How Apps are Changing the Way We Work, Play and Communicate

With the pace of modern technology driven by consumer demands, there has been a significant increase in the number of mobile applications.

The size of the global mobile app market in 2018 was just over $100 billion. That number is expected to almost quadruple by 2026 with a compound annual growth rate of over 18 per cent in that seven-year period.

Apps Touch Every Part of Life

There is an increasing prevalence of applications across all parts of society, from entertainment to business. These mobile apps are essentially wired into every facet of life across work and play, often changing the way we see the world.

As people travel and live life on the go, the need to personalize tasks is very much something that has pushed this particular sphere of the digital age into every waking hour.

There are still people who love the traditional pen and paper, plotting their day with a day-to-day diary that is a trusted roadmap. However, the automation of processes has been driven by the advent of technology.

Downloads dominate life, whether they are an exercise app, a streaming service to watch the latest movie, or a sportsbook app to bet online. New ways of watching, doing and planning have been opened up.

Demand Grows in Line With Smartphones

The demand for mobile applications is intertwined with the rampant growth of smartphone usage across the world. By the beginning of this year, smartphone users had grown to over five and a half billion, with more than 250 billion downloads in 2023. 

One of the key features of apps is their accessibility by a single touch of a button. Rather than opening up a website and browsing through to the right page, a lot of application content can be read even when offline.

Apps Are Instantly Accessible

Mobile apps can literally take care of business within minutes, being much faster than traditional methods of, say, banking. Although more impersonal, the ability to transfer funds or ensure that all sales figures are meeting targets can be done via an app.

Fast processing speed is essential in today’s world. Digital apps are more seamless than in-store prompting and desktops where data can be much slower to access due to slower servers.

Consumers and developers have similar goals in that they need the best in the market with time meaning money.

There are no shortcuts to a good product. Creating an app that will be a quick solution to several of life’s daily challenges is a task in itself as there are so many bases to cover.

Security of Apps

Security is an absolute priority for consumers. If personal details are left with any provider, then the first rule of thumb is that the holder of that confidential information has robust processes in place to protect that consumer’s information.

Capturing customers with a secure environment is paramount to long term success and is ultimately a win-win, as privacy and protection against fraud are key to maintaining long relationships.

If consumers trust a brand, they will be more likely to recommend and review the product, which helps drive sales. It’s a win-win relationship.

Mobile applications also integrate different aspects of personal and business life. For instance, a budgeting app could be integrated with a daily shopping app, or a fitness app could overlap with a dietary app to evaluate whether nutrition and exercise are helping to meet users’ weight goals. Many integrated tools in business can unify a control centre, cut costs and improve efficiency.

Apps Challenge Developers

There have been challenges for developers given the saturated market. The rise of “Big Tech” means that platforms are increasingly expensive to work with. Developing for iOS versus Android requires a completely different toolkit. 

However, while budgetary constraints are always high on the agenda, the need to carry out customer research to target the right user audience is also essential to stay ahead of the game. Additionally, there are performance issues to tackle in app development. Users cannot bear bugs, errors and inconsistencies, and loyalty doesn’t always pay with so many alternative options in the app stores. 

Ultimately, all these issues can be ironed out with a good plan and thoughtful persistence, using the right engineers, developers and designers with a robust app testing procedure at the end of it.

The development of mobile applications continues to dominate numerous aspects of society. Today, loyalty to a single brand can be much harder capture from customers, given the crowded app marketplace and the increased number of quality choices.

Mobile apps need to present clear information and value propositions in real time to keep their audience engaged.

Product improvements must be planned well in advance to address any issues in earlier versions. It is possible to find great success in the app stores, if you meet these challenges. 

Ultimately, time never stops, and neither does consumer demand. Mobile applications are here to stay.