The app industry has grown up since its inception and is expanding astronomically at the present time. According to Statista, there is expected to be $188.9 Billion worth of revenue from apps in 2020, which is more than double the amount from 2016 which was $88 Billion.
A lot of this can be attributed to smartphones, and according to the Global Digital Report by We Are Social, there are 5.1 billion smartphone users around the world. The same report shows that half the world is online in some way. Two-thirds of the world’s inhabitants have a mobile device, and apps are a major part of what is used on these devices, the report said.
The growth is expected to continue as businesses use apps to reach consumers, and consumers collect apps to keep informed or entertained.
There are several trends emerging in 2019 for the app industry. Here are six.
Machine learning and artificial intelligence continue to advance as chatbots or virtual assistance becomes even more popular. Siri and Alexa are major parts of apps, rivaling Google’s popularity. Making information even more immediately available will keep these virtual assistants popular. AI and machine learning are crucial components.
Wearable electronics are also becoming popular. Apps are not just for smartphones. Watches, fitness bands, movement trackers, and the like are finding popularity all over. Smartwatches are getting to the point of having their own app store.
The Internet of Things is a new term that will be even more popular in 2019 and into future years. This is basically a technology that connects devices and integrates them. This could take the form of your alarm clock setting off your coffee maker to have your cup ready by the time you get up. It could also have your car and calendar synched, so you have a map planned out as you leave your house for the day. All of these connections are the Internet of Things.
Augmented or virtual reality is another area that is popular and set to take off to even greater heights. This was first a part of gaming but can have applications in many areas of life. As an example, social media platforms have AR filters that continue to increase in popularity.
It’s old news that you do not really need to carry cash anymore, with cards and apps to take care of financial transactions. The idea of the mobile wallet could reach new levels in 2019. This would mean you don’t need to carry a wallet anymore. Payment gateway integration can allow you to access your funds in the bank and make purchases immediately. The mobile wallet will make buying and selling much easier. Blockchain and other financial type apps are also set to explode on the market.
Instant apps are another area that could trend this year. These are smaller apps you don’t have to download and can be used immediately. They are readily available, take up no space, and can be used anywhere.
Sources
https://hackernoon.com/top-mobile-application-development-trends-in-2019-5bc1ba19188
https://wearesocial.com/us/blog/2018/01/global-digital-report-2018
https://www.netsolutions.com/insights/12-mobile-app-development-trends-to-watch-out-for-in-2019/
