Current Technology Trends for Android App Development
Smartphone dominates the mobile industry with its extravagant features and mobile apps. As per research, the number of smartphone users is forecast to grow from 1.5 billion in 2014 to around 2.5 billion in 2019, with smartphone penetration rates increasing as well. Just over 36 percent of the world’s population is projected to use a smartphone by 2018, up from about 10 percent in 2011. If we talk about which type smart phones are most in demand, then report says, Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS are the two most popular smartphone operating systems in the industry. According to Statista, In the first three quarters of 2015 alone, nearly a billion smartphones with either Android or iOS operating systems were sold to end users worldwide. Android, with 80 percent of all smartphones sales, leads the market. In contrast, about 15 percent of all smartphones sold to end customers have iOS as their operating system. With this exorbitant demand of smart phones in the market, mobile apps have also hold its place. People across the world have become addicted to using mobile apps. As per TUNE’s report of “Global Mobile 2016”, they estimated approximately 180 billion app downloads done in 2015. This figure is forecasted to be equated to 493 million downloads per day. Given the growth rate of downloads, the daily run rate number of downloads exiting 2016 could be around 602 million. Mobile apps have revolutionized how digital business is done in today’s market. Users are no more going to websites to view products or services of a company, they are preferring mobile apps. Whether its ecommerce or gaming, news or education, for every sector there are mobile apps available in the market. Now since we have understood how fast mobile app industry is growing and that Google Android has been dominating 80 percent of smartphones sales, it is crucial to keep up with the latest trends and technologies in the mobile app development market. Below are some key trends of android app development in 2017 that will define how market will change and what apps will further dominate the market: Web Apps + AMP Google in year 2016 launched Progressive Web Apps + Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP). Web Apps are designed to open mobile apps in browser giving immediate access to the users, without any need for download. The user interface is same as mobile app user interface, the only difference is it opens in the browser and allows users to use it instantly even with unstable or poor data connection. In Google I/O 2016, Alex Russell said, “Web apps blur the line between Web content and apps, but they keep the strengths of the Web.” A web app uses standard HTML5 components to develop a web app that gives user experience similar to that of mobile apps. Many users are opting to visit the websites of the companies and do not try to find their mobile apps. In such cases web app can serve both the purpose of website as well a mobile app. Web app has all the fundamental characteristics of a mobile app, which gives better user experiences without having complexities of maintaining a mobile app. These web apps are developed using principals of AMP project. Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) is an open source platform that allows to create faster, easy to load, and high performing web apps. Apps that has Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality In year 2016 there were many Augmented Reality(AR) and Virtual Reality(VR) apps got released and got highly popular worldwide. Augmented Reality(AR) is a technology that generates a composite view by imposing computer-generated images on a user’s view of the real world. For example, Pokemon Go, a gaming app become popular worldwide. It would show a computer-generated image of pokemon hidden on the road or area you are walking around. Such apps are expected to be hit in year 2017. Another type of app that got popular in year 2016 was Virtual Reality(VR) apps. These apps are simulation of three-dimensional image that a person can interact with real time using a special electronic gadgets. Examples of VR apps are Samsung gear, google cardboard, etc., which gain popularity worldwide and continue to be a hit in 2017. Mobile Finance Service (MFS) Apps In 2016, there was an exponential growth of apps that offer mobile finance services, for example PayTM, PayUmoney, Mobikwik, etc. Nowadays people are preferring to do cashless transactions, even credit card or debit card are old trends. People are shifting to pay using such mobile apps that offer mobile finance services. Such apps not only allow you to pay for shopping, but also has options to recharge your phone, pay phone bills, DTH bills, electricity bills, etc. Such MFS apps are basically electronic wallets, in which user can store money and can make payment at any time and from anywhere, all they need is internet and mobile network. User can also transfer money to other user or withdraw money from certified bank branches. Such MFS apps are having features similar to that of banking and much more. The transactions are faster and more secure than carrying cash or card. People around the world are shifting toward mobile finance services apps and therefore in year 2017, it can be predicted that more feature loaded and secure mobile finance services apps will be launched. Security Factor in Apps There are millions of Android apps on google store. As per Gartner, over 75 percent of mobile apps does not able to pass security tests and are threat to app users. Using such apps hackers can easily access to the confidential information of the mobile app user. In 2017, android app development companies will focus on improving the security feature of the app. Also many antivirus apps have come in market like McAfee, AVG, 360 Security, etc., and have become highly popular to protect your mobile device from harmful app download. These are some of the major trends that will rule the android
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