It is estimated that by 2020 the $100 billion worth of apps will be downloaded annually. That is because the number of smartphone users is expected to have risen to 6.1 billion. As more functionality is found on the smartphone, it means there will be a variety of apps to back up that functionality. There are interesting trends to watch out for in 2017 and beyond.
VR and AR come together
In 2016, the hit game Pokémon Go took the world by storm. Variants of the game have sprung up since then. Augmented Reality (AR) uses real world features in a fantasy world. The combination of AR and VR has resulted in more realistic games as users play in landscapes they can identify. This trend is set to feature more in other applications like tourism.
Location based /beacon apps
Although beacon apps have been around for some time, their full potential is yet to be realized. Areas with poor mobile internet coverage in the developing world have presented a challenge in developing apps that can leverage on the coverage of the available mobile network. With location based marketing expected to grow over $40 billion by 2019, more location based apps are expected.
More security apps
Mobile Security has become a major concern seeing as it is that smartphone users are using their shopping for confidential financial transactions and other activities. Security and privacy apps are expected to make a strong presence from 2017 going forward.
Mobile payments
Apart from paying using credit cards from the mobile, other types of mobile payments have come up. Bitcoin has a Near Field Communication feature which enables Bitcoin users to transact. These types of apps will allow for more secure transactions.
Cloud apps
Just like cloud software does not have to be installed on the PC, mobile app developers are very much interested in cloud apps. It is expected that by 2019, cloud based apps will make up over 90% of mobile internet traffic.
IoT apps
The Internet of Things (IoT) enables the communication of devices over the internet. IoT apps are already in use especially for home security monitoring. Smart home apps are expected to be much in demand as homes become more integrated.
AI apps
In 2016, Google launched Google Now. Intelligent apps will continue to make a strong presence in 2017 and beyond as smartphone users come across huge volumes of data on social media and other platforms.
UX apps
Mobile apps are increasingly coding for better user experience. This includes faster searching and navigation. Responsive apps are becoming a standard when coding. With Google awarding apps with better UX, users can only expect better performance from apps.
