30 November 2020 | Annabel Hudson
The mobile app industry is continually evolving and improving, to keep up with technological advancements and consumer demands. It is absolutely crucial that organisations stay up to date with the latest trends in the industry if they want success. Although 2020 has been a disappointing year for many industries, the technology and app development industry has benefited greatly with the use of online web platforms and many apps doing extremely well off the back of COVID-19 – despite having to adjust their game plan. Subsequently, the ways apps are created and developed are continually changing. Let’s take a look at the current trends:
Beacon Technology
Beacon technology is being introduced into many industries, from hospitality, to retail, to healthcare, and they have the possibility to enhance the functionality of nearly any mobile app. Organisations have the ability to apply beacons within their store which connect with a user’s smartphone via Bluetooth if the app is on their mobile. When a user passes by a beacon, they receive an instant notification regarding any sales or special offers within that store. It is an excellent way for organisations to analyse buyer behaviour and to take advantage of proximity buying.
Mobile Wallets and Payments
Previously, people would leave their house with just their wallet, then came the stage of leaving with your wallet and mobile, and now, you just need to leave with your mobile. Mobile wallets are a reasonably new app and concept. However, they are becoming increasingly more popular; in 2019 alone, there were $6.1 billion worth of transactions from mobile wallets. Individuals have the opportunity to upload their bank card information onto a mobile app and pay via their phone – completely removing the need to have a physical bank card. Mobile wallet apps include the likes of Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay, which are among the most popular choices for consumers.
Augmented Reality (AR)
Augmented reality has been a popular trend within app development in 2020. AR can be used within mobile apps for various reasons, from gaming, to training purposes in the workplaces. However, AR is becoming very widely used within the fashion and beauty industry. For example, L’Oreal Paris uses AR within their Style My Hair app, in which the technology can show different hair styles and colours directly on the user. AR is trending among app development and you are likely to see much more of it in the upcoming new year.
Here at Pogo Studio, we specialise in building innovative apps for forward-thinking companies. If you would like to find out more about the apps and systems we have built, please click here.