Top 7 Mobile App Development Trends 2018

With more than 2.5 billion active smartphone users worldwide and over 178 billion mobile applications downloaded last year, mobile app development is arguably one of the most dominant and actively growing industries today. Given the skyrocketing popularity and huge demand of mobile apps, it is crystal clear that implementing a rock-solid mobile app development strategy for any business is no longer an option, but a necessity to survive in today’s ultra-competitive market.

However, just adopting the right mobile app development strategy won’t assure you app success, you must also be aware of what’s new, hot and happening in the mobile app development arena. To help you with the same, we’ve researched and compiled a list of top Mobile App Development Trends 2018 so you stay ahead of the game and meet the demands of your users effectively.

Let’s get started!

Game-Shifting Mobile App Development Trends 2018

Mobile App Development Trend #1: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Gone are the days when Artificial Intelligence used to be the stuff of sci-fi. As Google CEO Sundar Pichai stated at the Google I/O 2017, we’re now gradually shifting from a mobile-first world to an AI-first world, AI is undoubtedly an emerging mobile app development trend of 2018 – offering users the most advanced functionalities like predictive analytics, conversational interfaces, machine learning, and chatbots.

Mobile App Development Trend #2: Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality

With the introduction of Apple ARKit and Google ARCore last year, we now have two powerful platforms to incorporate Augmented Reality in our mobile apps. While both AR and VR has already revolutionized the gaming and entertainment industries, we can expect these technologies to dominate other industries as well – such as real estate, retail, healthcare, and engineering – in upcoming years.

Mobile App Development Trend #3: Blockchain

Within a very short span of time, Blockchain has gained tremendous popularity as the technology behind cryptocurrencies. However, if you think Blockchain is associated with the only cryptocurrency, you are far too mistaken since the technology is today being deployed in countless mobile apps – ranging from retail to financial – to fortify the security system. Expect to see Blockchain become a more prevalent mobile app development trend by the end of 2018 and beyond.

Mobile App Development Trend #4: IoT and Wearables

The word ‘smart’ is not restricted to only mobile phones today. With the invention of the Internet of Things (IoT), it has now got expanded to smart homes, smart retail, smart health, and even smart cities. According to various Analysts, the number of connected devices worldwide is expected to reach 50 billion by 2020. This confirms that the IoT is here to stay as prominent mobile app development trend in 2018 and upcoming years. At the same time, with Apple, Samsung and Google smartwatches already dominating the market, users’ demand for wearable apps is continuously growing in 2018.

Mobile App Development Trend #5: Cloud-Based Mobile Apps

Mobile Cloud Computing is yet another mobile app development trend that is gaining momentum in 2018. Storing all the heavy data and tasks in a dedicated cloud, this new technology frees users from worrying about the issue of less storage space on their devices. Cloud-based mobile apps have become a must for enterprises as they can minimize the chances of data security issues inherent in BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). Expect to see this mobile app development trend continue in the coming years.

Mobile App Development Trend #6: On-Demand Apps

The success of on-demand mobile apps such as Uber, Peapod, and Airbnb has set a new trend and consequently, more and more businesses nowadays are looking to deliver on-demand services to their customers. Whether it is about laundry, car cleaning, food delivery or even hair cutting, on-demand mobile app development will be in huge demand in the years ahead.

Mobile App Development Trend #7: Beacons and Location-based Services

The use of geofencing and location-based services ruled the mobile app development trends throughout 2017 and their popularity is only going to rise in 2018 and the coming years. The next big thing is leveraging the power of Bluetooth Beacons, like Apple iBeacon and Google Beacon, to deliver users real-time offers and advertisements based on their location. In 2018 and beyond, you’ll see more and more brands upgrading their apps to support Bluetooth Beacons.

Are looking for a reliable mobile app development partner to incorporate any of the above functionalities into your mobile app? Contact us to discuss now!