2020 has done more for global digital transformation than the entire past

decade. Technology took on a whole new relevance in everyday life, setting the
stage for a whole new set of trends in mobile app development by 2021.

While every new year brings with it new trends and predictions, including some
trends that always remain new in the chart, 2021 is different. The corona virus
that affects our entire lives is still completely raw. The threat is still real and the
world is still uncertain.

While technological advances and consumer preferences set trends every two
years, mobile app development trends for 2021 are high at stake. A global health
crisis and over-reliance on mobile apps for every smallest and greatest human
need is a major driver for these new trends. Additionally, factors such as the
launch of 5G spectrum, new foldable phones, better wearable devices and much
more will spur the development of better applications.
  
1 . Native apps will see renewed adoption

• While hybrid apps and cross-platform apps are what they do and are a
smart investment for most companies, many companies are turning to
app development.

• Many companies have had to reduce or close their physical businesses

to focus exclusively on digital. Mobile applications are no longer add-
on functionality, but are the backbone of your business. This requires
an extremely rich user experience with impeccable execution.

• So for those who can afford it, in 2021 the native app development
center will take the stage. Use of native apps will increase in Android,
iOS and other platforms.
Applications encoded in the language designed for the platform on which they
are built are called native applications. Basically an Android app will be coded in
Java or Kotlin and an iOS app will be built in Objective-C or Swift. For business to
be a successful native app for both iOS and Android, it would actually have to
create two different apps that do the same thing, but on different devices.

As cumbersome as it may be, it is the most authentic way to build a mobile

application.

Native applications, coded for 100% platform compatibility, are faster, smoother,
and appear more authentic. They provide an immersive experience and
unmatched device integration. While using external APIs, device integration
features, and other functionality, they run smoothly and provide an unmatched
user experience.
The original application has a long lifespan and can therefore catch up with a
long series of updates before rebuilding with new code.

Native applications provide a lot of scalability and customization.

Thanks to this rich functionality, the development of native applications is

already being vigorously renewed by companies that do not want to beat one.

This is not to say that cross-platform application development is on a downward

spiral. Startups, SMEs, and startups that have cash flow, but still know that they
need a mobile app in today’s business landscape, will opt for cross-platform
development. Considering that digital is the way to go into business and apps are
an essential product, a growing number of small companies will jump into mobile
app development and result in more adoption of hybrid and cross-platform apps
as well.  However, the trend to be noted and defined for app development for
2021 will be a return to the original app.
  
2. More Sophisticated AI applications

• Another decisive trend in app development for 2021 is the best AI

app. Artificial intelligence has already enabled companies to provide
better customer personalization, better predictive analytics and higher
revenue.

• In 2021, with economies recovering from the desperate consequences

of forced lockdowns and epidemics, heavy reliance will be required to
deliver human experiences despite minimal human interaction.

• I must admit that whenever we write about mobile app development

trends for the new year, A.I. But to show how important this field is.
Innovations and interruptions are introduced each year, each new
development replacing the previous one.
By 2020 there has been a massive shift in digital options to all possible services
under the sun. Classes Everything from online classes and household chores to
commerce, fitness and entertainment was online.

This brought rival companies very close to comfort. Services like Zoom, Google
Meet and Blu-ray etc. He competed fiercely for adoption. In 2021, the winner
will have to double AI to make their user experience more productive and
enjoyable.
Therefore, in 2021, artificial intelligence or AI will be the main trend in
application development.
 3. AR and VR apps to mediate the woes of staying in

• With the new strain of Corona virus inflicting a new wave of lockdowns
and panic, the troubles of staying indoor and strictly minimizing outdoor
trips will continue through at least the first months of 2021 and possibly
longer. Either way, activities like shopping and travelling for leisure will
remain precautiously restrained for most of us for a long while.

• In this scenario, AR and VR apps will play a monumental role in a wide

range of use cases, making for a dominating app development trend in
2021.
2020 brought with is a number of unique needs. With people spending an
all their time at home, home improvement and renovations soared in
popularity like never before. To ward of the consequent feelings of
confinement and boredom, people laid great impetus on making their
homes smarter and cozier.

Doing this however requires a great deal of shopping and that,

unfortunately, was the challenging aspect. Visiting stores was out of the
question, and buying products like furniture, fabrics and décor online comes
with an elaborate set of worries involving issues like size, color, aesthetics
and more.

Augmented Reality came to the rescue of all these consumers as well as

businesses.
All major homeware businesses including Ikea , Wayfair, Amazon and others,
who have dabbled in AR and VR technology since a few years, made
tremendous progress in 2020. Using AR and VR to visualize a piece of
furniture or accessory in their space to see how well it’d fit and look.
In 2021, this technology will see wider adoption with not just big brands but
even smaller retailers using AR/VR to sell products.

In addition to home wares, AR/VR in travel and tourism could also to a large

extent help people make up in part for the lack of travel. Virtual reality tours of
major tourist attractions are already becoming widely popular. Educational
virtual field trips for children are also slowly making their presence felt in the
online schooling systems.

In 2021, the increased need for these technological escapades will be felt rather
strongly. With the technology already marking the potential, consumers are
actively seeking improved virtual reality experiences and tech companies that
can truly create AR/VR apps with quality renditions stand to woo a lot of
customers.
 4. 5G, Finally

• 2021 will be the year 5G will definitively enter our lives for
real. Although we have been anticipating the advent of 5G in
app development for a while now, 2021 will be the year that
mobile app developers can go all out with 5G and build faster,
sharper and richer apps.
With far too many people working online, way too many students studying
online and a number of people depending on tech to ‘meet’ their families,
the pressure on mobile apps to provide better connectivity, richer user
experience and more efficient apps is mounting.

5G will become a key factor in app development trends in 2021, giving

developers the legroom to develop batter apps that stand true to all the
aforementioned customer expectations.

With 5G, developers will be able to build apps that work faster than ever
before, this means quicker file transfer, improved video quality, better
audio in business or conference calls and a lot more. Video calls will be
smoother and more intimate.
Live classes and group sessions will be a lot more productive. Apps that can excel
at these parameters will emerge on top.

With movie theatres and multiplexes out cold, video streaming will depend on
5G for richer movie experiences.

5G will in fact improve all the other services that are trends on their own, like
AR/VR, IoT, Instant Apps, and more. With 5G’s improved precision, GPS enabled
internet of things will perform more effectively. Performance and responsiveness
of apps will be enhanced thanks to reduced load times.
5. Mobile Finance
Fintech has made remarkable progress in the last couple of years. In 2021 too,
this technology will continue to grow and become simpler and more accessible
by the masses.

Using cash is set to become passé for more reasons than one. First of all, going
to ATM’s is a major no-no. If you did manage that feat, exchanging cash
between hands is grossly in violence of the avoid-contact practice and currency
notes are notoriously hard to sanitize.

Expecting general public to just walk around completely cashless and pay the
hotdog stand with their smart phone is quickly becoming a mundane activity.

Mobile apps that make this process as low-friction as possible are probably the
most sought after technology in the back of all our minds. An app that reduces
(even further) the steps involved in scanning a QR code, entering the amount
and processing the payment within seconds every single time, would be a
definitive winner.
PayPal, Venmo, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Paytm, PhonePe and even WhatsApp pay
– the competition in this space is fierce. Companies offering the smoothest,
safest and easiest services will usher in complete cashless lives.

Digital banking too is a growing area as people avoid going to banks and yet, feel
the need to manage their finances better in times of distress. Guidance on
investment and wealth management is highly sought after and making it reliably
available on phones will be another app development trend to look out for in
2021.

When it comes to mobile finance though, a fine balance of speed and security is
of utmost importance. The incumbent fintech leaders are already offering great
services. Developing even better apps in 2021 is an innovator’s challenge.
Malware and phishing attacks are on a continual rise. 
 6. Wearable technology to be more mainstream

• Wearable gadgets and apps designed for them aren’t new to 2021.
However, up until so far they’ve only been adopted by the
adventurous few users.

• Things are changing though, and wearable's are becoming more

mainstream as well as kinder to the budget customers. With prices
becoming more affordable, wearable's will see wider adoption in
2021, thus spiking the demand for wearable apps.
These wearable apps could be in a number of genres. Fitness is obviously
the top category. various other categories too will emerge contenders in
2021.

Lots of people cutting down on their screen time would attempt to distance
themselves from phones. They do still need to be connected though and
will hence need communication apps like email and texting on their
wearable.

With covid-19 having made health a priority for every customer on this
planet, wearable health apps of an advanced cadre such as pulse oximeter,
oxygen saturation and heart monitor apps will be highly sought after. Covid
tracing apps, social distancing apps, mobile payment apps and a tonne
more have wide ranging applications in the wearable space, making them
an important mobile app development trend in 2021.
 7. Apps for Foldable Phones

• With Samsung Galaxy Z Fold, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, Huawei Mate

Xs, Motorola Razr and other foldable phones making a grand entry,
smart phones are doing a classic ‘old wine in shiny new bottle’ act
and we’re loving it. Enjoying a larger screen that takes up no extra
room in your pocket is definitely an alluring prospect.

• What’s even more exciting is the massive creative appeal this holds
for app developers. The larger screen makes room for much more
immersive experiences. In phones like Samsung Galaxy Z Fold, the
dual screens offer multitasking like never before. Now’s the time to
build apps that work in the background, so that the users don’t
skip a beat.
We hope 2021 brings with it better health and much needed healing for the
world. For any challenges that persist though, mobile app developers will
continue to innovate and find solutions for the most burning problems. The
biggest mobile app development trends for 2021 stem from this very need to
solve some old and some new problems facing the new post-Covid world.

Mobile apps take on a whole new meaning in the new normal, often becoming
the only way to get things done. To that end, we continue to stay on top of the
trends and bring you better, faster, safer apps that help solve your problems
and save more of your time, money and sanity.