2021 is coming soon and everybody can’t be interested in what mobile innovations this peak of the decade brings us. In particular, when it comes to the global IT community - what are the biggest trends in mobile app development in 2021 expected to be? Let’s take a look at some of the most prominent next-year software traits.
Top-7 Mobile Development Trends to Rule 2021
What technologies and concepts do you think will be most popular in the coming year? Let’s dive into the top mobile app development trends for 2021 and see what we should expect most eagerly.
Hybrid & Cross-Platform Software instead of Native Solutions
We should start our top mobile app development trends 2021, rather, not with the trend itself, but with the common choice in favor of an affordable alternative to implementing native software. Instead of native apps written in native languages for iOS, Android, in 2021, developers will all the more often prefer cross-platform, built with React Native, Xamarin, Flutter, or even hybrid JS-based apps.
In general, native software isn’t the only and universal option anymore. Only apps that need to reach the smartphone hardware for various advanced features or highly interactive apps (like games) are particular cases of necessary native development.
If none of those things is intended by the project design, the most efficient and all-around profitable way to go would be to create a cross-platform solution or a Progressive Web App or PWA - a JavaScript web app which duplicates many full-scale app features performs offline and works faster and smoother overall.
Further Popularization of Wearable Software & Hardware
Covid-19 pandemic boosted mobile and wearable application development in 2020. A significant number of applications, based on questionnaires, have already been released to monitor the health indicators and avoid the spreading of Covid-19. The idea is that smart wearable devices would grow to be a fully-featured replacement for a smartphone, especially in the healthcare industry.
Also, a great number of mobile banking apps and in-app payment solutions appeared in 2020. The idea of contactless payment became popular as one of the opportunities to avoid contact with money or POS devices. This trend is going to strengthen in 2021.
AI-Based Solutions
Artificial intelligence has been a major software development trend for many years now. And the mobile domain is covered with sweeping AI reach as well. Most modern search engines, marketplaces, virtual assistant solutions all have AI in their foundation. Even niches as global and deep as modern medical diagnostics fruitfully employ this advanced digital concept.
In an era when virtual communication is increasingly replacing real face-to-face contact, it is quite difficult for many people to cope with forced asocialization. “Talkative” applications, like Siri, which are able to have a dialogue with the user based on previous experiences, are guaranteed to occupy a special place in the hearts of smartphone owners globally.
Instant Apps
Instant Apps were introduced back in 2016 by Google as a new format of software that is utterly convenient from the user perspective and most demanded from the developer perspective.
Instant apps can be installed straight from the link in the search engine, email or messenger message. However, only demo versions of fully-featured software can be promoted in such an instant manner. Still, such solutions ultimately boost the download rate potential and increase software promotion reach overall.
In more detail, some of the major instant app benefits include:
- Lightweight nature of software;
- Accessible web-like functionality;
- Impeccable UX with minimum distractions & downsides.
Google AMP
Another innovative solution from Google is AMP or Accelerated Mobile Pages. Why is this format of mobile software so remarkable and why did it get into our top of mobile software development trend predictions?
From a technical point of view, AMP requires using special tags on the site, the quantity, and functionality of which is limited. This, obviously, imposes certain restrictions on the website design flexibility. At the same time, AMPs contain either static or conditionally dynamic content.
Thanks to this approach, the total amount of HTML code is cut, which means that such pages load faster (and this, in turn, is extremely positively reflected on the positioning of the site in Google’s search results in a mobile browser and helps increase site conversion rates).
The most common solutions based on this tech concept include news portals, online catalogs, as well as landings.
Chatbot galore
Chatbots are smart assistant applications that employ artificial intelligence capacities to solve various user issues. They are commonly used as tech support solutions on websites and in apps to answer user questions and provide guidance throughout certain features and functionality.
We expect chatbots to become a worthy alternative to the usual hotline service — be it a taxi, food delivery, car sharing, etc. Instead of calling the operator, users can simply tap a couple of icons on their smartphone and get what they need. A very convenient format of customer interaction in the context of a global digitalization of the services market.
Blockchain, indeed
Last but not least in our list of top mobile app industry trends is the all-too-familiar technology of blockchain. As most of us know, a blockchain is a chain of data blocks, each of which is interconnected with one another, has a permanent timeline stamp, and is stored in a distributed network (i.e., in several separate physical storages).
The general principle of blockchain performance goes like this:
- An initial block is created where there’s no record about the previous block;
- Every subsequent block has a record about the previous block - type of transaction that took place, titles, and descriptions;
- Users can monitor the total number of blocks within the network, but can only access blocks they own.
In terms of the influence on the mobile realm of software development, it is the blockchain that will allow creating all kinds of decentralized applications (DApps), which occupy a special place in the cryptocurrency industry and related fields.
In particular, delving into the prospects for introducing blockchain further, we can say that the concept mainly focuses on cloud capacities, including online banking, Internet directories, and systems for identifying logins to corporate sites.
Summary
As you can see, the list of mobile app trends in 2021 is not much different from the biggest trends of the 2019 year. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has adjusted the whole picture of using mobile and wearable devices. Some solutions emerged in 2020 as a response to the pandemic and worldwide lockdown.
Do you agree with our list of the latest technologies to watch out for or do you have your own take on the topic? Share in the comments below!
And if you are looking to implement any of the mentioned tech concepts in your own project - contact us to implement a solution of any complexity for any niche!
