Mobile app development is an area that is seeing a lot of improvements and advancements and will continue to evolve and expand. As technology and consumer demands change, developers will be required to incorporate these changes to their mobile application development skills and services.

In 2021, there are several trends that developers must keep track of as they will determine mobile app development this year. For those who intend to stay well ahead of these trends, these are the top Mobile app development trends for 2021.

Internet of Things

Connectivity between devices has increased in a significant manner with the application of Internet of Things or IoT. People are no longer connected to their mobile phones only but are also connected to their televisions, audio devices, fridges and watches.

With IoT, these devices can be accessed remotely, from a mobile device. If you have a smart lock installed, for instance, you can unlock it from your phone even if you are not at home. This requires a mobile app, which is why IoT is among the mobile app development trends for 2021.

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) hold a lot of potential but have already changed the way we use technology. Industries like manufacturing, healthcare, and energy use AI to increase efficiency within the company, reduce errors, and improve and increase the services they offer.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies will also play a role in mobile app development, with features like face recognition, user behaviour predictions, voice and language translations, and enhanced camera features already making their way into Android and iOS app development.

5G technology

5G has been a popular topic of discussion in the past few months and broader availability is expected by the end of the year. However, even with limited availability, the increased mobile network capacity and low latency afforded by 5G is definitely making a mark.

In 2021, app developers will see how the speed of 5G connections will boost the functionality of apps. This, in turn, will push developers to take into consideration 5G speeds when developing apps and also when testing software.

Wearables

Internet of Things, as mentioned above, will be an important trend mobile app developers must work with this year, but they may also want to play closer attention to wearables. Wearable technology is not new and people are familiar with health and fitness wearables, fashion wearables, and gaming wearables.

However, it can be argued that wearable technology is yet to reach its full potential and that there is so much more to be done with this technology. This potential should be explored this year and developers should look at ways of expanding the uses of wearables.

Beacon technology

Beacon technology depends on more than one beacon device, a mobile app, and the user’s permission and, with a beacon system in place, users can be notified of certain things when they are within the area covered by a beacon.

The technology is cost-effective and easy to deploy. Given how effective it is, beacons are widely used in retail and marketing. In 2021, increased used of the technology will be seen in healthcare, travel and tourism, and mobile payments.

Blockchain

Online transactions have seen significant changes with the introduction of blockchain, where information can be exchanged in a fully automated and safe manner. However, blockchain is important beyond Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies and can be applied to mobile app development as well.

With blockchain technology, data breaches and fraudulent activity can be prevented and any errors can be traced. In 2021, mobile developers will see blockchain-as-a-service or BaaS as a trend they need to keep up with, especially with businesses without blockchain expertise being able to use BaaS platforms instead.

Augmented reality

With the growth of e-commerce platforms, there has been a demand for realistic experiences when shopping for products online. Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies have played an important role in this regard and have improved customer experience online in a significant manner.

As the applications of AR and VR grow, the technologies will be a key factor to consider in iOS and android app development, especially in 2021.