We’ve almost gone through the first half of 2018. And it has proved to be a prosperous year for the mobile app markets worldwide. While the apps that make the very cream of both Playstore and Appstore viz. Facebook, WhatsApp, Spotify, Instagram etc. maintain their supremacy, the arrival of some new quality apps like Google News, Forest, Horizon Explorer clearly indicates that the room for innovation in mobility is immense. Also, as per Statista, mobile apps are projected to generate an enormous 188.9 billion U.S dollars in revenue through app stores and in-app advertising. Obviously, that raises the question as to what mobile apps have to offer to us next or more crucially, for the mobile addicts, what apps will dominate the near future? Well, this blog is dedicated exactly to that end. So without further ado, let’s explore the near future of mobile apps.
1. mPayments
mPayment apps are going to stay a hit through the rest of 2018 and there are no surprises there. As someone says, we’ve become slaves to technology and it’s clearly the case with mobile apps. The first mobile payment apps gave us a glimpse of what convenience felt like. And for those of us, who witnessed that, it’s difficult to go back to the old ways. Now many of us frown upon the idea of making payments with cash. We want every service provider to offer an option for mobile payment. With that view in mind, it’s safe to assert that more and more mPayment apps will make their appearance in near future.
2. Blockchain
Blockchain, which is more commonly identified in relation to Bitcoin and other Cryptocurrencies, has gained quite a lot of reputation in many spheres for its highly advanced security mechanism. Many government firms have shown interest in implementing blockchain in their financial transaction, contract, and asset management systems. Given its effectiveness in data-tracking, healthcare, automotive, educational institutes and no doubt, banks will want to invest heavily in this technology.
3. PWA
PWA’s progress has been a slow one. But with some key changes under the hood, there’s every reason to believe that it has a place in the realm of apps. PWAs aren’t actually apps themselves. But, they are inherently mobile websites that with some tweaks and fine-tuning give the look and feel of mobile apps. With benefits such as low-cost, increased speed, and higher user-engagement, PWA definitely has a promising future ahead.
4. IoT & Wearable
Even though IoT has made some progress in the recent years, it still has a long way to go in terms of realising its full potential. Most people think of smartwatches and smart glasses and what all they have to offer. But new innovations are being attempted to rediscover the ability of these smart devices. No doubt, their successful implementation won’t be possible without the aid of mobile apps. Amazon’s Alexa, which allows the users to control their smart home devices such as door lock, camera, lighting, thermostat etc. More advanced wearables will mean more mobile apps. Expect the IoT trend to pick up the pace soon enough.
5. mHealth Apps
The growth of mHealth apps has been pretty consistent since the beginning. It’s expected that mHealth service and devices globally will generate a massive $31 billion revenue. The credit must be given to the advances made in the field of health apps. Initially, we had the diet-trackers, steps counter like apps that, although were useful, never really had much to offer in the long run. But, the modern mHealth apps have moved beyond that stage now. Today’s mMhealth apps for patients allow them to maintain record of their medical history, book appointments and even keep a check on serious health concerns such as Diabetes, Asthma and Cancer. For doctors, there are apps that can help them accept appointments, view their schedule and consult other professionals to get their view on some serious matters.
6. AR/VR
The stats make an overly encouraging reading for the AR/VR market. In 2022, the augmented and virtual reality market is expected to reach a bumper market size of $209.2 billion dollars. Initially, AR VR was limited to the gaming sphere, but with its recent application into education, real estate and e-commerce, AR VR is looking like a real deal. The groundwork for this feat was laid a long time ago and the app market is now brimming with AR VR apps. Expect the trend to continue with even more fascinating innovations.
7. Enterprise Apps
Enterprise mobility management market is estimated to generate revenue of 2.9 billion U.S dollars, taking a 150% hike from the year 2014. 5.66% of companies are also planning to invest in enterprise mobile apps in the next 3 years. These are all encouraging signs. With advantages such as increased employee productivity, enhanced and streamlined task performance and also ensuring employees have all the things they need to make progress, enterprise apps are changing the way businesses operate. There’s no doubt that enterprise mobility is a fertile landscape and there are scores of innovative ideas just waiting to burst into life.
8. On Demand
Uber and Airbnb were the pioneers of the on-demand economy, guiding the path for many more to follow. Today, the concept of on-demand is applied to all sorts of services from food delivery, house repair, cleaning to beauty and healthcare. The need for instant fulfilment of our desires/demands remains quite hardcoded in our minds. On-demand apps are serving exactly the same purpose. There were many businesses, who after the miracle of Uber and Airbnb, thought their own industries were immune to the concept of on-demand, but one after the other, each one has been proved wrong. The progress of on-demand apps remains rampant and we’ll see more businesses applying it in their respective domains.
9. Chatbots & AI
The answer for businesses to be at customer’s service 24/7 and offer useful information may just lie in Chatbots. Yes, chatbots have been around for a long time now. Many people have bad memories of chatbots that for them didn’t offer a near-human like an experience. But, those memories may just be best left in the past now. The modern chatbots are smarter and they offer, yes, a near-human like experience – thanks to the Artificial Intelligence. The machine’s ability to read, interpret and respond drawing from previous knowledge or pre-fed data, is making technology powerful beyond belief. The trend of chatbot apps has picked up the pace and it’s likely to continue for some time now.
Final Thoughts
So, these are the hottest mobile app trends that are likely to dominate the rest of the year. There’s always a possibility for some undetected trend to go mainstream in a jiffy. Other than that, the trends listed in this blog remain the strongest contenders to make the greatest impact in the mobile app arena. Let us know what you think of this blog and do mention if we’ve left out anything in the comments section below:
mobile app trends that are likely to dominate the rest of the year. There’s always a possibility for some undetected trend to go mainstream in a jiffy. Other than that, the trends listed in this blog remain the strongest contenders to make the greatest impact in the mobile app arena.