It is a fact that you can not deny the importance of Mobile apps anymore. These apps have become a regular part of our day to day lives. Mobile apps help make everyday tasks easier and more convenient, from shopping to learning and much more. There’s a mobile app for everything.
Just the other day, I was thinking about learning a new language. I couldn’t decide between French and Spanish. Then, I realized that I may not even be able to dedicate enough time required to learn a new language. It was then that I saw an ad about Duolingo as I scrolled through my socials. It is an app for learning languages through quick, bite-sized lessons. As I explored this app, I started getting recommendations for multiple language learning apps. Then, a question dawned on me.
What Makes A Mobile App Successful?
What do you think it is that makes a mobile app successful? Is it its functionality? Its interface? Its design? Its ability to solve a problem? Or something else? As I started searching for the answers, I realized that I needed to define what a successful app is. First, I thought it was the ability to solve a problem, but isn’t every app made with the purpose of solving a problem? So, this metric was out of equation. After a few hours of reading multiple articles, I concluded the following metrics were necessary for a successful mobile app.
- Is it engaging?
- Is it easy to use and navigate?
- Does it offer immersive experiences?
- How likely is the user to come back to the app?
- Is it adaptable to different devices?
Now that I had the metrics down, being an avid thinker, the next step for me was to determine which aspect of the mobile app development process is absolutely crucial in successfully implementing these metrics. Can you guess what it is? Here’s a hint, it is the first step of the mobile app development process. If you haven’t already guessed, I’m talking about mobile app design. This is what inspired this post.
Before today, I hadn’t thought much about the mobile app design. I didn’t know how crucial it was for the success of a mobile app. Turns out, I was missing a lot. So, I decided to confide in my colleagues, who happen to be experts in UI/UX mobile app design, to learn more about the process. According to their expert insights, here are the top 10 UI/UX mobile app trends that you must follow when creating a mobile app.
1- AR and VR
This may not come as surprising, but it is important to mention that incorporating AR and VR to create more immersive experiences will be a top trend in mobile app design, for some time. So, it is crucial for UI/UX designers to start exploring AR and VR technologies to create more 3d immersive experiences for the mobile app users.
Mobile apps have grown above just 2d interfaces, now users expect mobile apps to offer 3d spaces that are intuitive and feel welcoming. With VR technology to become only more accessible in the future, the time is now for designers and developers to start expanding their skill sets to keep up with arguably the biggest UI/UX mobile app design trend.
2- AI Incorporation
It will not be wrong to say that the tech world is going through an AI revolution. Although AI has been around for some time, I think that Open AI is the one that started this revolution when they introduced Chat GPT to the general public. The release of Chat GPT had a butterfly effect throughout the tech world. We suddenly started seeing AI assisted chatbots and many more features in mobile app designs. Although 2023 was the peak of AI obsession, this trend is not going anywhere for some time.
AI allows businesses to enhance their user experience hence boosting their conversions and overall sales. AI also enhances user experiences by noting user behavior and then suggesting them the products they are most likely to be interested in. AI chatbots are also high in demand, as they assist users in their buying journey making the overall buying experience seamless.
Designers must take this AI obsession into consideration, whenever designing a mobile app.
3- Creative Illustrations and Typography
There is no doubt that AI brings a lot to the table, but there is also a downside. This means that more and more people are using AI generated content and images be it in their website, blog, or digital products such as mobile apps. This takes away from the unique appearance of the brand or business. That’s why using creative illustrations to stand out from the crowd is a must in the world of UI/UX mobile app design. Using creative illustrations also gives a personal touch to the mobile app design, making it more memorable for the end user.
Another element that can help your mobile app design stand out is typography. Bold typography has been hot for some time, as it strategically places the content to command attention. However, Retro groovy typography is also making waves. The idea for retro groovy typography is to bring back the aesthetics of the old eras, while making it more playful. The use of creative illustrations and bold and retro groovy typography is a trend worth watching in the field of UI/UX mobile app design.
Discover the top design trends to enhance your mobile app’s user experience.
4- Adaptable Designs
Adaptability is another trend that must not be ignored by the designers. This can play a crucial role in the success of a mobile app. Users are now continuously switching from one device to another, like from phone to laptop or a smart watch. They expect apps to be accessible and synchronized with all their devices. This means that designing an app for only a single device may become a thing of the past in the near future.
5- Neumorphism
Neumorphism is a UI/UX design trend that is used to create visual elements that appear 3d-ish. It is done by using subtle shadows and color palettes to create elements that appear embedded within the background.
This trend enhances the overall user experience and gives your digital product (mobile app) a unique visual appeal.
6- Glassmorphism
Glassmorphism is a visual design trend that makes elements look like frosted glass. It is done by using different levels of translucency. When using glassmorphic elements, backgrounds are blurred behind semi-transparent panels. It adds a sense of depth and dimensionality to the overall design of the mobile app, while maintaining sleekly modern aesthetics.
If you are a UI/UX designer and are not utilizing glassmorphism in your mobile app designs, you might be missing out on alot.
7- Hyperrealism
Users are now on the lookout for experiences that transcend the two-dimensional screens, and hyperrealism helps do that. It is a modern trend that can enhance user experience and make users feel more connected to the product. Hyperrealism helps forge a bridge between the digital and tangible using elements such as haptic feedback. Haptic feedback, for those who may not know, is the use of physical stimuli, such as vibrations, to stimulate tactile experiences whenever you are using an app.
8- Gamification
The trends that I have talked about till now are all used to catch users attention by enhancing user experience and somewhat play a role in increasing the user engagement. But none does it as effectively as Gamification. Gamification is a must use trend in UI/UX mobile app design if you want to enhance the user engagement.
You can use gamification elements such as rankings, rewards, or is-app characters to increase user engagement. This not only helps increase user engagement but also keeps the users interested to come back to the app more often.
9- Bento Grid
Bento grid design trend is a UI design trend in mobile app design. This helps make your app’s responsiveness as smooth as possible. Its layout is plain and consists of rectangles and squares, which makes structuring the design easier.
10- Brutalism
Brutalism is another design trend that is quite popular. It is mostly known for its raw, rough, and functional design elements. Brutalism is mostly used in mobile app designs where functionality is a priority, not the aesthetics. This design trend offers features such as, monochromatic color palette and bold typography. However, its emphasis on functionality does not mean that this mobile app design trend is not visually appealing.
Wrapping up
In conclusion, if you are a UI/UX designer or someone looking to build an app for your business or brand, you can not miss these trends. I understand that some design trends may not be popular a few years down the line, but when the industry experts say these trends are here to stay, I believe so should you. That’s why, be it designers or business owners, it is important to always keep an eye out for trends.