The explosion of mobile device technology has transformed the way apps are developed and used. This is especially the case with enterprise mobile app development as management continually seeks ways to improve the way employees and clients track projects and events. However, not all enterprise apps are created equal and organizations must follow the trends for successful development and usage.
That said, one of the most crucial components for successful enterprise apps begins with an experienced and creative team of professional developers. This team should ideally have a thorough understanding of the latest trends and how they can be used in the organization.
The following are some top mobile enterprise development trends for 2020.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI).
AI technology continues to rapidly evolve and improve. It is changing the way we use devices and conduct business. Organizations are harnessing this technology at a rapid pace. In fact, Gartner reports that the number of businesses who have implemented AI has grown 270 percent in the past four years and tripled in 2019.
Machine learning (ML), one of the applications of AI is widely used in customer service applications in the form of chat bots to facilitate efficient customer service. Businesses are increasingly leveraging AI and ML-driven apps to collect large amounts of customer data and improve the customer experience. Additionally, AI future trends include the development of apps to use smart cameras, face unlocking security apps, and automation of IT functions. - Beacon Technology
Thanks to beacon technology, businesses have been able to more efficiently meet customer needs through transmitted alerts. Apps using beacons are an effective way to broadcast such announcements as sales, rewards, and other events. Smart advertisements sent to consumers in this way can also improve conversion rates. The data that is collected is also a valuable tool used to target ads to consumers. - Internet of Things (IoT)
IoT technology has enabled apps to control many types of smart devices for personal and business use. This trend is expected to continue with the use of IoT in health care, transportation, and homes. While IoT is still a relatively new concept, it shows immense potential for expansion into many other uses. According to Statista, the number of connected devices is projected to reach 75.44 billion by 2025. With those figures, developers would be remiss to not create apps to take advantage of this technology. - Cloud-Based Technology
Apps that are cloud-based run more efficiently by not using mobile device memory. App development in the cloud is also more cost-efficient. They are upgraded easier, have a lower cost of ownership, and there are no IT maintenance costs. These apps are also more reliable, faster, and secure and can handle large amounts of data. Dropbox, AWS, and SlideRocket are popular storage platforms that can be used to run apps directly from the cloud. - Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)
With the development of Google’s mobile-priority web technology, websites that were once too sluggish to load on devices can now be displayed more efficiently. AMP is an open source initiative making it easier for developers to create mobile-friendly websites that are supported on a variety of platforms and browsers. Customers prefer mobile sites with faster loading times and business apps that take advantage of AMP technology can increase the user experience and realize higher conversion rates. - Blockchain Technology
Once used only for cryptocurrency exchanges, blockchain has become the go-to method for secure and transparent payment systems. As a decentralized technology, blockchain easily tracks transactions of all parties involved. Many industries including insurance, healthcare, banking, and real estate use blockchain technology for this reason. Blockchain can make mobile purchases more streamlined and safer with less processing steps. Blockchain technology trends include asset tokenization, cryptocurrency trading, Blockchain As a Service (BAAS), and gaming. - On-Demand Apps
The on-demand or access economy continues to change the way businesses serve their customers. Consumers want their service or product delivered when they need it and these apps fill the demand for these services. The most popular current applications include food deliveries and ride-sharing but future on-demand service apps can be developed for many other service industries. - APM and EMM
Two basic elements of the enterprise mobile app development project are Application Performance Management (APM) and Enterprise Mobile Management (EMM). APM was integrated into Google in 2016 to help boost app performance. For this reason, APM has become the tool of choice for testing apps. The EMM platform enhances security for mobile devices used by employees in the organization. EMM includes such components as app security, finance management, and application management. It also increased employee productivity by enabling mobile devices to exchange applications and data. - Wearable Devices
Smartwatches have become the hottest trend in accessing on-demand information and data. According to Business Insider, smartwatches will have accounted for over 70% of total wearable device shipments in 2019 alone. As a result, the demand for apps to support this technology will increase substantially. A current problem, however, is that many current apps do not integrate with wearables, meaning smartphones must be close in proximity to them. However, this will change as more apps are developed to function independently of smartphones. - 5G Wireless Service Impacts
The implementation of 5G wireless networks will greatly impact mobile app development as data speeds improve by 100x over 4G. With this drastic increase in speed, apps for 3D gaming, augmented reality and data security will be developed to take advantage of the higher transmission speeds for improved performance. Additionally, the higher speeds and lower latency that come with 5G will allow the use of more IoT devices, especially in the workplace where more data can be processed simultaneously. - Predictive Analytics
Predictive analytics uses present data sets to forecast trends and discover relationships by using modeling, statistics, artificial intelligence, and data mining. It can be used for customer targeting, market analysis, risk assessment, and financial modeling. Apps that take advantage of these analytics will surely be in demand.
The above enterprise mobile app development trends for 2020 will no doubt continue to expand through every industry. As a result, it is crucial that management and mobile app developers take note of them and act accordingly to stay one step ahead of the competition.
At Vermillion Sky, our team of strategists, designers, and developers can assist your business with app design and development. Contact us to schedule a free strategy call to discover how our services can help your business succeed.
