As consumers, we keep getting used to nifty trends in development and UX without even noticing any change.
There are endless examples of this phenomenon.
Consider the simple change of using one-time-passwords (OTPs) to complete online transactions. This change may not seem like a trend now.
However, the addition of OTPs made online transactions much simpler as people had to previously remember a payment password. We got used to OTPs overnight without acknowledging the innovative change that helped make online transactions easier.
The impact? The introduction of OTPs was adopted by a number of payment gateways across the board. It is even used for two-factor authentication now.
Trends do not have to be functionally wide-sweeping. The smallest of change can have a massive impact. This piece breaks down some of the emerging trends in the world of mobile app development that you should know about.
#1 – Automated app-making solutions
No-code app development has been gaining prominence in the last few years. 2024 could be the year when app makers finally make a breakthrough and finally gain ubiquity.
The reason?
App makers offer a number of advantages over custom app development. App development is faster, cheaper, and significantly easier with app making solutions like AppMySite.
The only gap they have to custom app development is customizability. Businesses sometimes choose custom development over app makers because the former offers greater customizability.
However, this advantage is slowly getting eroded as well. AppMySite has come a long way in helping users develop premium apps that match their expectation and vision. It was already popular for enabling users to convert WordPress website to Android & iOS app. Now, AppMySite is also ideal from a design and development standpoint.
Upgrades in no code app development are very desirable for the mobile app space. This would mean more apps coming to market and competing for downloads. Given the general shift in user preference for mobile apps, this trend will only continue.
App builders like AppMySite will only make it easier for businesses to make a mobile app.
#2 – Experience before development
Development comes first. This is the natural course of action when companies start creating their own apps.
Anyone who has ever designed a website or created an app would understand this style of functioning. Developmental obstacles are often a major impediment to user experience.
How many times have you decided to compromise on adding a great feature or design because of development concerns? This approach is bound to change as companies are slowly learning the pitfalls of compromising with app experience.
A major trend in 2024 and beyond will be the development of apps based on an ideal user experience. Companies will first figure out how to deliver great app experiences before diving into development.
In other words, developers will have to change their ways based on app experience needs.
This will seamlessly play out in the automated app-making world. App makers that deliver mobile apps based on end-user experience will naturally succeed. Choosing any random free online app maker would thus be infeasible as companies chase experience over developmental ease.
#3 – App Clips
App Clips were a part of the iOS 14 rollout last year. They are a novel addition to the app space and could become a potential gamechanger.
First, what are App Clips?
App Clips are small modules of an app built to perform a specific function. These modules can be shared separately via a link and can be accessed independently without downloading the whole app.
Let’s assume you have a blogging app on which you happen to separately sell branded merchandise. App Clips will allow you to specially promote the ecommerce part of your app by enabling prospects to make purchases without downloading the whole app.
This addition is significant for a number of reasons. Most importantly, it shows that Apple finally understands the difficulty of mobile app marketing. App Clips would help businesses promote their apps like they generally promote their website.
If App Clips turns out to be a success, we can expect Google to follow suit and introduce a similar feature for Android as well. This will naturally mean developers would have to develop each part of a mobile app separately. We could also see app makers responding to this trend by enabling users to cut up their app into smaller modules.
The impact of this trend could be enormous. As apps become more mainstream with the simplification of development challenges, businesses will start leaning on channels like App Clips to promote apps.
#4 – Greater transparency in data tracking and collection
Privacy has become a major talking point in the online world. Last year, Apple addressed the privacy concerns of its users by instituting measures to enhance transparency in data collection and tracking on iOS apps.
We are already seeing the consequences of these changes. App Store now requires developers to provide a full audit of the data they collect from users.. Based on this audit, app listings on the App Store display nutrition labels. These labels tell users how each app links and tracks their data, along with mentioning the purpose of data collection.
This push for transparency is only apparent in the Apple ecosystem right now. However, one could expect Android to follow suit in 2024 as well. After all, transparency with regards to data collection is not a demand of Apple users alone.
Developers earlier used tracking codes like IDFAs (Identifiers for Advertisers) on iOS apps to track user data. Now, users are likely to opt-out of any data collection.
Developers will have to look for other ways to understand their users. Creating other mechanisms where users provide data voluntarily will become more and more common. However, personalized app ads will slowly start declining as Android introduces sweeping changes to data privacy policy as well.
#5 – More micro-niche mobile apps
We’re currently in a mobile app space where popular apps dominate the mainstream. However, the introduction of app makers will enable many niche players to launch their own app as well. With measures like App Clips making app marketing easier, one can expect more businesses to jump into the mix.
This will bring a headwind of new micro-niche apps catering to a small audience. People are slowly losing options when it comes to making consumer decisions. From ecommerce to entertainment, the number of options available are dwindling as the major players are slowly coalescing.
Niche apps will serve as a great alternative in a time when people look for alternatives to mainstream options. The main challenge is identifying a niche where people are actively seeking additional options.
Ecommerce is an interesting place to start. There is little to gain in starting a mobile app selling T-shirts if you don’t already have an established brand. This is because there are plenty of options within and outside the mainstream channels. Identify an app niche with a serious demand and a supply deficit.
In conclusion
You may not think about development trends when trying to build an app for your business. However, you will eventually have to adjust your own expectations and preferences based on prevailing trends. After all, who wants to see their app bounced out of the market because it doesn’t match the industry standard?
This piece covers five mobile app development trends that will become increasingly prominent in 2024. You should ideally judge the readiness of your app to deal with some of the trends mentioned here
