Cross-platform app development, which refers to the process of developing a single app for different operating systems instead of creating different apps for different platforms, has proven to be quite popular lately.
Over the years, it has earned a greater reputation for being one of the most popular trends in software development – and, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. The adoption of this approach allows engineers to build apps across different platforms with a single codebase – therefore saving time, money & even unnecessary development efforts.
If you too are considering taking it up, we recommend keeping these trends in mind so you can glean the best possible value out of your efforts:
Augmented reality and Virtual reality
Mixed reality media, i.e. virtual reality, augmented reality, etc. is helping companies take customer experiences to the next level and it has become amply clear with the success of Pokémon Go, IKEA’s mobile apps, etc. Hence, AR and VR have made their way into cross-platform app development as well.
Chatbots
AI-driven chatbots have long been a thing, especially in the context of websites and customer service. However, they are slowly making their way into mobile apps as well, thanks to mobile users’ growing demand for 24×7 customer service and other such provisions. This is what is driving the trend of chatbot integration in cross-platform app development to allow companies to offer distinctive conveniences other than just the ability to access customer service round-the-clock.
Integration with wearables
An interesting trend we expect to emerge this year is the increasing integration of wearables with app development. Then there are also the advancements the market has made in the context of IoMT (Internet of Medical Things), virtual reality, etc. — all of which serve to deliver a significant boost to the cause of wearables.
Security
This may seem a tad redundant to mention in this list but given just how lax some companies still tend to be about it, security deserves a mention. Anyway, let us cut to the chase: fulfilling just the basic requirements in the name of app security is not only grossly insufficient but also a huge breach of trust for modern customers. That behemoths such as Facebook, Uber, etc. too suffer from security breaches serves to show just how critical it is to maintain an intense focus on mobile app security. This is why a growing number of companies are taking things a step further and setting up individual cybersecurity budgets to not only help empower the app to deliver the best-possible security levels but also ensure compliance with appropriate regulations.
There is no denying that cross-platform mobile app development is here to stay and with reason: after all, it is a terrific development method that allows companies to build apps meant for various OS platforms in one go. Pretty neat, is it not? Indeed. However, much like every other technology and technology-based tool, cross-platform app development continues to evolve at a rapid pace.
This means in case you intend to leverage the true potential of this development method, it is crucially important to keep up to date with all the latest developments in the market as well as the many, many new trends that affect it, of course. The above list is a great place to start, but it would be a good idea to explore other trends as well. If nothing else, you can engage the services of a trusted custom cross-platform app development company to make sure that you can use the best of what this form of development has to offer.
A professional and security-oriented programmer having more than 6 years of experience in designing, implementing, testing and supporting mobile apps developed. Being techno geek, I love to read & share about the latest updates in technology including but not limited to IoTs, AI, application development, etc. In my free time, I like to play football, watch movies and explore new places. I have been learning mobile app development since 2012. With having a good understanding of programming languages, I develop native as well as web apps for both iOS & Android using latest tools & technologies. I am also having experience in both front-end & back-end development.
