It’s an exciting time for application development. This is largely thanks to the explosion in popularity of Apple and Android smartphones.
Now, almost everyone owns either an iPhone or Android (just ask your friends and colleagues). Specifically, according to BankMyCell, the global number of smartphone users is around 6.6 billion, which is 83% of the world’s population. Knowing this, it’s hardly surprising that apps are being developed at lightning speed.
So, what are the current trends in application development? There are a lot of fun and exciting trends to tell you about – let’s dive right in.
API Gateways
API gateways have quickly become essential in the world of app development.
They boost security and enable greater features to the product, which is great for the consumer.
For example, a lot of modern-day iOS and Android apps involve third-party payment processing, right? Over the past year, you’ve no doubt paid for products or services through an app using this type of payment process. You might have purchased a product from Facebook Marketplace using mobile banking. This is all thanks to APIs and API gateways.
If you’re interested in this, you can read in more detail what is api gateway. It’s a must-read for app fans and developers.
5G Connection
Currently, millions of people are transitioning from 4G to 5G. By 2025, it’s expected that the investment in 4G will significantly slow down because 5G has almost fully taken over; with most people switching to 5G-specific mobile contracts.
So, what does this mean for app development? Well, quite a lot.
In a nutshell, it means that apps are going to be developed much faster. It also means that they will be able to offer tons of amazing features, such as VR (Virtual Reality) computability as well as 4K and 8K videos. In fact, by 2030, all video-based apps (like YouTube) will likely offer content in 8K because 5G networks can handle the increased quality.
Also, it’s worth mentioning that 5G will also help to ensure securer in-app payments due to biometric data processing. Essentially, what this means is that customers who like to purchase items and services through apps will be able to have peace of mind knowing that their bank and card details are safe.
No-Code Development
Over recent years, developers have embraced the no-code movement.
No-code development enables almost anyone to develop an app and execute their vision because there’s no complex coding involved.
Take Google, for example, which released the no-code platform AppSheet last year. As stated by Google, “Appsheet is a true no-code platform, which means anyone can build rich apps and automated processes without writing a line of code.”
As of today, AppSheet has been downloaded over 200,000 times, which is a strong indicator of the direction application development is heading in.
Wearable Apps
Do you own a smartwatch? It’s highly likely. After all, the global smartwatch industry has exploded in value; largely thanks to the incredible watches that Apple and Samsung have been producing.
Because more people are buying smartwatches, it means that developers are now having to develop wearable apps, too.
For example, Facebook Messenger is available to download on Apple’s watchOS platform. Naturally, wearable apps are more limited with what they can offer, but they’re still incredibly exciting.
Voice Interaction
Finally, many more apps are being developed that involve voice interaction. Take language learning apps as an example. Now, users can speak into these apps for translation purposes; enabling them to get real-time feedback on their pronunciation and brevity.