These days, it’s an accepted reality that the use of the mobile web has surpassed PCs and laptops. The battle for supremacy is (almost) over. What’s barely being noticed though is the amount of time people spend on mobile apps rather than on the mobile web. Through 2019, apps dominated internet time on mobile devices at 90 percent with mobile web taking a backseat, and the landscape isn’t changing anytime soon.
Consumers need the instant gratification that apps give – on-demand products and services, seamless delivery at a faster speed, and overall satisfactory experience. With that in mind, businesses will come up with their own apps in order to survive and remain relevant. With no time to waste, using an apps development services company guarantees that you can penetrate the industry with a great-looking app that has advanced functionality and endless support.
Read: Mobile App Design Inspiration: 8 Best Resources
In developing your app, take a look at the top mobile development technologies that will dominate the industry in 2020:
1. AI and Machine Learning
Integrated into mobile apps, AI and ML have changed the way customers act with businesses, predicting users’ preferences based on usage history. In 2020, expect a higher level of user engagement with chatbots making the experience a whole lot more personalized.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning will satisfy the on-demand economy, which includes food delivery, transport services, laundry, home care services, online shopping, among others. Soon AI can even make appointments for local services in lieu of humans.
2. Beacon technology
The beacon technology in mobile apps provides location information and supports proximity marketing. Making use of Bluetooth low energy, it stays active for a long period of time and sends signals to phones within the vicinity via the beacon wireless transmitter.
Hotels, healthcare, retail, and many other industries will be incorporating the beacon tech to lure prospects within the physical vicinity by enhancing their awareness. Marketing campaigns will use it in combination with the Internet of Things.
3. Augmented reality/Virtual reality
VR and AR in apps will not be limited to games like Pokemon Go. These technologies will be integrated into mobile apps across all industries, such as in retail, education, travel, and healthcare. With Apple’s ARKit and Google’s ARCore, mobile app development with AR or VR will be on the rise, and rightly so.
Ar and VR have transformed visual communication, allowing consumers to access to more information and envision an object in his personal environment. It promotes education that leads to wise purchasing decisions. Brands that embrace AR and VR technology will take customer interaction and engagement to new heights never seen before.
4. Blockchain
The blockchain technology will go mainstream in mobile apps in 2020 and beyond. Concerns about cybersecurity and data tampering are eliminated with the use of blockchain to record transactions and payments. Quite a few companies are now using blockchain in their mobile apps and the public ledger is reassuring for consumers who staunchly safeguard their information and want a clean and speedy electronic transfer.
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Aside from financial transactions, blockchain in mobile apps protects ownership rights and legal contracts, tracks supply chains, facilitates networking, gives a unique digital identity, and supports cloud storage.
5. Internet of Things
IoT in mobile apps connects the smartphone to other gadgets, allowing it remote control through intuitive platforms. Store apps will improve their supply chain management and inventory tracking, home automation becomes the norm with smart appliances, lightings, security features, and thermal controls, and wearables predict impending health abnormalities.
IoT-based mobile apps will improve operational efficiency with the automation of tasks and accurate monitoring and control. Businesses that accept these innovative methods have a competitive edge over others.
6. 5G wireless network
Before the year ends, the 5G wireless network will have rolled out, promising a speed that is 100x faster than 4G. Latency will drop to as low as one millisecond; IoT connectivity will increase by 10x and network energy use drops drastically due to efficient processing. Mobile app developers should design accordingly or be left behind.
5G technology isn’t only about speed. Other functionalities like 3D gaming, data security, and augmented reality are optimized with this wireless network.
7. AMP
Accelerated Mobile Pages will get its due notice in 2020. Conceived in 2015 and almost but not quite forgotten, Google’s AMP project speeds up loading of web pages in mobile search; hence, optimizing your site for search engines.
AMP is a stripped-down HTML, reduced Javascript and CSS, and an optimized network for caching pages. With users’ attention spans getting as short as their patience, instantaneous loading pages have an edge over the rest. More than visits, they also have higher conversion rates.
8. Chatbots
Chatbots will get their fair share of appreciation from users. Mobile apps with this feature have a higher chance of business growth and customer retention. Chatbots provide quick and precise answers and are always available. In lieu of customer support, these virtual agents are cost-saving and provide improved customer engagement.
On-demand products and services will benefit from having chatbots on their mobile apps to deal with numerous and frequent queries.
In conclusion, always keep in mind that what worked for the year just past isn’t enough. Mobile apps haven’t reached their peak and the industry is still growing. Revenues from apps downloads, advertising, and in-app purchases are projected to be more than $188 billion for 2020. You should at least strive to get a bigger piece of the pie with your business app.
The strides in mobile technology come in leaps and bounds, and your finger must be on the pulse at all times for your business to remain relevant and alive.
