If you work in tech, you know that things move fast when it comes to design and development. So, now that we’re nearly in the second half of 2018, it’s time to revisit the most popular app design trends. By taking a a look at what design choices remain popular as the year winds down, you can be sure you’re making app design choices that appeal to users and that help you grow your user base. Here are the top app design trends to pay attention to during the rest of the year.
Colours are Warming Up
For the past several years, calm, flat colours reigned when it came to app design. Things are heating back up, however, with apps choosing brighter and more vibrant colours than they have in year’s past. Some examples are Instagram’s most recent logo redesign and logos for apps like Lyft, Snapchat, and more. If you’re designing an app in the coming year, don’t shy away from colours that pop: people are becoming more drawn to colours that are high contrast and eye-catching.
No More Hamburger Menus
We’re not talking about food when it comes to hamburger menus. Instead, app designers are eschewing the hamburger menu, the three line icon that represents menu that appears for users using your app. Instead of the hamburger menu which is clunky and inconvenient to use, app designers are turning to alternatives, like tab based navigation at the top or bottom of pages.
In-App Animation
Animation isn’t just for videos and cartoons anymore. Apps will incorporate animation when users make a gesture; for example, when a user swipes, they will see the item they swipe fly off. Animation isn’t just fun and engaging. It also helps users better understand what each of their gestures does, which can help them more intuitively understand how to interact with the app.
Scalable Fonts
App designers will incorporate scalable fonts into their app designs in 2018, which means that users will be able to increase or decrease the size of the screen or font, and it will look as high-quality as it did when they initially viewed it. Designers will also be more specific about the font they choose, in addition to colour and design style, since fonts can say a lot about a brand.
Full Screen Design
Now that many phones are offering users a full screen experience, apps are also incorporating full screen design. This means that images, videos, and even gaming screens are appearing on phones without frames or navigation bars around them, making the digital experience one that is even more immersive and realistic than ever before. Images and videos are also extremely high quality, which helps to add to the effect of the larger image.
If you’re an app designer or you have a company that you want to create an app for in the second half of 2018, it can help to brush up on current app design trends. Technology develops quickly and preferences change as fast as pop culture evolves, so by being up to speed with what people prefer when it comes to using apps, you can ensure that you create a mobile experience that all users enjoy–and will want to share with friends.
