It’s not easy to keep up with mobile app trends. We are here to help. About 100,000 apps are released to the Google App store every month.
US adults spend an average of 4 hours on their phones. About 88% of this time spent on apps. If you want to keep mobile users on your app, stay in touch with the latest trends.
In this article, we explore the top mobile app development trends in 2020.

Internet of things (IoT)

The Internet of things refers to a network of devices connected to automated systems. You can control the devices through apps. This technology is used in businesses and homes (Smart home technology).
IoT is expected to generate $344 Billion in 2020 and a further $1319.08 Billion in 2026.
The IoT benefits include:

5G Technology

5G technology is reliable and offers higher internet speed and lower latency. 5G network enables apps with multiple features to work efficiently.
5G technology has a low latency that will accelerate media consumption, making it responsible for 57% of all revenue generated from wireless multimedia content.
5G technology will also generate about $13 trillion in revenue by 2035, making it a lucrative market for developers and businesses.

Wearable Devices

Wearable devices have been part of mobile app trends for a while. Over 56.7 million US adults have wearable devices. These are electronic devices that can be:
It is anticipated that wearable devices will generate revenue of $44 Billion in 2020. As you can see, there is a large market for new apps.

Beacon Technology

Beacon technology refers to using low energy Bluetooth technology to send wireless transmissions to nearby smart devices.
Retailers use beacon technology to collect information from customers’ smartphones.
Retailers use this information to identify a user’s preferences. They use personalized push notifications to sell their products.
In 2016 beacon technology was valued at $519.6 million. As of May 2020, beacon technology was valued at $1.7 billion. It is expected to jump to a staggering $56.6 billion by 2026.

Mobile Wallets

Mobile wallets are a means of payment that support mobile commerce. Some commonly used wallets include: There were about 950 million mobile wallet users in 2019, with transactions totaling to $6.1 billion. This could double to $13.98 billion before 2022.
Mobile app developers should integrate mobile wallets into commercial apps to enable transactions.

Mobile e-commerce

Online shopping is more popular than ever. It is estimated that e-commerce will generate $2.91 Trillion in revenue in 2020.
Most businesses have taken advantage of the current app development trends to attract online shoppers. Retailers have created apps to help generate revenue. Mobile apps enable small companies to compete with large corporations.
This trend is not going away soon. 70% of all e-commerce revenue comes from mobile apps.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence makes apps smarter and improves performance. Its programs machines to think and act like humans.
The most commonly known AI technology is Siri and Alexa. However, AI tech goes beyond that.
Apple recently released a new version of its iOS machine learning framework. This framework allows app developers to integrate AI software into apps. Once done, apps can carry out:

Foldable Device apps

The emergence of foldable phones has changed the mobile device industry.
Foldable phones change their screen size, ratio, and density. They require apps that can fit on both small and large screens interchangeably.
Foldable phones have:

Augmented Reality (AR)

Modern app development trends have given rise to AR. AR allows us to see things as they are in real life but with a digital augmentation overlay.
This trend is prevalent in gaming (remember Pokémon Go). Recently it is being used in:
AR encourages consumer engagement and can increase conversion rates since consumers can see the end product. AR is also used for training and content creation, such as face filters.

On-Demand Mobile Apps

On-Demand Mobile Apps allow consumers to get services when they need them. On-Demand Mobile Apps generate $57.6 Billion in revenue yearly.
Apps like Uber, Bloom that, Drizzy, Airbnb are gaining popularity.
On-demand mobile apps are great for service providers in the food delivery business, healthcare, fitness, news, and entertainment.

Chatbots

Chatbots are programs that mimic human conversation through texts or voice commands. The first chatbot was developed in 1996 at MIT and named Eliza. Since then, chatbots have become more advanced, providing more human-like Responses.
Chatbots are used on websites to provide customer service to users. Sadly only a few apps have adopted this feature.
Chatbots can reduce customer service costs by up to 30%. Chatbots will handle 25% of customer-related interactions in 2020.

Increased App Security

Cybercrime affects individuals, small businesses, and large organizations.
Over 87% of mobile phones are unprotected. The cost of cybercrime is estimated to hit $6 Trillion in 2021.
App users don’t like providing passwords or sensitive information. So, developers allow users to create accounts using their Apple ID or Google account.

Instant apps

Instant apps give you access to app content without downloading the app. Developers can create app experiences that increase the chances of app discovery.
Instant apps are great for saving space. They also allow users to test your app functions. Instant apps drive about 30% of android traffic and can help increase app conversions.

Predictive Analytics

Predictive analytics form part of the current mobile app trends.
Predictive analytics make forecasts about future events. It uses AI, data mining, algorithms, and machine learning to make predictions.
This software is useful in sports, health, weather, retail, entertainment, insurance, etc.
App developers can integrate predictive analytics in apps to:

Cloud Computing Integration

Cloud computing integration allows apps to carry out tasks and store data on the cloud instead of using device storage. This improves app performance.
The increase in app use and the movement towards IoT has made cloud storage essential. It is estimated that in 2020 about 83% of enterprise workloads will have shifted to cloud storage.

Summing up

The mobile app trends highlighted above show how mobile technology has changed how we shop, sell, pay bills, and communicate. As an app builder, you need to include relevant and up-to-date features to keep your users engaged.
If you want to build an app for your business, keep our list of top mobile app development trends in 2020 in mind.