Hottest Trends in Mobile Technology 2022
Posted by Julia Werner •
Mobile Industry Trends 2022
With the advent of 5G technology, the future of mobile apps is looking more promising. Unlike previous generations, the new mobile technology can connect with user phones via Bluetooth. This will increase mobile app functionality and provide users with product information in their local area.
In 2022, the world will see an average of 190.8 million 5G connections. By 2022, these numbers will increase to 551.1 million connections.
The first trend to emerge again is a mobile app. These applications will be a major factor in the competition. As the number of users increases, so will the number of developers.
The second trend to emerge is voice recognition. As voice technology becomes more prevalent, many mobile application developers will be tempted to create voice-activated apps. While in-app header bidding will continue to be a significant innovation, it is not expected to affect app development in the coming years.
Wearable devices are emerging technologies for smartphones. The foldable Samsung device, for example, will require more controls and a higher screen resolution. In addition, 5G technology will offer more data and lower latency than previous generations. It will be the mobile technology of choice for many consumers.
Another trend is the introduction of more advanced software development. AI is already being used in the facial-recognition feature of mobile phones. ML is also becoming increasingly important for retail companies. This technology can be integrated with various other features, such as payment methods, to improve the user experience.
The next five years will bring more advanced connectivity. In the meantime, 5G will be 100 times faster than 4G, opening the way for more sophisticated video advertising and more efficient mobile applications. These new technologies will make mobile phone experiences richer and more immersive, enabling users to spend more time using apps. With this, a number of other trends will arise. And as technology advances, the importance of content creators is increasingly important for the mobile industry.
Beacons are another trend that will impact mobile app development in the near future. Beacons can be used to track user behavior within a store. This technology is also becoming more widespread. Beacons are essentially small devices that allow users to identify the location of other objects within a store. Moreover, they can be placed on walls. In addition, beacons can track user behavior and help retailers determine the best products for their customers.
Beacons can also provide real-time navigation services and other benefits. They can be installed in airports, shopping malls, and hospitals. They can help users navigate between online and offline locations. With the advent of IoT technology, consumers are increasingly demanding and expect better mobile shopping experiences. With this in mind, beacons can help brands provide a seamless mobile shopping experience. Aside from providing information, they can also help improve brand loyalty.
Regarding other trends, the rise of augmented reality (AR) is one of the latest trends in mobile technology. It is not yet widespread, but the technology will help service providers and businesses to interact more personally with their customers. In the meantime, 5G will boost the adoption of smartphones, which will make them a great deal more appealing to consumers. With the increased speed of smartphones, users will be able to communicate with other objects in the physical world.
In addition to artificial intelligence, there are a number of other emerging technologies that are predicted to have a significant impact on the mobile industry. Currently, the use of virtual objects and AR glasses will revolutionize gaming. The use of gestures will allow users to control their smartphones. In addition to this, augmented reality will also make smartphones more secure and valuable for the entire family. The emergence of AR will also change the nature of consumer interaction.
Many of the trends mentioned above were popular before as well. But they are still vital and interconnect and evolve with new technologies.
Mobile App Development Trends 2022
To be successful, businesses must always keep their finger on the pulse of the latest shifts in the market and stay updated with industry trends. And because we live in a world moving in a mobile direction, every business, regardless of the industry, needs to be aware of the latest mobile app development trends. This is especially important for companies with a mobile presence.
With so many channels of information at your fingertips, it can be difficult to determine what trends are legitimate and which are just fads or fake news. That’s why we narrowed down this year's top mobile technology waves. And here’s what you need to know.
State of the Mobile App Market in 2022
Coming closer and closer to the end of 2022, we can see which mobile technology trends have shaped the current situation on the market with over 4.8 million mobile apps available in all app stores: 2.87 million on the Play Store and almost 2 million on the App Store. It is worth saying that according to Grand View Research, the global revenue for these mobile apps has significantly increased in recent years: in 2019, the market’s worth was $154 billion, and it reached $318 billion in 2020. Experts from the same agency state that by 2025, this number is expected to practically double to $613 billion.
Sensor Tower studies show that in 2021, in-app purchases in all app stores reached over $130 billion. If we compare it to 2020, with $111.1 billion spent, this number represents 19.7% year-over-year growth. The same study shows that users spend almost $85 billion on Apple’s platform, which is 17.7% higher than in 2020.
What’s more, it is around 1.8 times higher than on Google Play Store. And when it comes to the latter, it takes the position of the market leader in user downloads.
To get a deeper understanding of the current situation, let’s look at the data provided by the analytics platform Adjust, which shows what happened in the mobile market arena in the context of different sectors.
Major Technologies Impacting Mobile App Market in 2022
5G Network Technology
Perhaps you've already heard about 5G — a technology that is supposed to change how information is shared between devices, enhancing user experience and opening up space for a variety of advancements in mobile apps. Here's some data that can give you a taste of the upcoming technology impacts.
Characterized by low latency and much higher speed and bandwidth, 5G is expected to increase mobile apps' performance by affecting apps' components. For example, more complex elements can now consume more data, and the technologies below will confidently pave their way to mobile apps:
Advanced AI, AR/VR/MR
4K streaming
360 video
Cloud computing
High-definition graphics
Interconnected IoT devices
Thanks to 5G, human-to-machine and machine-to-machine interactions are just around the corner. App developers can make them come true in the coming years without incurring extra storage or processor demands. And here are some examples of what users expect most from the apps in the 5G era.
5G technology, a new buzzword in the mobile app development community, is a challenge and precious opportunity for tech specialists to use the maximum of their creative potential. Nevertheless, there are also a few things a mobile app development company should bear in mind when creating solutions for 5G networks.
Firstly, enhanced connectivity brings inspiring opportunities together with security challenges.
Secondly, 5G won't be available to everyone immediately, as the coverage of 5G towers now is not complete, and it’ll take time to cover all regions. So many users will use devices operating in 4G standard or lower for years after. So supporting these standards is essential to ensure a satisfying user experience.
While the first challenge can be addressed with security services, the second one is mainly out of control. But there are some compelling examples of how companies managed to find ways to facilitate the provision of access to their services. The same approach can be applied to 5G. One of them is the gaming streaming service Twitch which gave its users credentials of companies to whom they can send requests. But while it worked for Twitch, having over 140 million users worldwide, smaller companies have to put thought into developing other strategies. One of them is to offer users a free trial period for apps created for 5G so that users can test them to find out if it works well for the standard used on their device.
Augmented Reality
AR in mobile apps is not something new. Nearly everyone has at least heard about it, and many tried. To be exact, statistics on the use of AR show that:
Over 1 billion people worldwide use AR.
AR awareness is more than 75% among people aged 16 to 44.
Around half of Americans have been using AR without knowing about it.
However, the popularity of immersive realities has been increasing. Furthermore, if we take a step back to the previous technology discussed, 5G, we can assume that AR, MR, and VR will continue to expand. Even today, a forecast published on Markets and Markets shows that the market value of AR reached $15.3 billion in 2021 and is predicted to reach $73 billion by 2024. And Grand View Research states that AR revenue is expected to go up to $340 billion by 2028.
It's worth mentioning that such growth is supported by giants such as Apple, Google, and Facebook, who promote the technology by using it as a means to bolster their commercial efforts. And back to statistics, nearly 97% of Forbes' Most Valuable Brands utilize AR/VR.
Considering the fact that companies using augmented reality report 40% greater conversion, we can anticipate seeing AR as one of the most prominent mobile app development trends for years to come. And let’s conclude this part by stating that while the gaming, engineering, and healthcare sectors have benefitted most from the use of the technology, it has the potential to bring a lot of good to other industries.
At Emerline, we’ve already delivered two of our own products with AR for the education and entertainment sectors: the GoDog app that helps dog owners to keep their pets well-behaved, fit, and happy and Smart 3D Colorbook with 3D pixel figures to color. One more use case of AR in a mobile app was the development of a music teaching app for kids that placed AR objects over video recordings when a child mastered a lesson. The same app also took advantage of AI — the next technology to discuss — to determine if a child follows the instructions provided by the app correctly (uses the right notes at the right time).
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
The last technology we're going to discuss has also been around for a while. Still, its constant development and incessant demand make it top the list of the hottest mobile trends. According to Statista, the worldwide market worth of Artificial Intelligence will cross $89 billion by 2025. What's more, Servion Global Solutions state that by the same year, AI will power 95% of all customer interactions, including live telephone and online conversations that will leave customers unable to ‘’spot the bot’’. To better understand the value and development of AI and ML in terms of the mobile experience, just take a look at some (by no means all) AI features modern iPhones have.
This year (and for sure beyond), AI and ML have created a groundwork for sophisticated innovations that go way beyond well-known voice assistants and chatbots. And here are some examples of how they are applied to mobile apps:
AI has become an essential part of apps that recognize speech with natural language processing (NLP) and discourse acknowledgment — features we've already discussed in iPhones.
Technologies are widely used for security purposes. Analyzing user behaviors and identifying them, they detect fraud, hacking events, and suspicious activities.
AI opens up space for highly personalized e-commerce services by studying users' preferences and customer intent.
AI-powered solutions can be used to help companies cope with their ecological footprint. For example, Google managed to reduce its energy consumption by 40% after applying ML solutions to its data center cooling systems.
AI and ML are starting to play a pivotal role in healthcare, where they are used for automation and diagnosing and treating.
When it comes to healthcare, we have a unique case to share. Our team was involved in the development of a mobile application that allows recording surgeries, impersonalizing records by blurring sensitive data such as faces of patients and doctors, splitting the recorded videos, and then automatically uploading them to the cloud. The solution uses sound recognition techniques to create a surgery events log by recognizing speech and machine sounds. All these became possible with the use of Machine learning, Computer vision, and Sound recognition our engineers applied to the project.
The Bottom Line
While all of these trends may sound familiar to you, knowing about how they evolve and the new opportunities they open is significant. Running a business requires knowing what’s happening in the mobile world because that’s where your current and prospective customers live.
So we hope this article helps you understand the current state of the mobile market better and decide if your existing mobile apps or those you plan to develop need any adjustments. Don’t hesitate to contact us with your ideas and questions. We would love to help contribute to the development of innovative solutions that make a difference.
Hottest Trends in Mobile Technology 2022
Mobile technology has been one of the key areas of technology, witnessing a steady increase in popularity, usage and consumer. Not only has it grown logarithmically for the past few years, but it has also reached a point where we can’t imagine life without mobiles and technology keeping us connected to the world.
The progress toward an integrated life through technology’s assistance has only just begun, with the current trends in mobile technology aiming toward making phones better, smarter and more powerful.
5G Technology
5G is all the rage these days. The competition is only getting tougher with companies striving to get a lead in the 5G arena. With the increasing competition, we are making leaps in the 5G technology and how mobile phones will be utilising it.
The implementation of most of the advanced technological features and processes like the Internet of things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and AR depends on the enhancement of cellular connectivity. Because of this, 5G is at the heart of the future of mobile technology. Generally, there are three main benefits of 5G for mobile-based solutions:
Speed: 4G may be fast, but 5G is way faster than anything you might have ever seen. On average, the speed provided by 5G is 100x more than that provided by 4G. Low Latency: with high speed comes very smooth connectivity that doesn’t lag as often as the 4G. The technical term is URLLC (Ultra-reliable low latency communication) for the connectivity provided by 5G. Connectivity: If 4G supports connecting only a couple of thousand devices at a time, 5G takes this number to millions. This opens up a world of opportunities for enhanced connectivity, communication, and collaboration worldwide.
Mobile Internet of Things (IoT) Applications
The Internet of things is quickly making a place for itself in the global technology arena. It is becoming a mainstream technology in the agriculture, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors. The rapid advancement of IoT applications means it won’t be long until this technology is integrated into our everyday lives.
Smart home appliances, wearables, traffic sensors and other such integrated technologies are but a few examples of how we are moving towards an IoT connected world.
Mobile Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Since 2017, the mobile industry has been focusing on enhancing, applying and integrating AI into the devices. From Apple’s Siri to Amazon’s Alexa, we see a noticeable advancement in how AI is changing the game. Most mobile apps, platforms and websites have infused AI-based learning into their algorithms. Mobile phones come with an option to adapt the settings to user’s preferences, with a system powered by machine learning and artificial intelligence.
Not only that, today’s mobile phones recognise voice commands, analyse visual data, and learn from users’ behaviour to suggest, improve, and implement processes. Some of the examples of how AI is being used in mobile phone technology today include:
Facial detection apps for security systems
Financial forecasting solutions
Personalised ads and suggestions based on purchasing and browsing behaviours,
Medical software that can make a diagnosis and suggest treatments
Augmented reality (AR) & Virtual Reality (VR) in apps
Mobile Commerce
Ecommerce is a rapidly pacing market in today’s time, and the leading trend in this area is mobile shopping. Hence there is a growing demand for mobile payment solutions. Making it safer, smarter and more practical is the key focus.
With COVID-19 pushing the world to go deep into digital has resulted in rapid leaps being made towards the betterment of mobile payment systems. People in today’s world prefer making online orders and initiating digital payments instead of making cash transactions.
Today’s banks operate through applications. There are micro-bank accounts and digital wallets as well as money transfer applications to make financial transactions easier and safer for people all over the world. Overall, shifting the way we do business and make transactions happen.
Commerce in Social Media
Remember when Facebook and Instagram were just a couple of photo and status sharing apps? Today, Facebook features a marketplace with shopping options, and you can connect a host of business apps to ease your e-commerce business on the platform. Instagram is doing the same with its virtual store options and more.
Commerce on social media is the next big thing, and it’s already happening. Social media has become much more than just a social platform for businesses. Today, you can’t imagine a legit business without an active presence on social media. Brands connect with, listen to and converse with their customer base over social media.
More than 40% of the world’s population is using social media. It is a medium to reach a huge number of people in a relatively lesser time.
Social Media and commerce are slowly being woven together, and it is working perfectly for businesses, with some exceptions, of course.
Cloud-based Mobile Applications
One of the major requirements for AI, IoT and ML powered devices is the need to store tons of data. If all this were to be stored on phones, you wouldn’t be left with any usable memory to perform other actions and store your data. Hence, there is a need for remote servers that can store and provide access to stored data as needed.
The trend for the usage of cloud-based solutions and storage is increasing rapidly and is expected to keep on increasing throughout 2022.
This is the primary mechanism of operation for Cloud Computing. The remote servers not only allow storage but can perform various operations while the user connects to the servers through the internet.
Some features and benefits of cloud servers include:
Streamlining of operations
Better storage capacity
Very high computing capability
Secure functions across more than one device
More user retention
Providers actively invest in cloud-driven apps for the aforementioned benefits, ultimately contributing to the cloud mobile era.
Blockchain Technology
Blockchain is simply a game-changer in the digital world. We first heard of it with the boom in cryptocurrency and digital wallets worldwide. Blockchain has applications much more diverse than just the ones related to cryptocurrency. Many mobile applications today are associated with or based upon blockchain technology. These include e-wallets, currency converters, networking solutions, digital assets management, and tracking apps.
More and more smartphone developers are stepping into the game with highly advanced blockchain-based apps and solutions.
Super Apps
Today’s Android applications are being created to work in amazing ecosystems. Most applications are designed to operate with each other, creating an integrated experience for the user. We owe the advent of super apps to China, as they developed the first application close in concept to a super app, the WeChat application.
It allows users to communicate with each other, but it also indulges in a plethora of online activities, including voice and text messaging, payments, games, and many other features.
In the western world, apps are being developed and upgraded to catch up with the idea of super apps.
Mobile Integrated Wearable Technology
Wearable technology is becoming more and more popular with mobile users and providing more opportunities for businesses to take advantage of this growing trend. Smartwatches, fitness bracelets, smart glasses and healthcare monitors are a growing market that can be tapped by mobile phone manufacturers relatively easily.
One hundred twenty-five million units of wearable technology were shipped last year, and the number is expected to rise and continue the trend for the foreseeable future. Apple, Samsung and other tech giants are already testing, creating and introducing new breakthroughs in this arena, and as time passes, the competition is expected to grow worldwide.
One of the reasons for the popularity of these devices is that they can be paired with mobile phones. Making it easier to do simple operations right from one’s wrist. Additionally, the ability to use these devices social ably is a plus. People can track their performance, share it with friends, compete to achieve fitness goals, etc.
The possibilities are immense in this area of mobile-related technology.
Mobile Home Automation
Another rising trend is the use of mobile phone apps to control your home. People have been increasingly showing interest in the idea of smart homes and smart devices to control various functions around their living spaces.
With home security, various functions in the home can be controlled through smartphones. For example, Honeywell makes products that let users control the thermostats in their homes through wifi connections. They also feature products that can help control home security and various appliances.
This trend can be further empowered and improved by implementing IoT and machine learning.
Advances in Communication Technology
Not long ago, we didn’t have smartphones, and before that, there were no mobile devices at all. Communication was a luxury only few could afford, and the cost was huge. Staying connected to friends and family, especially when you’re in another country, was not an easy endeavour.
Today, we have applications like the Talk Home App that let you stay connected to loved ones no matter the day or time. From paying too much for seconds of connection to paying as low as 1 p/c per min, we have come a long way as far as mobile communication is concerned.
Biometric & Facial Recognition Technology
Mobile phone security is one of the hottest trends right now. Mobile manufacturers are focusing more and more on finding ways to improve the security of cellular devices. One of the domains being rapidly developed is biometrics.
As per research and studies, the global biometric technology market has been growing smoothly in recent years. These technologies will soon see rapid revenue growth in revenue, from $36.6 billion to $68.6 billion in 2025.
Some of the most popular biometric technologies include:
Facial recognition
Voice recognition
Fingerprint scanners
Iris recognition
Hand geometry recognition
Signature recognition.
Some of the names, like facial and fingerprint recognition, are more popular than others and are widely being used around the globe. For example, fingerprint recognition is now a standard security feature in the latest mobile devices. It has become so popular that consumers expect it to be there in any new device being launched. The popularity is only going to increase in the coming years.
Front Camera Upgrades
One of the most sought after features in today’s mobile phone industry is Bazzle-less phones. Many manufacturers have tried multiple ways to increase the screen to body ratio, including a front camera that goes into and out of the mobile body as needed.
Others have tried creating concepts such as drone cameras that suspend into the air, right above the user’s face, for selfies and pictures. But, none of the ideas has taken off quite like the one where the front camera is there inside the phone but is hidden under the front screen. The technology is still under development, and practical use is limited; however, the idea is very promising for the future of mobiles and technology.
Different manufacturers, like Samsung, Xiaomi and others, have successfully tested this feature and are currently developing it into such an economical and practical feature as it is today.
Foldable Phones and Devices
If you’ve seen the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, you’d know that not only is it a unique concept, but it’s every bit as practical as your ordinary mobile devices, or maybe a bit more. The idea of a device that operates like a phone when folded and expands into a mini-tablet when needed is pretty awesome.
Samsung isn’t the only company to have tried creating something similar to this. Oppo, Motorola, Xiaomi, Microsoft, Huawei and countless others have successfully created folding mobile devices. With the advancements in foldable technology, the mobile applications market is also moving towards apps for foldable devices, making them more responsive and practical for users.
The global mobile industry is working towards creating more durable, efficient and 5G enabled foldable phones for the future.
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Conclusion
If you are familiar with Moore’s Law, you’d know we follow a path to technological advancement that stops nowhere. The possibilities are practically endless, and we’ve only taken a glimpse of the truly transformative abilities of future technology.
The latest trends in this arena focus on making gadgets more practical, intuitive, and integrated with the real world. This has amazing implications. Not only are we in for a massive shift in lifestyle, but something that will become a necessary part of our everyday lives, even more than it is today. The thought is scary and exciting at the same time.
As mobile technology improves, the internet of things, artificial intelligence, blockchain and other such technologies will genuinely transform the future world.
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