Mobile Apps: Must Know Trending Types of 2021

Mobile apps: By the end of 2020, the world had around 3.5 billion smartphone users. It is said that a smartphone user uses 10 apps per day on average. The youth, who are considered the wealth of a nation, spend 2/3rd of their digital time on smartphones. Aren’t these impressive? Just imagine the demand for mobile apps!

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that mobile apps rule the world today. Applications are used for every task- for communication, entertainment (music, games, etc.), shopping, hospitality (food delivery, book tickets), knowledge expansion (reading, question answers, etc), and much more. 

The Basic Types of Mobile Apps

Based on technology the mobile apps are categorized into native, web, and hybrid apps. Are you wondering which type of technology to choose for mobile app development?

Let us understand these terms better.

Native apps 

They are built specifically for a particular operating system: Android or iOS mainly. As they are built focusing on the operating system the performance is reliable, faster, and efficient. The main drawback of this is, you have to put the same effort into development for each platform.

Web apps 

They are accessed through the browsers in the device. These are not standalone apps but responsive websites. The advantage of this type of app is that it need not be customized for a given OS. However, there is an extreme dependency on the browser and its functionalities. 

Hybrid apps 

They behave like native apps on different platforms. Besides, they have a single-code base. The development is quick and economical. They provide consistent performance even in poor internet connectivity. However, they can't match the power and speed of native apps.

However, while choosing the types, never forget to consider these criteria: time, resources, performance expected.

Having understood the basics, let us take a look at the different types of mobile applications.

Types of Mobile Applications

The App Store has 1.96 million and the Play Store has 2.87 million downloadable applications. 

In the world of mobile apps, what’s crucial? Downloads, ain’t it? 

Just think, what if you develop the best app and no one downloads it. What’s the use of it? Thus, it is clear that the success of apps depends on downloads. To ensure downloads, you must keep pace with the trends. 

The 5G Technology has made a great impact with its speed. It not only reduces the latency but also boosts network efficiency. Besides, better traffic handling capacity is ensured. Thus, app development has opportunities for new features that in turn boost the app performance. 

Let us look at the trends of the decade.  

• IoT App

Mobile apps have opened up new opportunities when it comes to the Internet of Things. IoT ensures convenience to users with automation. The integrated mobile apps help to monitor or control it with a single touch. For example, we all know about smart home technology. Through mobile apps one can adjust the thermostat, connect with security systems, household appliances, and much more. 

• Foldable Devices

Flip phones have made a comeback. You can compress or expand the screens according to your needs. When you wish to game or watch a video you can enjoy it on a wider screen. On the other hand, you can keep the device closed. App developers have to build the ap ensuring seamless display adjustability to the folded and unfolded screens. 

• Apps for wearable devices

We see smartwatches, fitness bands, and other trackers trending in the market now. These wearable devices have changed the way of building mobile apps. Apps are specifically built for these wearables. The integration of mobile apps with wearables is progressing rapidly. From a touch on smartphones, we see a shift to touch on the wrists. 

• Beacon Technology

Beacon technology has entered most of the industries. It has advanced with its integration with mobile devices. Beacons are very beneficial in understanding consumer behavior at stores. Further, it helps to drive sales with push notifications to smartphones. Proximity marketing is at ease with beacons. Besides, it aids you in improving your customer experience.

• AI

You know very well about Siri and Alexa. That’s the best example for AI. Artificial intelligence helps the apps to perform better and smarter. Virtual assistants are trending in the current era. Some of the features of mobile AI apps include image recognition, voice recognition, face recognition, text recognition, etc. Predictive keyboards are also a part of it. Thus the mobile apps are powered up with AI.

• Ecommerce

Mobile Commerce has been the latest trend that is dominating the industry. Most businesses have entered the mobile commerce market. M-commerce not only provides a platform to sell or buy goods and services but also helps in expanding the market. The combination of digital marketing and M-commerce enables higher productivity. Thus these apps are high in demand.

• Mobile Banking/ Wallets

Transactions through mobile banking apps or fintech apps have increased significantly. The E-commerce platform also has resulted in this transformation to digital payments. Mobile wallets ensure easy and safe transactions. The integration of these apps with other businesses enables bill payments, ticket booking facilities, and much more. Thus, fintech apps have been in great demand.

• AR 

How doesn’t know Instagram or Snapchat filters? Well, they work on AR. AR applications are not only restricted to the gaming industry now. We see a lot of virtual beauty apps such as makeup, hairstyle, etc. When people buy online, they wish to virtually try it on be it dresses or glasses. Besides, AR also enables “live view” in the Maps. AR is also beneficial for employee training, educational training, and in other sectors too. 

• On-Demand apps

Who doesn’t use Uber or Swiggy? These apps fall under the on-demand apps category. Some of the industries that own mobile apps for on-demand services are laundry, food delivery, house cleaning, healthcare, petcare, pharmacy, salons and spas, maintenance (plumbing, mechanical, etc), etc. These industries have not only widened their customer base but also have achieved client satisfaction.

• Cloud Apps

Are you running out of storage? You just click on backup and free up device space. Where does it go then? The answer is cloud storage. Cloud technology has opened up a wide range of opportunities for mobile app development. Cloud storage improves the performance of the apps. On the other hand, complex tasks are carried out on the cloud instead of using device storage. This helps in streaming operations and ensuring cost-effective solutions. 

To wrap up

The modern world is moving at a fast pace. People no longer want to stand in queues and wait for their turns. They want every task to be completed at an instance. Mobile apps are tailor-made to match this fast-paced world. This trends are purely based on insights from my mobile app development company, So this may change towards the end of 2021.