Since the late 1990s, when applications first emerged, app development has evolved greatly. While developing an app in the 2010s took three to four months, software firms today can provide a minimum viable product (MVP) in like a month.

It makes one wonder how the field of app development has changed over all these years.

An interesting case study of modern-day app dev excellence comes from no other than Starbucks! An app released by the international coffeehouse chain incorporated AI elements that relied on machine learning (ML) to understand customer preferences and order history, offering personalized promotions & rewards through the Starbucks Rewards program.

AI integration took Starbucks’ mobile orders from 11% to 26% in just 2 years, and a substantial increase in sales was observed in 2021. So, what do we learn from this example?

We learn that more than nine in ten of the world’s top 100 brands have now released mobile apps and modern-day consumers use nine apps every day, making app engagement a critical factor in brand strategy. Follow these trends to stay relevant and enhance user engagement

No-Code/Low-Code

Picture a world where you don’t need full-fledged, experienced coders to manually write thousands of lines of code for app creation. With LC/NC platform strategies, people with little to no programming expertise can contribute to app development. With Google doing 25% of their coding via AI, LC/NC solutions at least retain some level of human involvement in the process.

But first, you have to understand the difference between these two. Here’s how you can make sense of low code vs no-code solutions:

•       Low-Code Development Platforms: Aimed at developers, it involves people with a basic aptitude for coding so they can provide higher levels of customization.
•       No-Code Development Platforms: Aimed at non-technical individuals, it provides faster results yet limited customization.

Thanks to LCDPs and NCDPs, companies can now create complex apps using visual interfaces. This trend will democratize app development in the future, making innovation as quick as magic.

AI Integration

It should be clear from Starbucks’ example that AI integration is a major trend in app development. More and more companies are realizing the benefit of combining their apps’ best features with what AI brings to the table, i.e., personalized responses to customer queries. AI tracks user behavior and shows them the kind of content (and ads) they’re more likely to interact with. Some examples include:

•       Predictive Analytics: AI-powered apps can predict user actions and provide recommendations by guessing what the user wants. For example, Netflix utilizes this approach to make sure customers receive recommendations based on their viewing behavior rather than being inundated with arbitrary TV series.
•       Voice Recognition: Siri and Alexa, among other voice assistants, create space for hands-free control whereby the user may make a few requests and bring about desired results. This way, apps become more accessible and user-friendly.

5G Tech

Faster connectivity and communication are the results of the 5G rollout (and successor, the 6G).

According to tech experts, 5G provides speeds up to 100x faster than 4G, therefore enabling almost (if not total) instantaneous data transfer. So, developers will use 5G technology to create even more complex mobile apps without compromising speed. Lower latency rates will allow apps to support data processing in real-time. As a result, video/game streaming will become a much more enjoyable experience.

Imagine a world where images and videos in 4K can be transmitted to the whole world with 100% fidelity without data loss, blurry pictures, or even a 1-second delay. You can now watch this happen with 5G.

AR and VR

No discussion on the future of app development is complete without mentioning these two technologies. Even though augmented and virtual realities have become buzzwords that every industry appropriates for their PR value, app developers are using them for practical purposes, such as:

• Immersive Experiences: Trendsetting apps like Pokémon Go will become the new normal with AR and VR. We use these technologies to allow virtual try-ons or quick Google Maps navigation.
•       Training & Education: Businesses can also use AR and VR to train students by providing them with super-realistic simulations that enhance learning outcomes.

IoT Integration

Just like AI, IoT is becoming a vital new trend in the world of mobile application development. Simply put, we’re welcoming more smart devices into our homes and would like all apps to communicate with these gadgets. That’s why app developers are focusing on IoT integration to make sure that:

•       You can run your smart house from a distance
•       Tracking your vitals and health metrics gets easier
•       SOS messages are sent quickly during an emergency
•       Collecting and analyzing important user data

Touchless UI

No app developer can neglect user interface, and touchless UI isn’t a luxury anymore; it’s a necessity for modern-day users, especially considering all the post-COVID hygiene-related trends.

Imagine a device that could be controlled with hand gestures and voice commands only. In environments where touchscreens become germ-ridden, impractical, or simply inaccessible, touchless UI will come and save the day! It’ll make apps all-inclusive and more usable for people with disabilities.

Apple captured the world’s attention with its Vision Pro, a gadget that uses a camera-based approach to create a touchless UI. However, other app developers are using innovative ways to achieve this goal, like placing an optical image over a laptop screen.

Cloud Computing

Since cloud computing allows for remote data storage solutions, it makes apps perform better and operate much faster. So, devs can produce complex smartphone applications without burdening device resources. Imagine users downloading your app and then deleting it a few days/months later after realizing that this app is draining too much power. So, cloud tech will become a staple of app development in the future.

Instant Apps

Let’s be honest; most consumers have started to wonder why there’s an app for everything today. This app fatigue became more widespread after the pandemic; Forbes reported in 2021 that 9 in 10 users disliked it when they were forced to download an app to finish an online transaction. That’s why developers in the future will move toward the concept of instant apps, which is:

•       No need to install the full application
•       Use them just as easily as browsing a website
•       Access its basic functionalities without downloading it

Instant apps serve as effective marketing tools by allowing users to try out features before downloading them (which is a big commitment in the customer’s eyes).

Foldable Device Optimization

When Huawei responded to the iPhone 16’s launching Mate XT, the world’s first triple-fold phone, hitting the market next year, this was the question on every app dev’s mind: How to optimize applications for such a device? Here’s how they did answer their question later:

•       Optimizing for different sizes and orientations
•       Providing seamless transitions b/w folded and unfolded states
•       Exploiting the multitasking potential of foldable phones by letting users run multiple apps on one big, large screen

No doubt, the era of global app development can enter a new and exciting phase where automation and personalization reign supreme. Developers must consider foldable devices, AI/IoT/AR/VR integration, IT and security issues, and hygienic UI when creating mobile apps. And with the rise of no-code and low-code solutions, developers can now create complex products without any delay.

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