Top 6 Mobile App Development Trends for 2024

In 2024, the mobile landscape continues its metamorphosis. According to PWC, 58% of companies prioritize AI as their technological investment, 46% choose IoT, and 35% invest in AR and VR. This article explores pivotal mobile application trends, their peculiarities, and usage examples. By applying them wisely, businesses can position themselves strategically for success in the dynamic mobile ecosystem of the future.

1. Conversational AI

Conversational AI is a system trained on vast amounts of data to process human language. It enables auto-reply functions in mobile app development, providing personalized and 24/7 engagement to facilitate seamless communication between users and devices. AI chatbots are automated programs based on conversational AI created to interact with customers and resolve basic queries. Using AI chatbots is one of the leading mobile app industry trends, as it can increase ROI to over 300%, streamline customer support, and enhance user satisfaction. According to Gartner, 80% of customers have reported having a positive experience while using AI chatbots to solve problems. For example, Wysa is a mental health app that uses conversational AI to provide users with 150 different psychological techniques through chat conversations. Another example is from our portfolio, an app based on conversational AI that can analyze users' dreams and provide interpretations. If you want to use conversational AI for your business, you should consider that it needs a lot of computing power, which may require hardware upgrades before deploying AI software. A good choice would be to integrate a ready-made solution into your project. Moreover, it is crucial to analyze your business needs before starting the design process and consider all the possibilities, including chatbots based on scripts, to ensure that you have made the most reasonable decision.

2. Computer vision

Computer vision is a field of AI and ML that extracts information from digital images and videos. It can analyze images, identify standard object features, and make recommendations based on that data. Computer vision is a trend in app development, especially for e-commerce. Shopping apps, such as eBay and Aliexpress, use it to incorporate image recognition to identify products from pictures, enabling users to find and buy desirable items effortlessly. This feature can improve client service and stimulate an increase in purchases. However, computer vision needs to be fed large amounts of data and then analyze it repeatedly until it can distinguish differences and identify images. This process requires time and effort, but, as a solution, it is possible to use AI frameworks and libraries, such as Keras, TensorFlow, and OpenCV, which have ready-made image collections. In general, computer vision is a good choice for big e-commerce businesses looking for new ways to boost sales.

3. Voice user interface

Voice User Interface technology gives users an opportunity to interact with their electronic devices using spoken language as voice commands. VUI works by combining the principles of natural language processing, speech recognition, and machine learning. This combination allows systems to capture and understand human language and interpret context, user preferences, and intent. VUI is among the mobile app development trends, as it improves user experience by implementing touchless interface and making mobile apps more accessible. For instance, ELSA Speak is a mobile application specializing in teaching English. It integrates speech recognition for analyzing the user's voice to give real-time feedback on the intonation and pronunciation. This feature helps create comprehensive English lessons, including speaking skills that are often neglected in educational mobile apps. Despite being popular among big companies, VUI can cause difficulties in localization for worldwide businesses. If your business does not involve localization but needs to be accessible and convenient, VUI is the correct choice.

4. AR and VR

A recent release of Apple Vision Pro has boosted interest in AR and VR for app development, as this VR headset can impact the quality and popularity of such apps. Augmented Reality is a technology that superposes digital content with the real world, creating a mixed-reality experience. In contrast, Virtual Reality is a technology that creates an entirely immersive digital environment, enabling users to interact with it in a way that makes it feel like they are there. AR has the potential to revolutionize e-commerce mobile apps. With AR, users can have a virtual try-on experience of products such as clothing or cosmetics, enabling them to visualize how the product would look before making a purchase. For example, IKEA has launched an AR mobile app, IKEA Place, that offers users an experience of how IKEA furniture would look in their home, office, or studio. All the products in IKEA Place are 3D and actual to scale, ensuring that every choice is the right size and design. Thus AR and VR can improve the user experience by providing an innovative way to keep users engaged for longer. Another example of using these mobile app trends is interactive education apps, which can visualize complex concepts more engagingly and create realistic simulations for studying. For instance, Metaverse is an educational AR mobile app aiming to develop creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, analysis, coding, and iterative testing skills. AR and VR technologies can provide an intuitive, user-friendly, touchless interface to create a seamless, immersive user experience. Nevertheless, these app development trends can limit the target audience, as not all mobile devices can offer optimal performance or compatibility with advanced AR and VR features.

5. IoT

The Internet of Things refers to a network of intelligent devices that can exchange data with other devices via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. According to Statista, the number of IoT devices is expected to grow from 15.14 billion units in 2023 to 29.42 billion in 2030. This trend in mobile app development can benefit industries that rely on automation and require remote monitoring of objects or data collection. It allows predictive maintenance that saves time and money. For example, Hopstack provides warehouse management solutions based on IoT technology for inventory data synchronization, putaway process optimization, ABC analysis automation, and fulfillment accuracy improvement. Another example is one of our clients, who has an IoT system for contactless beverage access in hotel chains, cruise ships, stadiums, and arenas. You can read more about this project here. What is more, IoT is transforming the healthcare industry, as it facilitates proactive communication between healthcare providers and their patients, which results in better patient care. For example, AliveCor offers personal small EKG devices that can be used to monitor heart conditions in a mobile app. Considering all the information above, IoT is a perfect technology for those businesses that rely on automation or seek accessibility solutions.

6. Beacons

Beacon technology is closely associated with IoT infrastructures, as it incorporates indoor and outdoor positioning systems that enable proximity navigation. Beacons typically use a ‘detect and inform’ method to send notifications through a corresponding mobile app as a pop-up alert. This application development trend gives your brand an innovative image, makes your advertising campaigns memorable, and offers a personalized approach to each customer. By using beacons, you can send push notifications with customized messages directly to any receptive devices within the range of your beacon. For example, you can notify users that they are within range of your shop and invite them to visit it or send messages about discounts and loyalty programs in the nearest shop. Furthermore, beacons can gather valuable information about customers that can be used to make informed decisions. For instance, you can create heat maps of customer movements and use this information to make merchandising more effective. Amazon has used beacon technology to create innovative offline stores, AmazonGo, where customers can take the product they want, and the bill is debited from their Amazon account in a mobile app. In this case, beacon technology was used to eliminate queues and increase cost-effectiveness. So, beacon technology is a good choice for businesses that want to enhance advertising strategies and brand image by giving them innovativeness.

Conclusion

As we outline the landscape of mobile technology in 2024, the mentioned mobile development trends are pillars of innovation. However, all the trends should be taken with a grain of salt, as they are not universal to all the requests. If you are looking for business solutions, you should not limit your opportunities by focusing on trends, as it can result in overinvestment. In contrast, reasonable decisions, no matter trendy or not, can streamline processes, meet the evolving needs of users, and boost effectiveness.