Mobile App Development Trends in 2018 That Will Redefine the Digital World

That we're witnessing a major shift these days — from web apps' supremacy to mobile apps' domination — is definitely no news. It's been a while since it grew from a trifle into a (digital) world dominating... reality. And so, anticipating which of last year's trends will be growing into “megatrends” and which of the newly emerging ones will be the mobile app development trends in 2018 with the highest impact on the digital landscape

… becomes crucial for anyone in the mobile app industry.

Should you continue to bid on virtual reality and cloud technology? Is blockchain nothing but a bubble about to burst this year? What place should wearable apps and IoT have in your mobile app development strategy?

We've done our research, approached the experts and the authority figures in the mobile app development industry apps and here's what we've come up with:

An 8-point list including precisely those high-impact trends to keep an eye on in 2018:

1. Wearable Devices and IoT Are “Exploding”! And So Is Wearable App Development

And I'm sure you, yourself, anticipated this: that IoT devices and wearable apps will go from niche to mainstream.

With more and more industries adding up to the list of IoT adopters — education, smart health, automotive — and with Apple cutting off the price constraint, it's only reasonable to expect wearable devices/apps explode in 2018.

… to expect to see more apps for wearable devices (and not just watches) and an increasingly powerful impact of IoT on mobile app development.

Considering that smartphones are needed for controlling IoT devices...
 

2. Android Instant Apps, One of the Growing Mobile App Development Trends in 2018

It's a fact: Android Instant Apps will be one of those (not so) new trends in mobile app development to be growing like a beanstalk this year!

The reasons behind this anticipated growth have a too powerful impact on the users not to turn from a predicted scenario into a... reality of the digital realm:
 

1. they're conveniently easy to use: no installation required and yet they're more on the native app's side and they work like websites
2. they use fewer resources
3. they can be accessed from anywhere (WITHOUT installation)
    

In other words: the border between the realm of apps and the landscape of websites gets even more... blurrier this year.
 

3. Accelerated Mobile Pages

A huge “hit” ever since its “debut”, in 2016, Google's AMP is definitely on the up and up in 2018, too.

And no wonder why this open-source initiative — accelerated mobile pages — still “runs the show” and continues to “seduce” mobile app developers:

• it's a publishing technology (HTML's stripped-down version) geared at boosting mobile pages' performance
• … practically it injects both sites (on mobile devices) and web apps with high speed
• … keeping the bouncing rate to a minimum

Now, these are strong enough advantages for this trend to be one of the high-impact mobile app development trends in 2018.

4. Predictive Analytics Gains an Increasingly Powerful Influence on Mobile UI/UX

What do you think about joining the “gang” of tech giants in the mobile app industry (Google, IBM, Apple, Facebook) and jump on this trend in 2018?

Why bother? Well, because:

1. we'll be witnessing a shift from mobile apps as “mere” utilities to apps as integral components of your workflow
2. this advanced software is the “offspring” of AI and machine learning
3. … with a major impact on your customer journey via your mobile app's UI/UX
4. … since it provides valuable predictions related to your business (by leveraging the available data) for you to capitalize on (and to do what it takes to enhance your app users' experience)

5. On-Demand Apps Will Ride The Tide of Popularity

How could they not? After all, they're making people's lives easier by simplifying their day-to-day activities, such as:

• looking for laundry services
• ordering food
• looking for cleaning services
• looking for rideshare and taxi services

And not only that on-demand apps will be in... high-demand this year. They'll be one of those mobile app development trends in 2018 expected to “bloom” with new cool features and functionalities:

• business bots
• UI/UX enhancements
• predictive analysis
• m-commerce facilities

6. Blockchain: Newer Mobile App Development Trends in 2018 With Huge Potential

Blockchain has been intriguing, “seducing” and gaining so much good press, that it can't but continue to grow, as a trend, in 2018, too.

And it's no surprise why:

• it provides companies with a shared, unalterable ledger storing their information (transaction histories or bitcoins) presented in the form of blocks
• … “unalterable” meaning that the info can't be modified unless all the subsequent blocks get modified; which would automatically lead to the entire network's collision

A principle of “openness” that continues to “seduce” legit businesses. Businesses that do seize the huge potential of providing transparent access to the blockchain.

7. Dare to/Continue to Bid on Cloud Integration This Year

The future of mobile apps and their development is one where the benefits of cloud technology are being (finally) leveraged to their full potential.

And here I'm talking about benefits such as:

• better storage
• reduced costs in hosting and equipment
• improved page loading times
• streamlined operations
• increased productivity and collaboration

And nonetheless: developing mobile apps over the cloud will enable them (the apps) to run seamlessly across multiple platforms.

Now that's superpower, don't you think? A huge “leap” into the future of mobile app development software!

8. AR/VR Will Have an Even Higher Impact on App Development Strategies

These 2 technologies are already too well rooted in the long-term future of mobile apps that they can't go anywhere else but... UP.

AR and VR continued to be developers' trump cards for creating jaw-dropping mobile app experiences. Even so more this year, with all the compatible hardware expected to invade the market.

And it's not just the gaming sector that will benefit from augmented reality graphics and videos presented in VR, but others will fall under its “spell”, as well.

Here I can only think of the huge potential that these 2 technologies have in the retail sector.

Speaking of which, are you think what I'm thinking? About Amazon Go and all the doors that it has opened for other similar apps to steal the spotlight this year?

End of the list! 

These are, judging by the stats, forecasts, and expert opinions that we've analyzed, the 8 high-impact mobile app development trends in 2018.

Also, judging by all the enhancements in hardware:

• button-less mobile devices
• more and more powerful chips

… and the emergence of a new level of digital speed — 5G — I can't but be certain that these 8 trends here will get turbocharged in 2018.