The mobile space is growing at a rapid rate, and 2019 will be no different. The upcoming year will see mobile play an even larger role in the tech industry, with global mobile ad spending slated to increase from $135.6 million to $160.2 million from 2018 to 2019, according to Statista.
It’s clear that the small screen is quickly taking over desktop apps and other more traditional technologies. Here are some of the most exciting mobile trends you can expect for 2019 as mobile continues its rise to the top.
Augmented Reality
Augmented reality is becoming more prevalent with each passing day and more companies are developing commercial and professional AR apps. In fact, Statista predicts that the global AR market will grow from $27 billion to $209.2 billion by 2020.
In the retail world, businesses are leveraging the power of AR to allow people to see how items will look like in their homes or on their person. For example, Ikea Place lets customers peruse a company catalog of more than 2,000 items. Once a user finds one they like, they can point their camera at a spot in their home, and the app will show what the item would look like there. The app even factors in lighting and shadows in order to create an accurate rendering. Other retail apps allow customers to utilize virtual dressing rooms in order to try on clothes from a distance.
Moving forward, augmented reality will help create a more visual learning and professional experience for workers in virtually every industry. Its popularity is linked to mobile’s rising star, as it is much easier to use a small, portable mobile screen to view AR content than a large, clunky device.
Cloud-Based Applications
The cloud has become the standard for data storage and transmission, and mobile applications are in a solid position to capitalize from this trend. After all, the hardware of mobile devices can only handle so much data within their systems, so uploading data to the cloud eases the burden for smartphones.
There are already apps such as Google Drive and Dropbox that are using the cloud for storage purposes, and we can expect to see more mobile applications which allow mobile users to upload app data to the cloud in the future. While storage apps still have some room to grow, the role of cloud-based applications will be especially exciting with more sophisticated technologies such as augmented reality. These applications currently use a lot of space due to the high level of digital image processing. As such, it is likely that we will see cloud adoption rates rise as mobile continues to gain traction.
Internet of Things (IoT)
Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a network of interconnected devices. The technology has been growing in popularity in the professional world, with e-commerce, construction businesses and logistical service providers all benefiting from it.
In the near future, IoT will have more of a presence in the real estate industry, as the development of smart cities is getting closer to becoming a reality. Developers may create mobile applications that can interact with smart cities or smart buildings moving forward. For instance, imagine an app that would streamline the process of finding a parking spot and pay for it.
IoT technology could also be applied in the academic world, allowing students and professors to link up to various devices in the classroom or around campus. The goal here would be to create a deeper connection between the people of academia and their environment.
While those are just two examples, we can expect IoT to play a greater role in many industries in 2019-2020. And this increased connectivity wouldn’t be possible without the increasing prevalence of mobile technology.
Mobile Wallets and Payment Gateways
Now, many consumers can carry wallets in their mobile devices in the form of applications such as PayPal, Google Pay and others. Expect 2019 to be a big year for mobile wallets, with more physical stores and e-commerce businesses accepting this technology as the norm. This also means that more companies will create mobile wallets in order to stay competitive in their industry.
Payment gateways are also becoming popular because they allow businesses to complete financial transactions with their clients via mobile. By adding a payment gateway that connects to credit cards and mobile wallets, your business increases its chances of bringing in loyal, paying customers by making it easy for to complete transactions from the convenience of a mobile device.
Recently, there have been some great advancements in the security of mobile wallets and payment gateways which will only encourage their use. Blockchain, for instance, uses a decentralized ledger to securely transmit data, thereby helping businesses protect their servers more effectively.
Mobile Trends 2019-2020
In the upcoming year, the small screen will become more important across the board. A variety of cutting-edge technologies that play well with mobile are gaining steam, and consumers now expect to be able to complete many tasks from their smartphones. Notebook and desktop app usage will decrease while mobile further cements itself as the ultimate way to make life more streamlined and convenient in 2019 and 2020.
Is your company ready to build a powerful mobile application? If so, you will need a talented development team that can make sure your app stands out among the competition. At 7T, we specialize in custom mobile app development and digital transformations, helping businesses of all kinds utilize mobile technology to their advantage. In addition, we can integrate many emerging technologies, including predictive analytics, augmented reality, blockchain and natural language processing.
We are headquartered in Dallas, but 7T also serves clients in Austin, Houston, and beyond. To discuss your project, please contact us today.
