Mobile app development has come a long way since its early days. In 2020, there are new standards for development that every developer and app owner should pay attention to. If you want to make your app effective at driving traffic, then there are design features and ideas that you should be aware of. Here are the keys to mobile app development in 2020.
Compatibility
The most important part of developing mobile apps is making sure that the target audience can use them. Mobile devices are the most widely used type of electronics to access the internet for shopping and other uses. The mobile device market has also expanded rapidly in a number of different devices that are available. Your app needs to work on a large number of those devices, if not, all of them.
Developing mobile apps means that there is a lot of work to be done to ensure that the app works everywhere. Developers work hard to make sure that their apps are compatible with as many phones and operating systems as possible. That way, you won’t limit who can use your app based on the technology that they have.
This idea is extended further with the implementation of responsive design. Since every phone is different, designing apps and websites so that they look and function well on every device is difficult. Responsive design makes apps respond to the type of phone that users have so that the app can adjust and make everything look and work the way that it should.
Appearance Changes
Overall design themes have changed significantly in 2020. There is a push toward simpler, more minimal user interfaces. This makes the apps less resource-intensive so that apps are less work for phones to use properly. When done well, it can also make it easier for customers to use your app.
There is also a greater focus on the use of color and other design features to give apps a greater impact. Companies focus on creating the biggest impact with the fewest number of features and design choices. This leads to more bold colors, effective use of color theory, and branding to help users connect with your app.
Customized Customer Experience
A big part of design changes for apps focuses on creating customized customer experiences. Customers have preferences for how they want to shop, use their phones to do things online, and interact with companies. If you can understand these preferences and build an app that addresses them, you have a better chance of maintaining the relationship with each customer.
Improvements in technology make it possible to customize each iteration of your app for the customer that uses it. This requires your app to collect specific data points and adjust to fit users’ needs. It can be done given the major amount of technology available that focuses on responsive designs and data analytics. You can even combine this with your efforts to collect data about customers’ shopping habits so that you can improve your marketing strategies to meet their needs as well.
Resource Management
Since apps are used often and the cost of mobile data plans is a concern for most consumers, your app has to be focused on managing resources effectively. An app that uses too many resources, such as processing power, mobile data, and energy, won’t be used by customers for very long. You want to make sure that your app is efficient in every way so that it minimizes the amount of resources that it needs.
Automated Testing
The testing process prior to launching your app has changed significantly thanks to AI and other technology improvements. Many developers use automated testing methods to speed up the testing process. It can be done in a fraction of the time that it took before, making it much faster to launch an app, and easier to find problems in the design of your app.
Many of the automated testing systems use scripts to perform different actions that customers may perform on your app. However, AI systems are becoming more popular. It uses a program that can learn based on its interactions. The more testing you do and the more information that you give it, the more it learns. You can use this system to test all of the possible paths that users can take through your app, or you can give it specific criteria and let it try to resolve an issue on its own. Either way, there are many methods that you can use to apply automation and testing systems to your design process.
Partnering with App Developers
Perhaps the biggest trend for 2020 is businesses partnering with app developers to create new apps. Having a company with the expertise, resources, and skills needed to build high-quality apps is the key to creating an app that connects with your customers. Finding an app developer that you can work with is easier than ever.
At KitelyTech, we are dedicated to developing the best apps for each business using our proven process of collaborative work, research, and continuous improvement. If your business needs a new app, give us a call at (800) 274 2908 to schedule a consultation with our app development team.
