2018
has already proven itself to be a dynamic year for mobile app developers. As
Augmented/Virtual Reality further penetrate into the consumer marketplace,
mobile app development companies USA are finding themselves with an
increasingly broad array of opportunities and challenges alike on their quest
to distinguish themselves in what is easily one of the most competitive
industries in existence today.
The
buzz is not solely limited to AR/VR technologies, there are also AI/machine
learning systems, new methods of consumer and tech interfacing, or even methods
for finding a job in the mobile app development world, we can expect profound
changes in the way both developers and end users alike interact with this
incredibly exciting technologies. We’ve created this brief guide to summarize
some of the most anticipated trends and developments which will make their way
into the mental bandwidth of the tech community over the next six months.
Hopefully, this information will provide a much-needed insight into what
direction we can expect the world of mobile app development to head for the
foreseeable future.
A
NEW METHOD OF INTERFACING
Perhaps
one of the most fundamentally significant changes taking place right now in
both the mobile app world and portable or desktop computing hardware in general
is the shift towards voice-activated control. Unlike in previous generations,
where interactions were structured around the idea of a user manipulating GUIs
using a mouse or keyboard, mobile app developers are now working to streamline
this process and provide the same level of functionality using only the human
voice as a control surface.
Amazon
has already made significant headway into this arena, thanks to services such
as Alexa, which allow for complete and comprehensive engagement with the
company’s shopping interface. Likewise, Apple’s iOS-based Siri represents another
means by which the human voice is slowly supplanting other forms of manual
control.
Perhaps
the most exciting element of these new paradigms for mobile app developers are
the seemingly limitless opportunities for those who are willing to spend the
time needed to thoroughly hack the APIs offered by the providers of these
systems and then develop a means to smoothly integrate them into their own
operations. Whether it’s spearheading home automation protocols or
multi-tasking across email, social media, etc., voice control has the potential
to dramatically redefine how we interface with our mobile and desktop devices
alike.
A
SHIFT AWAY FROM THE IOS
Although
Apple can certainly claim “pioneer” status for its early introduction of the
smartphone, the Android operating system has slowly chipped away at iOS
marketshare to the point that some reports now show nearly 80% of phones being
purchased as part of the Android network. Of course, such statistics have
significant repercussions for mobile app developers. For starters, app
development on the iPhone is now a significantly less lucrative endeavour than
it may have been only a few years ago. Secondly, mobile app developers who may
have exclusively devoted themselves to iOS-based app projects may soon find it
in their best interests to embrace the Android OS for the first time.
This
should not be considered solely from the perspective of competition and clear
“winners” and “losers”, however. If anything, the rise in popularity amongst
app developers and consumers of the Android OS is likely due to its relative
affordability and its thriving open-source community. Combined with the fact
that Android devices can easily be purchased for half the price of equivalent
Apple hardware, the future of Android as a staple within the developer
community is all but guaranteed.
Although
not strictly related to mobile app development, it is also quite interesting to
observe how Android-driven hardware is now appearing across a wide array of
consumer interests, including home appliances and other personal devices like
cameras. Given the fact that Google has long supported the developer community,
it should come as no surprise that Android is well-geared for integration
across a diverse array of mediums.
EMBRACING
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Creating
a narrow definition of Artificial Intelligence these days can be quite
difficult - if not almost impossible - due in large part to the sheer diversity
of this field. Machine learning, cognitive computing, sophisticated data
analysis...each of these (and many more) functions helps form the conceptual
framework of Artificial Intelligence we now find ourselves operating within.
For
mobile app developers, finding new means to deploy this technology on portable
consumer devices is the next big goal, and rightfully so. As seen by Apple’s
Siri, Windows Cortana and Amazon’s Alexa, an “intelligent” computer assistant
is considered by tech giants the world over to be a critical tool for staying
relevant and necessary in the rapidly evolving tech landscape. A growing number
of mobile app developers are moving beyond the paradigm of the personal
assistant, however, and after exploring new methods by which machine learning
and Artificial Intelligence can be used to more deeply integrate with mobile
networks, helping to create an exponentially more streamlined experience for
consumers.
As
an example, Artificial Intelligence is now being deployed to help resolve
issues and annoyances associated with international travel, specifically
problems presented by mobile roaming. With a deeply connected AI-enable
smartphone it is quite possible that consumers will be able to maximize their
connectivity without wasting time negotiating technical hurdles intrinsic to
mobile carriers.
BATTLE-TESTED
LANGUAGES WITH NEW OPPORTUNITIES
The
methodology behind mobile app development continues to hurtle forward at
blinding speeds. That being said, a series of programming languages have now
entered the standard canon for app developers and will likely continue to
dominate mobile app development for the remainder of 2018 and the foreseeable
future. Java is, of course, a near ubiquitous element of modern mobile app
development. Although most closely suited for Android developers, Java can be
deployed across numerous domains. Thanks to highly reusable and easily editable
code and browser-independent operation, it’s easy to see why Java is an
indispensable element of the modern mobile app developer toolkit.
Of
course, C++ (Android and Windows) and Objective C (iOS) remain integral
components of contemporary development, due not only to their legacy as staples
within these platforms but also their versatility and performance. That being
said, it is also quite important to comment on the significant role that Swift
now plays within the iOS development environment. Originally implemented as a
means to patch security flaws and vulnerabilities found within Objective C,
Swift has also brought an entirely new degree of accessibility and ease-of-use
to iOS which had not existed previously.
For
those who are implementing mobile apps which rely on browser-based engagement,
HTML5 is, obviously, another core language which will continue to feature
prominently in the developer community throughout 2018 and beyond. Given the
continued popularity of browser-driven apps, it should come as no surprise that
HTML5 remains in such high demand.
GETTING
BUSY WITH IOT-DRIVEN MOBILE APPS
IoT-based
apps and wearable tech are continuing to make increasingly deeper headways into
the consumer tech environment. Apple Watch is an excellent example of an IoT
enabled portable device which app developers have been keen to explore. Thanks
to a healthy demand for the product, the pace of innovation and exploration
within this particular device continues to grow. Perhaps even more exciting,
however, is Google’s release of Android Things, an open-source developer
toolkit designed to engage would-be innovators who may have little to no prior
experience in this particular arena. With an increase in functionality, of
course, comes in increase in demand, which is why IoT app developers will
likely have their hands full throughout the remainder of 2018 and beyond.
For
anyone who may have experience with devices such as the FitBit, it is easy to
understand why the IoT has transfixed a generation of adults and children
alike. The allure of wearable devices is precisely why so many consider the IoT
to be a point of intensive focus for the remainder of 2018 and beyond for
mobile app developers. Integrating new mobile technology with wearable tech and
IoT solutions will be massively lucrative for those teams who remain one step
ahead of the curve.
MOBILE
PAYMENTS AND MOBILE SECURITY
With
a growing number of users adopting mobile payment platforms, app developers
have been keen to not only tap into this burgeoning marketplace, but also
create new security paradigms to ensure the sanctity of mobile payment. Once a
domain that was almost exclusively dominated by PayPal, the mobile payment
marketplace has become incredibly diversified and, consequently, extremely
competitive. For example, Facebook’s message-based money transfer system has
won over countless customers who may have been on the fence between PayPal and
the social media giant. Regardless of their corporate affiliation, app
developers in the mobile payment industry will likely experience significant
industry expansion throughout the rest of 2018.
It
is difficult to forecast how electronic currencies such as Bitcoin and other
alternatives may further catalyze development on the mobile level. Recent
history has already shown us that Bitcoin has caught the attention and
fascination of droves of developers, many of whom have helped propel the
currency to where it is today. If such trends continue to hold out, we may
witness yet another revolution of mobile payment technology in the next few
months or years.
AMATEUR
APP DEVELOPERS WITH SERIOUS CLOUT
Just
as web design evolved to the point where those with no professional experience
or technical know-how could create an impressive platform, so has mobile app
development entered the domain of DIY friendly engagement. With so called “drag
and drop” frameworks for mobile app development becoming increasingly common,
it should come as no surprise that a new class of developer is emerging, one
who balances out of their lack of technical experience in app development with
unbridled enthusiasm. While these individuals should present no formal
challenges for developers with more enhanced abilities, it is fascinating to
observe how the somewhat steep initial learning curve for mobile app
development has, in many ways, been eliminated.
What,
ultimately, will the true impact of these amateur developers be on the industry
as a whole? Likely, it will depend on whether or not business and /or more
experienced mobile app developers find a use for them in their own operations.
Certainly, there do exist a fair number of apps which do not require extreme
technical know-how and prowess. In certain situations, it could be argued that
amateur app developers could become a vital resource which could be used to
tackle surface-level projects while more skilled teams engage more demanding
enterprises.
But
that being said, it would be a mistake to simply assume that mobile app
development should or could be divided into a simple “easy” and “hard” binary.
It can be seen from the bulk of this article, mobile apps are moving in a wildly
divergent series of paths which could mean that amateur mobile app developers
will quickly be phased out of usefulness and simply relegated to the creation
of personal, private apps that are for entertainment value only. Here, the
future is uncertain. What we can be confident in, however, is the continued
expansion of the DIY app builder marketplace which has rapidly become a hugely
lucrative arena.
A
MOVE TOWARDS COLLABORATION
Once
the exclusive domain of mobile app developers, teamwork and collaboration
software has now become an often used element of the mobile web. Thanks to
further integration of many collaboration programs within the cloud, mobile app
development companies can explore a host of opportunities that may not have
existed even a year ago.
SharePoint
is an excellent example of such an app. After nurturing an avid support base
via the desktop version of the program, Microsoft moved quickly to release an
updated edition which took advantage of all the benefits of the mobile app development
environment. Since then, a host of mobile-based collaborative tools have been
debuted in attempt to win over interest and market share in an arena which has
rewarding opportunities for enterprise-level adoption. As could be imagined,
app development companies will likely continue to work fervently in this arena
throughout the remainder of 2018 and further on into the future.
MOBILE
COMMERCE: PRIMARY COMMERCE
Although
we have already discussed the importance of mobile money transfer within the
contemporary app developer ecosystem, standard commerce - such as online
shopping - is also equally significant as it pertains to mobile users. Just as
online shopping is becoming a de facto element of the contemporary economy, so
has mobile technology become the most often deployed hardware to complete
online purchases the world over.
How
does this apply to mobile app development companies? Simply put, app
development teams must continue to explore new methods for A) improving
customer engagement, B) polishing user experience design, C) reducing instances
of frustration and or disengagement due to inherent limitations of portable
technology and D) ensure complete adaption of the e-commerce environment to
mobile devices.
This
is certainly an arena which will reward those mobile app developers who are
committed to pursuing excellence. A large number of businesses still have yet
to fully migrate their online shopping systems into a mobile friendly
interface. Not only is this causing frustration on behalf of the consumer, but
it is also resulting in decreased profits for the company’s in question. It is
anticipated that mobile commerce design will be of chief importance to a large
number of businesses..
Whether
it’s the creation of a dedicated commerce app for businesses or improvements to
pre-existing infrastructure, there will be no shortage of opportunities for
skilled mobile app developers in this particular facet of the industry over the
coming months.
TOWARDS
IDENTIFICATION OF A NEW APP PARADIGM
Whereas
app development companies have always been quick to distinguish between native
apps and web apps, the future of app development will likely fall somewhere
between, in the aptly named area of hybrid app development. Based upon an
installation process that resembles a native app, hybrid apps actually deploy a
browser much like traditional web apps. Although some might argue that this
methodology takes advantage of few benefits offered by either the native or web
app system when used exclusively, supporters of hybrid app development claim
that this new-fangled method of design effectively constitutes the creation of
two apps inside a single product. With only a single codebase to deploy and
refine, hybrid app developers are greatly expanding their reach, dramatically
shortening time to launch, and likely streamlining personnel needs all at the
same time.
That
being said, it is important to note that some critiques of hybrid app
development are quite significant, one of the most important being the fact
that UX will likely suffer due to an effort to ensure complete cross-platform
compatibility. Likewise, mobile app development companies should be prepared to
tackle any problems that may arise as the app is tweaked for maximum
functionality on multiple platforms. Some critics of this particular system
have argued that the costs of developing a hybrid app may actually exceed those
of native apps due to entanglements caused by cross platform conflicts.
Nevertheless,
it is quite important to make note of these tools, if only due to the fact that
they will continue to play a formative role in app development for the
remainder of this year and beyond. It is quite possible that the hybrid app
will become the primary paradigm for mobile app developers in the near future,
although currently this can only be considered conjecture.
MORE
USERS ON A GLOBAL SCALE
Perhaps
a final, highly compelling point to mention within this article is the fact
that mobile user acquisition continues to occur at blinding speeds around the
world. The growing affordability of the technology, combined with an increased
push to “connect” all elements of society to a digital environment, has led to
the distribution of mobile devices in virtually every country in the world. For
the mobile app developer, this information should provoke a profound sense of
excitement and amazement. The number of opportunities for substantive,
impactful app development is set to grow exponentially over the coming years.
As
demand skyrockets, mobile app developers will find themselves innovating at
speeds that would not have been believed possible only a few years ago. As
mentioned previously, the dominance of Android-based systems in the global
mobile arena should be of immense importance to app developers, particularly
those who are seeking to deploy new products with massive scaling potential.
Regardless
of the operating system used, many new features will find their way into mobile
technology throughout this year and beyond. Some of the most exciting include
natural language processing, face detection/tracking, handwriting detection,
Augmented Reality, as well as a variety of backend tools, such as the upcoming
Swift compiler to be included in Xcode 9, which will ensure that mobile app
development can continue to power the tech renaissance of today. Such
information is meant to impart on mobile app developers and readers alike one
simple, powerful statement: the mobile app marketplace is on track to become
one of the most vital and highly sophisticated paradigms of modern consumer
technology today.
IN
CONCLUSION
Of
course, all of this information could quickly overwhelm the bulk of mobile android app development, many of whom are already struggling to stay abreast
of the latest tech trends. More than anything, this article is meant to act as
a source of inspiration and excitement for professional app development
companies.
The
future of the industry is incredibly bright. Although all technology brings
with it a series of growing pains and obstacles, mobile apps have already
proved their worth on the global stage and will spearhead a new era of innovation.
Mobile apps are capable of leveraging the most important and powerful
technology being created today. In the hands of skilled app developers, mobile
apps will become a source of immense power and utility for consumers and
professionals alike.
