Top mobile app development trends in 2022
Tags: mobile, developer, discuss
Published: 2022-05-17 03:57:19

> In 2020, the number of unique mobile Internet users reached 4.28 billion, which means that more than 90% of the global Internet population used mobile devices to access the Internet. The trend of using mobile gadgets to access the Internet is gaining momentum, as evidenced by the active development of mobile networks, as well as the constant innovations that appear in mobile application development solutions.

In order to reach more consumers and improve the customer experience, more and more companies are choosing mobile apps based on the latest digital innovations. In this article, we'll take a look at the top mobile app development trends that will take off in 2022 and explain how they can help businesses thrive.

**1). What types of mobile apps do you most commonly build now in 2022? (Hybrid, Native, etc.)**

In recent years, the development of cross-platform solutions has become the future of mobile application development. Well-known companies such as Facebook, Pinterest, Alibaba and others are using this solution to improve their productivity.

Competition is growing every day in many areas, and if you have an idea for a startup, you need to quickly validate it.  Creating native applications takes a lot of time and money, and the product may not be in demand.  Therefore, it is worth making a choice in favor of cross-platform.  Due to the common code base, developing your product for two platforms at once - iOS and Android - takes less time and budget.  Plus, app updates happen from the inside — without the need to add a new version to the AppStore and GooglePlay.

We have already mentioned that cross-platform development is twice as fast as native development, but even parts of the React Native code can be integrated into ready-made native applications. So Instagram, originally developed natively, added push notifications and post promotion to its application.

**2). What types of mobile app features are currently in high demand? (Payment gateway, security, search functions, etc.) Why?**

At the moment, the following types of applications are being developed and upgraded quite often:

**Internet of Things (IoT) application integration**
Here's how mobile apps improve the Internet of Things:
 - provide a single centralized platform for multiple IoT devices;
 - simple control of the device, narrowing down a significant number of settings to 1-2 buttons;
 - provide increased security through access to a biometric application or two-factor authentication;
 - increases personalization, when each user of the mobile application can customize the IoT network according to their preferences;
 - allow you to manage IoT devices anywhere and anytime.

**Development for wearable devices**
Wearable devices are not a new invention in the gadget industry, however, their popularity will continue to grow in 2022. According to Statista, there were 722 million wearable devices in 2019, and its number is projected to be over 1 billion by 2022.

**Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality**
Augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR) are helping companies truly stand out and provide a new level of customer experience.  Here's how companies are using AR/VR to improve their customer experiences:

 - **contactless shopping** - some companies, such as Gucci and Ikea, use layers of augmented reality so that customers can experiment with their products;  they can try them on, like a new watch or makeover, or visualize the product they want to buy anywhere, like putting Ikea furniture at home to see if it fits;
 - **immersive experience** - when companies create VR/AR layers to better engage their customers in the interaction with their brand or product, for example, Coca-Cola came up with interactive features that customers play with on their smartphones;
 - **improved personalization** - customers can communicate with the brand in their own way, for example, L'Oreal invented a new men's fragrance called Only The Brave, and with the product they released a virtual reality world where users can experience how they behave in extreme conditions.

Companies are just starting to discover the potential of **VR/AR technologies** to enhance brands and marketing campaigns.  However, the global augmented and virtual reality market is expected to grow by $125.19 billion between 2020-24.

**Instant Apps**
Instant Apps is another innovation in mobile development. This makes it easier to browse the contents of the app without having to install the app.  This allows customers to quickly decide if they want to install a particular app on their phone, and it also helps businesses more easily introduce their content to potential customers.

_As well as:
Beacon technology
Mobile commerce
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Mobile wallets and mobile payments
Chatbots
Superior application security
Predictive Analytics
Applications on demand
Cloud Computing Integration_

**3). How important is mobile app maintenance after the first 12 months? Why?**

Service and support in the first 12 months after a product launch is key, here during this period:
 - application bugs that were not taken into account at the initial stage are revealed.
 - new application features are being developed based on feedback from the first 300,000 users.
 - the rights to the application are transferred and transferred for support to the internal divisions of the company.