8 Latest Mobile App Development Trends Predicted for 2018

2018 is a very important and special year for the app development world. 2018 marks the 10-year anniversary for both the Apple App Store and the Android Market. Since their launches, the mobile app development world has been impacted at an astounding rate over the past decade. In 2017, we saw the mobile market attempt new and innovating trends, some which were revolutionary and some that were a fail. However, this year we should all expect a surge of trends that will not only benefit the market, but also change the game again.

1. VR & AR (Virtual and Augmented Reality):

Now what would our list be without the inclusion of the already growing market that is VR and AR? In 2017, we saw VR & AR begin to stretch beyond just entertainment and gaming. Not only did we see the market become high in demand by consumers, but also by businesses. This became evident after Apple and other conglomerate businesses began to really start incorporating the technology into their products, becoming their new USP and again pioneering a new way in which mobiles operate. For 2018, businesses could use the trend/technology to help showcase: products in real-time to clients, company branding/marketing and to help train employees. So expect to see a lot more of the tech this year.

2. Mobile Payments:

In the final quarter of last year, a lot of banks connected with mobile payment technologies and this was proven to be a successful investment for both online and mobile banking. This means that this year we will see the trend become even more mainstream. Customers can now use their mobiles to make everyday financial transactions with an increasing number of retailers. An example of a successful business helping to pioneer this trend into the mainstream market would be ‘Apple Pay’ as this acts as a digital wallet service for users with Apple devices, which is something Android has also incorporated into their devices, known as ‘Android Pay‘. Mobile payments are becoming more widespread in general because it has been available within the U.K but, as of recent, there are other places around the world where the technology is becoming mainstream.

3. App Security:

The security of a smartphone is more crucial now than ever due to the large volume of personal data your device holds. Surprisingly, many people fail to take app security as seriously as it is, hence why some hackers last year were successful with breaching, hacking and leaking information from businesses and people. This has therefore became a striking concern for app developers this year when creating an app. Apps with built-in security features could make a large difference in 2018 by ensuring apps with even more security.

4. Face I.D Technology:

When it comes to Face I.D, personal data couldn’t be more efficient in securing personal data (which also is a good example of security). With Apple waiting for facial recognition technology to become efficient, they have again changed the way in which people interact with their devices as they now use this system as a form of security identity. This year, we’ll see other competing businesses looking to also capitalise on the success of the trend. 

5. Cloud-Based Apps:

In this day and age, being a dedicated smartphone user can prove to be difficult as we can all agree there’s one MAJOR flaw with installing an abundance of mobile apps – STORAGE SPACE. As this is a growing problem, 2018 could be the solution to solving this issue by moving internal storage to cloud-based storage. With this, users need not to worry about further storage space issues within their mobiles.

6. IoT (Internet of Things):

IoT is a strong trend that will continue to become mainstream in 2018. We’ve seen the technology operate with: wearable tech, smart bulbs, radiators, speakers and home surround sound systems. The increasing adoption of wearable technology is the reflection of how people are beginning to welcome new technology trends. Soon, the tech will become one of the new fashion standards. This indicates that there’s a strong demand for the trend and this directly impacts the mobile app development market as a lot of IoT devices are controlled by you and your smartphones.

7. Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning:

Personal and customised content for online users is a highly lucrative technique for any business to utilise. As time goes by, apps are increasingly learning more about their users and their preferences. Everybody recognises the already amazing A.I apps: Siri, Prisma and Google Now. We can therefore expect the trend to continue to become even smarter and know just that little bit more information about you.

8. On-Demand Apps:

Last year, on-demand apps like ‘UBER’ or ‘JUST EAT’ became very popular. We can expect this trend to become even more mainstream this year due to the fact that it helps make people’s lives easier and these types of apps can be used almost anywhere.

The Foreseeable future…

The future certainly shapes up to be brighter, better and bolder with these revolutionary technologies further dominating the market of mobile app development. 2018 will not only see a rapid growth in mobile app development but, it will also mark the entry of the most innovative apps that’ll get people even more addicted to their smartphones. Comment below any trends you know of that I may have missed and get in touch with us and see if your app idea could also make a difference within the market!