Top 5 Mobile App Development Trends for 2018

Technology is consistently growing and there’s innovations being created all the time, but mobile applications are one revolution that’s due to stay for years to come.

Businesses across the globe are looking towards mobile-first technology as they change their strategic planning of how they connect with their customer base. 2018 is sure to be a huge year for mobile app development trends, and we outline what to look out for to implement in your own apps and be ahead of the market.

Payments On The Go

Once was the importance of making sure you left your house with a bit of spare cash and your card. Now, there’s been the development of payment apps such as Android and Apple Pay where taking your wallet on the move has never been simpler. It’s been revolutionary since the rise of contactless payments on debit and credit card facilities, and is an understandable function to implement with mobile banking becoming a common download for mobile users.

VR Apps

Virtual Reality is the technology to create a three-dimensional environment for the user that’s computer generated, allowing them to interact with the environment and perceiving it as real-life. Since the recent releases of virtual reality devices such as Sony’s Playstation VR, it’s brought an increased interest in the technology, especially in the gaming sector. The idea would be to expand VR’s use in other sectors such as business, retail and sport so that the user can gain an ultimate experience.

Increased Security

Smartphones have become an increasing necessity, as they become a reliable device to function in day-to-day life. Holding bank account information and the ability to pay for goods online means there’s a higher demand to make mobile app security more secure. Throughout all stages of app development requires security measures to be tested before being made live to the public on app stores.

AMP Pages

AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) is an initiative by Google to increase user experience through mobile, making web pages faster and accessible whilst on the move. There’s continued rise of searches being made through mobile, meaning more and more users require information quickly whilst out and about. For mobile apps it allows for an increase in CTR’s and conversion as improvements are made to the speed of web page load times. This will be significant to how businesses appear on search engines, with it affecting their ranking especially.

Augmented Reality

Where Virtual Reality uses an environment that has been computer generated, Augmented Reality uses the real-world environment and applies computer generated elements on top of it to blend them both together. Pokemon Go was a great success with using this technology, creating an enjoyable experience for users of all ages. Similar to VR, developments are expected to bring AR alive for more practical apps like interior design or translation apps, proving a potential for increased popularity.

These are all picks to look forward to during 2018. There’s increasing research going into mobile app development as it continues to enhance. Watch this space as it’s likely that in 2019 the technology is going to advance even further.