10 Mobile Application Development Trends To Watch In 2024

Technology is changing our way of life. Mobile applications have a particular impact on this. Some facilitate daily activities (reminders, calling an ambulance, or simply ordering coffee), while others just help to kill time (if there is free time at all). But without all of them, it's hard to imagine today's existence. A mobile app is a culture we're used to. 

With the start of 5G testing, the mobile application development field will undergo many changes. The implementation of new technologies will change mobile development methods. In other words, 2024 will bring many new trends in all areas, including the creation of mobile applications. So let's talk about mobile app development trends this year.

In this article:

Internet of Things (IoT) app integration

We are on the threshold of the fourth industrial revolution; many industries are on the way to full automation. The Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the popular mobile app development trends. This technological concept of connecting things to the Internet for remote control through software allows you to perform various tasks more efficiently. Management can be carried out in different ways, but the most popular today is control using a mobile application.

IoT takes mobile app development to a whole new level. Companies around the world think they can control a smartphone. Consumers are no longer surprised by remotely controlled household appliances and computer voice assistants. The range of technology that can be connected to the Internet of things is growing every day.

Integrating the Internet of things and applications is a powerful combination that provides limitless and amazing opportunities for its use in many industries. Businesses, governments, and consumers are realizing the benefits of connecting inert devices to the Internet, which means that a world of interesting technologies and applications is not far off, which will become indispensable assistants to it.

Examples of using IoT app integration

• Automotive applications

The automotive industry is one of the most innovative industries, but at the same time, the car and the Internet of things are still quite distant concepts from each other. However, the potential of using IoT devices for transport is huge. Smart solutions allow you to receive recommendations for car care and remotely control automatic systems: set up an alarm, optimize fuel consumption, and set car speed limits.

Manufacturers can use the Internet of Things to identify serial defects quickly, get data about driver behavior, vehicle performance, and more.

A great example of an IoT mobile app available for Android and iOS users is We Connect from Volkswagen. The application provides access to the car settings anywhere and anytime, provided that you are connected to the Internet.

• Industrial production management

The approaching industrial revolution Industry 4.0 will lead to maximum automation of production processes, economic growth, improved productivity, and competitiveness of enterprise mobile apps. Today, many companies use IoT sensors to track the activities of people and assets in the workplace in order to improve management and work in general.

The mobile application can display the movement of connected equipment and people inside production facilities. For plant managers, this solution can be very useful for optimizing workflows.

• Retail purchases

Mobile commerce is another industry where the tandem of the Internet of things and mobile applications is of great importance. The Amazon Go store is a prime example of how technology can make life more comfortable. The retail giant has used IoT sensors, cameras, and other in-store equipment to cut checkout queues. The customer enters the store, scans the barcode of the special Amazon Go application, takes all the necessary products and leaves, and the application sends him a payment receipt. This concept, based on the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and machine learning technologies, significantly improves the experience of traditional shopping in convenience stores. Users call this solution the future of shopping.

Apps for foldable devices

Another interesting technology from the ''mobile app development trends'' list is an app for foldable devices. In the technological era, are you also one of those who want to keep up with the current trends in mobile app development? Then you are surely doing the right thing! With the launch of foldable smartphones, every mobile app development company is working on making foldable smartphone apps.

Speaking of foldable smartphones, you may know that they hit the market in February 2019 with a plethora of features and models. A foldable smartphone is a phone that can be folded in half. Some phones can be folded vertically, and some can be folded horizontally, but all foldable phones have one thing in common: they can be turned into  smaller devices from  larger ones.

Developing a mobile application for foldable smartphones is not as difficult as it seems at the initial stage. With a professional and talented mobile app development company, you can create rich and flawless apps that will run smoothly on foldable devices. You just need to focus on the testing part of the app before launching it on the market. The foldable smartphone is a great concept and will evolve in the market over time.

Development for wearable devices

Today, wearable devices are still at an early stage of development. This means that when talking about designing for such gadgets, we can focus on a specific niche. This will help us get a general idea of how careful planning for the future of user experience can help app users quickly learn how to use the device and how they want to explore other innovative products.

We can assume that a typical wearable user is a person in their 20s and 30s with an upper-middle income. Typically, these people do not have ingrained prejudices, which allows them to deal with new products and different types of gadgets easily, as well as to adapt to new ways of interacting. In addition, we assume that before that, they already owned one or more smartphones. These are tech-savvy people who spend significant time using the Internet. Typically, many visit websites related to gadgets, Apple, Android, and possibly websites related to startups, development, and design. All of the above means that a few limitations hold us back from expanding the user experience and developing ways to interact. However, very often, it is the screen size, technology features, and design concept that are decisive in creating the user experience.

There are currently two categories of products on the market that we can clearly distinguish: glasses (smart glasses) and smart watches. 

• Smart glasses can use the navigation to track your location and provide you with information about the best route, record videos, take photos, and search by voice. 
• Smart watches have functions related to health care, an active lifestyle, the ability to receive payments and calls, and also allow you to interact with other devices and simply listen to music. 

In the context of the current stage of the development of wearable devices, watches have some advantages over glasses, as there are many more applications for watches; in addition, they are cheaper. It is worth paying attention to the fact that the watch is a less intrusive manifestation of wearable technology. However, we should not forget that glasses give us great opportunities in the field of user interface design, making them more attractive for complex ideas that will be the basis for a new generation of wearable devices.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

By 2022, the total volume of the AI technology market will increase to $52.5 billion, or four times compared to the level of 2017 ($13.4 billion). The annual growth rate (CAGR) will be maintained at 31% over the forecast period. The widespread introduction of AI technologies by 2030 will increase the volume of the global market for goods and services by $15.7 trillion. Such data are provided by analysts of the international consulting company Frost & Sullivan.

AI remains one of the leading areas for research in computer technology. Such attention to this area is since artificial intelligence, imitating the human thought process, can self-learn and perform various actions much more efficiently than conventional computers programmed to perform the same tasks.

Advances in AI are increasing the quality and quantity of innovative ideas, allowing companies to compete regardless of their size. Companies such as IBM, Google, CloudMinds, Affectiva, etc., are engaged in research in various technological areas of artificial intelligence.

In healthcare, AI is mainly used to identify patterns in medical data and can significantly improve the accuracy of treatment, minimizing the possibility of false diagnoses and, as a result, reducing treatment costs. So, the Californian startup HealthTap has developed an application that analyzes the records of more than 100,000 doctors to identify the most accurate diagnosis.

AI is also transforming cybersecurity by enabling innovation to protect against threats that traditional network security tools cannot detect. The specialists of Deep Instinct (Israel) have developed their deep learning algorithms (one of the areas of AI) that can detect anomalies in the behavior of the network and the presence of targeted cyberattacks (APT) that cannot be detected using traditional technologies.

App security

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced us to stay at home due to social distancing measures, and these behavioral changes have increased using on-demand apps.

Such widespread use comes with security risks, although not all users understand the importance: such a lack of knowledge can be exploited by attackers.

Mobile apps without security protocols pose a danger to users and mobile app developers because unprotected vulnerabilities can become a target for hackers who can attack with malware or break data.

It is essential to ensure that the application is as secure as possible at this particular stage. Of course, you have automated tools ready to help you identify problems in your source code. The main problem arising at this time will be finding and fixing bugs and tracking down other security vulnerabilities. While these tools are effective for solving common security problems, they may sometimes fail to detect more complex problems.

Here you can get an expert opinion. You can ask another developer to review your code and provide feedback on your application. Approaching a third party helps as they can find and fix some of the flaws you left behind during any of the above steps.

Predictive analytics

You encounter predictive analytics every day – years of weather observations and computer simulations allow meteorologists to warn you to take your umbrella tomorrow.

Accurate forecasts of future events provide a big advantage in many industries, for example, in stock trading or in organizing logistics and supply chains. More recently, prognostication has been used in industry to prevent equipment failures. For this, methods of empirical modeling, statistical and parametric analysis, machine learning, neural networks, and a number of other technologies are used. But for this, you need to collect, accumulate and process data.

Digitalization of equipment — connection of digital sensors, interfaces, and data collection systems — allows useing automated process control systems (APCS). They monitor how the equipment performs, warn of critical deviations and protect installations from operating beyond the limits. But, despite their complexity, they work only in ''real-time'' mode, signaling danger or turning off equipment ''after the fact.''

Voice search

The next mobile app development trend is voice search. Voice technology is a key item that is gaining momentum, not only for integrated Internet marketing (PPC + UX + SEO). Over time, consumer behavior changes, which means that the ways of communicating with them should gradually change. Now is a transitional period, so it is important to take into account current and future mobile app industry trends. Those brands that will be the first to implement and start using voice recognition and voice search will win.

The voice search statistics collected in 2021 by the Invoca platform allow you to analyze how effective the tool is in marketing. More and more consumers are using voice to perform search queries: search for local locations, online stores, and products, as well as to make purchasing decisions.

Based on the data, here are the top reasons why businesses should use voice search in 2022:

1. The popularity of mobile devices with support for voice commands is growing rapidly. So, in 2020, more than 150 million smart speakers were sold, and by 2024, the amount from the sale of smart speakers is expected to exceed $30 billion.
2. Voice commands become part of the life process. The following numbers speak for this:

65% of people aged 25 to 49 use voice assistants at least once a day.

52% of people have voice speakers in residential apartments. 25% keep the device in the bedroom, and 22% in the kitchen. 71% of mobile device owners predict that they will use voice search more often in the future.

In 2020, 30% of web browsing sessions were ''screenless'' (voice only). This confirms that consumers are interacting with brands online.

93% of consumers are satisfied with voice assistants. Consumers' benefits are the ability to multitask, get instant answers to questions, and make their lives easier.

Blockchain technology

This is a modern technology, the popularity of which is growing daily as the demand for cryptocurrency grows. In today's realities, they are trying to optimize and use this technology for storing and processing information in the field of computer gaming apps or marketing.

The literal translation sounds like a "chain of blocks." The main difference from standard databases is that it is impossible to change information or completely remove it from the database; users can only add it. Blockchain technology works on the principle of a distributed registry: even if one link falls out of the general chain of transactions, the data about it is stored on mobile devices and computers of other independent users. Thus, the system is not afraid of failures since the information does not disappear anywhere and, if necessary, it can be retrieved. That's why it is the main technology for creating smart contracts.

As for investments in this area, their volume is growing every year, and by 2024, investments are expected to grow by more than 200% per year, which indicates the profitability and prospects of the project.

Examples of using Blockchain technology

• Logistics

Blockchain can be used as an electronic waybill. In this case, you can track the entire route of delivery of goods from the supplier to the buyer. This solution can replace the traditional CRM system, that is, the international invoice management system. Moreover, the new technology has an advantage over the old one. The CRM system is subject to hacking, alteration, or deletion of data. Once placed on the public blockchain, the information remains and cannot be deleted.

• Counterfeiting

Blockchain technology can be extremely effective at detecting counterfeit products. Most often, luxury goods manufacturers, such as fashion designers, suffer from a similar problem. The consumer is also not always sure of the authenticity of the product. Blockchain-based product authentication protects both the brand and the consumer. This solution has been used by LVMH (French Louis Vuitton), Microsoft, and Consensys to create the Aurora platform to help the luxury industry track and trace products.

• Utility Tokens

Blockchain can also be used by online platforms using utility tokens. The payment tokens can then be used as loyalty points, i.e., tokens stored on the blockchain are used instead of traditional loyalty points. Thus, the fear of losing a loyalty card disappears. Instead of using e-commerce solutions, an online store can implement blockchain technology and use tokens to tokenize their business. In the same way, blockchain can be used as a payment system on an internet platform. Instead of paying in traditional currency, payment is made in tokens.

5G technology

5G is one of the most talked-about technologies of the end of the decade. According to the Gartner Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies, in August 2019, it reached the peak of inflated expectations.

As 5G networks expand around the world, mobile developers benefit from faster speeds. On the other hand, the reduced latency of this network technology is undoubtedly the most significant game-changer for applications.

Examples of using 5G technology

• Internet of Things (IoT)

This includes the concept of a smart home, manufacturing and computing power (IIoT), and smart city infrastructure. Devices and systems are combined into a common network with remote control and monitoring with minimal delays. In the first case, it can be household appliances, climate control, and emergency warning systems. At industrial facilities, 5G will provide fast, high-quality communication between machines, measuring instruments, and data centers. Residents of cities will be able to take advantage of uninterrupted online access to various services: public service centers, public transport, and more.

• Unmanned Vehicles

Autonomous trucking, city taxis, agricultural machinery — many modes of transport can be transferred to an unmanned mode to ensure greater accuracy, reliability, and safety of processes.

• Cloud Technologies

Data storage, instant loading, and computing. Cloud services and applications that previously required on-premise installations will become widely applicable. Thanks to high-speed data transfer, users and mobile app developers will be able to perform operations that require high hardware power, having only mobile Internet at hand.

• Healthcare

High-quality communication with remote regions will provide high-quality support in case of an emergency. During complex operations or diagnostics, the 5G video stream will provide high speed and resolution. Also, with the help of fitness trackers, users will be able to transfer their biometric parameters in a continuous mode for storage and processing.

• Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality (VR/AR)

Augmented and virtual realities are not just about entertainment but also a completely responsible application — VR technology can be used in interactive learning systems, navigation systems, complex development processes, and even tactile Internet.

Biometric authentication

Biometrics is a technical term for a person's physical or behavioral features. Biometric authentication is a data security concept. Biometric authentication solutions create a data-driven model that represents a person. With this model and biometric information, security systems can authenticate access to applications and other network resources. Biometric authentication is rapidly becoming a popular component of multi-factor authentication strategies because it combines a strong authentication challenge with a user-friendly user interface.

Examples of using biometric authentication

Biometric authentication is used in a wide variety of applications across many industries. Here are just a few examples of how these industries are using biometrics to improve the security and efficiency of existing processes.

• Travel and hospitality

Some airlines and airports offer passengers the option to check-in for flights using facial recognition. Similarly, hotels and hospitality companies are starting to allow self-check-in through biometric authentication.

• Banking and financial services

Security and authentication are important in many industries, but especially in mobile banking. Financial institutions use biometric authentication as part of two-factor authentication or multi-factor authentication strategy to protect a bank and its customers from account takeover attacks.

• Healthcare

Biometric authentication in the form of fingerprint scanners, iris scanners, and facial recognition can help hospitals verify a patient's identity, ensure caregivers have access to the right medical information, and more.

Conclusion

In the coming years, we will see that more advanced technologies are used in fully functional mobile apps to create a more exciting and secure customer experience. Businesses will continue to improve mobile apps with a focus on streamlining operations and improving customer service because more and more people will use smartphones to do everyday tasks. 

Mobile app development is vital for any company that wants to stay competitive. Compliance with the latest mobile app trends is an integral part of improving the quality of interaction with customers. 

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