Mobile App Development Trends To Look Out For In 2016
With over 1,000 apps submitted to the iTunes store every day, 2015 was a banner year for mobile app developers. Since we’re in a mobile-centric world, life without a smartphone could make you feel totally disconnected with the rest of the world. When we talk about smartphones, we really mean the most important aspect: mobile apps. Apps have become the major reason for the smartphone success. From dawn until dusk, be it for ordering a pizza, booking a cab, helping you stay fit, organizing your day and more, apps make an indelible impression in our day to day life.
For your mobile app to be successful in the coming year, it’s important to match up to the latest trends. While 2015 is wrapping up, it’s high time to take a look at some of the top trends in mobile app development for 2016.
1. Focus On Improved User Experience
Fact: 2016 will focus on better user experience. In the past, end users have varied experiences on multiple devices. To combat this, developers will ensure there are similar functionalities and consistency in the look and feel of each feature across various screen sizes and devices. Also, optimizing your end user experience is the key to have maximum conversions. For this, you need to keep track of your analytics to understand the user behavior. The better the user experience, the lesser will be your app abandonment. It’s the developer’s challenge to provide unique user experience, as consumer focus will help you know what you lack and what can be improved further. After all, business is all about customer satisfaction!
2. Even Tighter Security
App security will be a continuing trend. As Gartner forecasted in 2015 that over 75% of mobile devices will fail the basic security measures, security will remain the top priority for mobile app developers. As most of our personal information (Including bank details) is accessed through mobile apps, revised and stricter security policies will be enacted.
Network World reported that it found over 80% of mobile apps had cryptographic issues. Apps showing the slightest security glitches will have to pay a huge price. Hence, although it’s a major headache for developers, security is an unavoidable aspect and a concern more than a trend.
3. Internet Of Things Will Take Charge
Although Internet of Things was a much hyped topic in the past, it will take complete charge in the coming years. Numerous concepts are involved in Internet of Things. The central idea is to control multiple devices or appliances by syncing them to IoT mobile apps. The World Economic Forum on Internet of Everything has predicted that more than 5 billion people and 50 billion things will be connected by 2020.
According to Gartner, the revenue generation for IoT product and service suppliers will exceed $300 billion in 2020. Along with Tech Navio’s prediction of 31.72% IoT market growth between 2014 and 2019, IoT is definitely going to be in every app developer’s hit list.
This also means the demand for wearables will also rise. It’s going to be an interesting year, especially for WatchKit developers with Apple Watch’s huge success.
4. Enterprise Apps Will Be Preferred More By Developers
Forbes reported that 43% of enterprise mobile app developers earn $10,000 a month and only 19% consumer app developers earn around the same amount. This is why 20% of developers are targeting enterprises, as enterprise pays a lot more. Hence, the need for enterprise apps and developers will continue to create a storm. Easy deployments, extensive opportunity for innovation and high pay are just some of the reasons why developers love developing enterprise apps.
5. Cloud Will Continue To Lead The Technology
Cloud technology will continue to dominate the mobile app world. Developers like the cloud mainly because they retain the size of the apps and it’s a lot easier to manage. Because of this, they will be able to manage the bandwidth and resolve other memory issues. The best part is developers can connect multiple devices, featuring similar functionalities. And users will have easy and faster access to apps.
The compatibility and the cross-functionality of cloud technology will also raise the demand for wearables. Similarly, there will be a significant rise in the development tools like Xamarin, Appcelerator, and PhoneGap. No wonder why 2016 will be the year of hybrid apps and wearables.
6. Apple’s Swift To Reign The Programming Languages
Leaving behind the traditional programming languages like Objective C, and HTML, Swift has already begun to bring in a whole new dimension. Even though it’s still young, it’s become quite popular among the big shots at Yahoo and LinkedIn. Due to its modern compiler structure, it enables developers to write more flexible and simpler code. Because of its increasing demand, it’s a real challenge and a great opportunity for developers to have a successful year ahead.
7. Free Apps To Gain More Traction
Increasing the number of free apps in the app market will gain more momentum. As per Gartner’s estimation, free apps will increase to 93% from 75% next year. While 2016 is expected to drive more in-app purchases, in-app advertisements will also witness an upsurge.
8. Mobile Payment Apps To Continue In Spotlight
With advanced technology, mobile payment apps are broadening the ways for users to make instant, secure payments. According to eMarketer, the mobile payment transactions will see a growth of 210% in 2016. This tells how Apple Pay, Android Pay and others will make a substantial growth in the coming year. This accelerated growth of mobile wallets is encouraging many more merchants to invest in loyalty programs and offers to attract more customers.
To conclude, these trends will definitely decide the future of your mobile app development world. Although some of them are already top trendsetters, they will continue to evolve even more.
Want some last minute advice on what can work the best for your app?