According to experts, mobile app downloads experience a year-over-year increase of 11.5%. This means that even after a decade, app development is still in demand. However, enhanced mobility is changing how companies manage their everyday workflow.
In the next couple of years, businesses will need to put an emphasis on mobility to match the pace of mobile app innovation and to meet their customer’s needs. As of the moment, there are numerous small shifts in technology and this is why it is important for businesses to discern which are “trendy” and which ones will carry out the best advancements for businesses.
Here are some trends that can provide potential opportunities for businesses.
5G Networks Will Provide New Opportunities For Mobile App Development
The introduction of the 4G network revolutionized mobile app development. However, 5G networks will become a catalyst for societal change and trials are now underway around the globe. 5G has a lot of benefits and carriers are hyping up the next generation connectivity and services.
Once 5G is completely released, smartphone users can enjoy increased speed of roughly 10 gigabits per second. 5G networks will strengthen mobile connectivity and mobile development and improve the experience of millions of users worldwide. This can translate to shorter transmission latency which can create immediate connectivity between devices in a network. Private 5G networks will also be able to prioritize specific data transmissions over others.
As 5G networks evolve and develop there will be a lot of opportunities for innovation such as automating core processes for businesses, improved mobility tools for presentation and since 5G trends and signals are enormous; it will need devices and software necessary to support this growth.
OTT Development Is Still Growing
OTT (over-the-top) is showing lots of growth potential with providers like Crave, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime leading the way. It is estimated that market growth will reach over $12 billion next year. Luckily, the mobile app community is ready for OTT and the infrastructure is already in place.
Companies specializing in attribution and analytics are developing apps to harness the right data and keep up with OTT. There is also reported growth for OTT devices signaling more opportunities for publishers and advertisers. There is also the potential of reaching broader audiences so the potential of tapping new revenue is massive. Companies need to evolve with the market to keep up with competition.
Mobile App Development Is Only As Good As Its Marketing Campaign
Many app developers focus on developing an app and making sure that it answers user’s pain points with amazing features. However, marketing is usually an afterthought for many of them. It’s easy to assume that user acquisition is a good metric for app success but the actual values lie in engaging and retaining customers.
Companies waste a lot of money on acquiring mobile installs only to see that 79% of users fail to return after the first visit and 2% ghost your app by day 90. This is why marketing campaigns play a great role in turning installs into loyal customers. Engaging customers can also increase retention by 37%. Aside from this, marketing can also help boost in-app purchases.
When companies achieve customer retention and decent engagement rates, it prevents users from disappearing in the app store graveyard. Apps need to have an impact on loyalty to boost their revenue so investing in mobile app engagement campaigns is a must.
People Really Care About Digital Addiction
Mobile products and apps are designed to be “sticky”; which is another word for addictive. During the last few years many studies have been published on how excessive mobile use impacts health and well-being. In today’s mobile world, digital addiction has become a mainstream concern for many.
According to these studies, long periods spent on mobile devices lead to depression and anxiety. Prolonged use of tablets and e-readers has also been linked to poor sleep and a decrease in productivity. In response to these concerns Google and Apple both released system updates to address the growing demand for well-being tracking.
This means that consumers have grown to expect more from brands they trust. Better experiences start at the development phase with exceptional user-centric app design. Customers are also shying away from brand loyalty and shifting to favor to companies that take care of their customers.
When design companies put users first, they are telling users that they care about their needs, wants and even struggles. Knowing about these when designing an app allows you to keep customers in thought during the process so that in the end you truly create a product that wows them.
Deep Linking Everywhere
Deep linking is certainly not a new trend. In fact, it has been around since SEO was first conceived. Despite this, this trend shows no signs of becoming irrelevant.
The 3 kinds of deep linking are: traditional, deferred, and contextual. Contextual deep linking is likely become the go-to practice for sharing data across interfaces in 2020, especially as ambient interfaces become more popular.
Ambient interface is also known as “zero-UIs”. They allow people to interact with technology more freely and directly. For instance voice technology and digital assistance delivers information in real-time rather than adding to screen friction when using input screens. As digital assistance improves, more and more people will interact and rely on them actively and passively by using smartphones, connected to home appliances, cars, wearable devices and other connection points.
For example, if your business has high engagement using desktop, many people will be reluctant to switch to the mobile version unless there is a real reason to do so. They will also not shift easily unless you tell them the benefits of going mobile. Therefore, it is important to capitalize on opportunities to send as many users as possible to your desired platform. Because customers don’t like change, they will dismiss one platform as unnecessary. The key is to provide a seamless experience between the platforms so that they can take advantage of the benefits of the website and the app.
A seamless user experience will become relevant in the near future. Contextual deep linking will offer full-bodied information transfer and will be important to understand situations users want information from you and how. A strong mobile presence provides valuable information because giving customers what they want. By basing your app on your users’ needs and wants, you’ll see higher, long-lasting engagement.
Sydney’s Creativ Digital offers Mobile App Development for Apple and Android for every type of business. Our professional developers can turn your ideas to reality.
