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According to the latest data, about 7.33 billion people use smartphones, which is almost the entire population of our planet. In an effort to capture this huge market, many companies launch their own mobile applications: to attract new customers, automate routine processes, improve interaction with the audience and solve many other business tasks.
Analysts from Data.io are convinced that in 2024 the number of downloads on the AppStore and Play Market will grow by 1% and reach a record 257 billion downloads. But, naturally, not all programs will be able to succeed. Today, the user has become too selective, and in order to survive the competition, you must follow the current trends. But what will they be this year? About 11 of the main ones in this article.
Internet of Things (IoT)
The Internet of Things is in first place in our trend rating. It provides centralized monitoring and management of remote devices, allowing companies to receive relevant data in real time and respond to them in a timely manner.
IoT technology has already found practical applications in logistics, healthcare, retail trade and many other areas of business, and its popularity will only grow in the near future.
Compatible with 5G
The fifth generation of Internet connection is not yet available in all countries, but it is only a matter of time. Devices supporting 5G are already actively filling the market and will soon completely supplant their predecessors. Therefore, if you plan to launch the program in 2024, we recommend that you immediately take care of 5G compatibility. This is especially important in the niche of video streaming, where the advantages of the new mobile communication technology are fully revealed.
Trading in a mobile application
If your business is focused on online commerce, you can integrate these processes into a mobile application. Unlike a website, here users can customize the interface at their own discretion, save the products they liked, and use other features that are not available on the web platform.
In addition, it should be taken into account that mobile traffic has long overtaken browser traffic, and now about 70% of purchases are made by users using a smartphone. As a result, many successful online stores naturally evolved into applications for IOS and Android. Therefore, if you are planning to enter the e-commerce market, it is better to do it with a mobile application.
Chat bots
To optimize customer service, you can implement a chatbot in your application, which will handle a large part of user questions. Unlike full-time operators, the bot responds to customers instantly and at any time of the day, which will help to avoid losing leads.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are becoming increasingly important components in mobile development as they enable the creation of intelligent and personalized applications. Here are some options for the practical application of these technologies that will definitely be needed in 2024:
- Personalized advice. Using machine learning techniques, mobile apps analyze data about user behavior, such as search history, preferences and purchases, to offer them personalized recommendations. For example, an application can recommend movies, books, music, products or content to a customer based on their previous actions.
- Data analysis and process optimization. Machine learning allows mobile applications to analyze large volumes of data to identify patterns, trends and predict user behavior. It helps optimize business processes, predict demand for products or content, and automate many routine tasks.
- Chatbot improvements. Artificial intelligence is also used to improve the work of chatbots and virtual assistants. It is able to learn from dialogues with users to become more effective in providing assistance and solving problems. Unlike ordinary chatbots, bots based on AI are able to give not only pre-prepared response templates, but also maintain a full-fledged "live" dialogue at the level of a real operator.
Augmented and virtual reality
Today, there is a tendency to modernize retail marketing due to the introduction of AR technologies, which provide an individual approach to customers and contribute to an increase in online sales. And users themselves agree: according to Snapchat, 76% of consumers believe that augmented reality will play a key role in their future purchase decisions, and 57% would like to see more use of AR in their everyday lives.
Virtual reality has not yet become so widespread, because it requires expensive equipment to work with it. However, the situation is expected to change dramatically in 2024, as VR devices become more accessible to a wider audience, and the demand for VR applications will increase accordingly.
Cyber security
Mobile apps can collect and store a lot of sensitive information about users – their personal and payment details, location, contacts and much more. Therefore, one of the main priorities in mobile development is to ensure a high level of cyber security.
Cloud computing
Cloud data storage provides advanced tools to ensure the smooth operation of mobile applications and the protection of information. They usually use data centers around the world, thereby ensuring availability and maximum speed of processing requests for users from different geographical regions, as traffic is automatically redirected to the nearest available server.
In addition, the cloud applications are compatible with several operating systems, including IOS and Android, which makes it easier to update and develop the product in the future, as well as reduce budget costs.
Development for sophisticated smartphones
Folding smartphones are another form factor of gadgets that has been rapidly gaining popularity recently. Yes, there are still not as many of them as conventional devices, but this is a great opportunity to reach a new audience by offering them a unique experience with full adaptation of the application to non-standard foldable screens. In addition, it will not make the development much more expensive, because the changes will affect only the graphic part of the software, and all the business logic will remain the same.
Development for smart gadgets
Recently, the total number of gadgets in the world crossed the mark of 1 billion units. And given the pace at which Apple, Samsung, and FitBit are updating their smartwatch lineups, one in three smartphone users will soon have such a device. Some of the reasons for their growing popularity are convenience, functionality and a relatively low price.
Therefore, planning the release of the program in 2024, it is also worth taking care of its adaptation for Smart Watch. This is especially important for products in the healthcare, financial and music streaming industries.
Paid programs
No matter how strange it sounds, conditionally free programs are gradually giving way and freeing up space for paid software. The fact is that many users are tired of intrusive advertising and mediocre functionality, which is why they are increasingly willing to buy the best services for a relatively low fee. A good example in this sense is the mass transfer of users from Gmail to Superhuman, which positions itself as the fastest mail in the world. The audience of Zoom, which has gained the image of the best program for business conferences, is also growing - over the past year, the number of video chats in it has increased from 10 to 300 million.
Which trends will lose their relevance?
Touch control
Many programs continue to use the touchpad for data entry - this is when the user needs to type the necessary information manually, using a pop-up keyboard.
This format of interaction is gradually becoming a thing of the past, and it is being replaced by voice input and built-in AI-based intelligent assistants that allow you to perform the necessary actions as quickly and efficiently as possible. If your program does not yet have this option, you risk losing ground to more innovative competitors.
Compatible with 4G
The speed of the new generation of 5G Internet is up to 20 times higher than the speed of 4G. The difference is huge, so the developers of new smartphones and other accessories have completely focused on implementing the new standard. That is why 4G is steadily going into the past and will soon lose its relevance.
No integrated payments
Many programs in one way or another are aimed at selling: goods, services, subscriptions or paid content. That's why embedded payment gateways are, without exaggeration, vital. If you don't provide users with a comfortable way to pay, then you will probably start losing customers, which is unacceptable.
Why is it important to follow current trends?
Today, there are millions of mobile applications in various niches on the market, and in order to withstand competition and ensure a stable increase in profit, you need to continuously monitor new trends and implement them in your product. To solve this task, we at AVADA MEDIA offer our clients qualified post-release project support.