of AI in your mobile applications can make them smarter and more desirable to its end-users. On top of this, the overall functionality and performance of your application will improve drastically. Artificial Intelligence will change the way apps are developed in the near future.
AR and VR
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) can offer next-generation functionality in your applications. It is one of our top picks in our list of leading mobile app trends 2021.
Although the possibilities are endless, here are some role of AR and VR applications in the future:
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- Workplace Communication
- Healthcare
- Education
- AR for E-commerce – Virtual Showroom
- VR in Courtroom
- AR/VR for Training the Employees.
- A Virtual Tour of Monuments, Other Planets, etc.
Various industries, such as social networking, media and entertainment, education/e-learning, etc., have opted for such apps to enhance their users’ senses and give them a worthwhile experience.
Superior App Security
This is the last trend that we will discuss in the top 10 mobile app trends 2021.
Superior App Security is one of the most vital aspects of app development, as everyone is susceptible to cybercrime and hacking. From well-established organizations to start-ups, nobody is safe from hackers unless they take proper measures.
If your end-users feel that their sensitive information is not safe, they will not use your application. Therefore, you cannot afford to take any shortcuts while developing your app.
Here are some U.S cybercrime statistics:
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- 23% of Americans are victims of a cyber attack.
- Hackers strike every 39 seconds.
- US data breaches cost an average of $8.19 million.
For such reasons, security needs to be your top priority.
Conclusion
Mobile app development is constantly changing. To stay competitive and gain an edge in your space, you can treat the mobile app trends 2021 as your bible.
Although you don’t need to act upon every single trend while making your app, a general understanding of how the market is changing is important to adapt accordingly.
If you are looking for more guidance on making an application, we are more than happy to assist you. Feel free to reach out to us and get started today!
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