Smartphone Industry: What Is The Role Of Smartphones During COVID-19?

 

Besides chatting with a friend, scrolling endlessly through Instagram, and sharing memes on Facebook, the usage of smartphones has increased greatly during the pandemic.

In the times of Coronavirus, the usage of smartphones has become crucial. We have become completely reliant on our smart devices to perform various day-to-day tasks and keep a tab on all COVID-19 related updates.

Through this article, we would discuss some of the key ways in which smartphones can support in a scary situation like the viral pandemic. Here we go!

• Connecting Through Virtual Mediums

        

Social distancing is extremely important in order to flatten the curve of this deadly disease. Though we can’t hang out with our friends, with smartphones we can stay in virtual touch with our nearest and dearest. Video conferencing is a saviour in such difficult times as when we couldn’t step outside or hold social gatherings, it has helped a lot of people to combat the feelings of isolation and loneliness.

• Online Shopping

The usage of online e-commerce platforms has increased globally due to the fear and tension among people worried about getting exposed to this infectious disease. COVID-19 has changed the fundamental shopping habits of most people. Through smartphones, almost everyone has turned to online shopping for their essential goods and other needs rather than in-store shopping. It is easy, safe and convenient to shop online, a trend that will continue to boom even after the crisis has ended.

• Rise of Digital Payment

In order to reduce the transmission of the virus through paper, more and more people are switching to digital modes of payment. Digital payments are accessible and hassle-free. You just need to own a smartphone, internet connection, and any digital payment app like Google Pay, Paytm, PhonePe etc. to just tap and pay within seconds. COVID-19 has compelled everyone to go for cashless payments and it is definitely a great way to ensure safety.

• Mobile Gaming

With the shutdown of the entire nation, people reached out for online games to overcome boredom and it will continue to do so throughout the pandemic as we move towards “Unlocking”. As per an article from the economic times, time spent in mobile gaming has increased by a great extent during lockdown. Gaming is a great way to connect and spend some fun time with our family or friends. It is also a good choice to pass the time while staying cooped inside in a safe way!

• Contact Tracing Apps

Such apps are being used to slow down the spread of COVID-19. The Government has made it mandatory for office goers and non-essential staff workers to install “Arogya Setu” app in their mobiles to detect and reduce the potential risk of infection. Countries across the world are using such Coronavirus tracking apps that may work differently but serve the same purpose. These apps are a crucial tool to track the details of the people who came in contact with a Coronavirus patient.

• Smartphone-Based COVID-19 Testing

Many scientists and researchers are working on self-testing for the novel Coronavirus that can be used through smartphones. In fact, an Indian startup has already developed COVID-19 detecting app which is now undergoing clinical trials before being made available for the general public. These apps will make it a lot easier to quickly detect and reduce the spread of the virus.

Takeaway

Without any doubt, smartphones are a form of rescue in this unfortunate situation when we are forced to stay at home. While the outbreak of Coronavirus has impacted the production of smartphones, at the same time, it has also increased the demand for them to get through this difficult time. From staying occupied to helping us stay sane and safe, smartphones will continue to play a major role throughout the crisis.

How Is Augmented Reality (AR) Helping Mobile Apps to Grow?

Having a mobile app is the latest trend of almost every type of business, be it small or midsized. On top of that, businesses are also following every current digital trend that further helps them to expand their reach.

But, what’s grabbing everyone’s attention the most is the usage of modern technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) in mobile apps, which is transforming user experience and emerging as one of the best marketing strategies today.

Are you curious to know how? Read on to find out everything that AR is offering to mobile applications. 

What is Augmented Reality?

Augmented Reality is the superimposition of digital information like audio, video or image into the real world. As a result, these objects appear to be alive when you look at them through your smartphone camera. There are various types of AI that helps business to expand its reach.

One of the most used and famous apps amongst the younger generation, which has been running on AR for a long time is “Snapchat”. They’ve created filters such as a dog filter that creates ears and a nose on our face and ones that can change our voice like a baby or manly too. Isn’t it unrealistic?

AR is not limited to photo or video sharing platforms; it has already marked its presence with the immense success of games like “Pokémon Go”. If you have ever played this game or not, this game is all about catching Pokémon characters in backyards, inside player’s rooms, and beyond. Pretty interesting right?

All of this was possible due to Augmented reality, which technically tracks user locations and places Pokémon characters on their way to be caught.

There’s no doubt that AR has become a game-changer in the mobile app industry. Let’s read in detail to know how it may help your business to accelerate through mobile applications.

• AR Increases User Engagement

     

Online shopping is always troublesome for those who are unsure whether a particular product will suit them or not. Luckily, AR is breaking this barrier of online shopping and gradually easing the process from the customer point of view, as well as increasing the sales figure.

A major cosmetic brand called Sephora allows its users to try different shades of lipsticks, eyeshadows, blushes etc. on their face just by downloading their mobile app. This has helped the brand to keep its customers engaged for a longer period.

• AR Enhances User Experience

Comfort is the first and foremost thing that users get attracted to and IKEA, a multinational furniture company understood this well. Their mobile app lets the users try out their furniture without the need to step out of the house.

The IKEA Place app uses the technology of Augmented reality to allow users to visualize how particular furniture will look like when it is placed in their house. With this way, the process of shopping has become comfortable and easier.

• AR Improves Brand Reliability

Offering latest technologies and experiences to your users make them believe that your business is unique and adheres ongoing trends in technology. It helps to increase customers trust and loyalty towards your business, and using mobile apps equipped with AR will help to shape your business innovatively and be distinctive in the market.

• AR Boost Sales Figure

Using AR technology can help increase the sales of your respective brand/product. Know why?

Providing your services in an innovative and entertaining way increases the customer’s will to purchase the product. The user will be more attracted towards your product because it is informative, accessible, and unique than the rest in the market.

For example, imagine you are seeing how a pair of boots will look like in your feet via a mobile app. Wouldn’t it will be a lot easier to choose from numerous shoe types? 

Also, suppose you come across an ancient building and you are curious to know every interesting historic fact related to that establishment? What if you can get all of the information and many more that you desire, just by opening the camera on a certain app? Well, thanks to AR, it’s all becoming possible.

• AR Increases Users Reach

As discussed earlier, augmented reality transforms the process of online shopping and your business can reach a wider audience. Those people who were afraid to shop online before, are now finding the process easier because they can simply try out particular products like footwear, sunglasses, or makeup products via a mobile app in their comfortable pyjamas at home.

Final Thoughts

Augmented Reality offers a wide range of benefits for every business, be it entertainment, education, retail, gaming and many others for keeping customers engaged, and fulfilling several key goals of the business.

If you really wish to stand out from the rest of your competitors, it’s highly advised to take a look at the latest technologies like AR and see how it can help your business to grow. Just remember that your AR equipped app is simple to use and is contributing to making customer’s life easier. 

All the best!

The Future of Mobile App Development: IoT and Chatbots

Technology is constantly changing and so are the ways we interact with it. As you’ll soon see, so are the ways technology interacts with itself. For instance, when we made the move from desktops and laptops to smartphones and tablets, we gained a brand new way of interacting with it: through mobile apps that can do this, that, and pretty much anything you can think of. That was then. We’ve advanced A LOT since the first mobile app made its way into a mobile device; so much, in fact, that we are now seeing the emergence of new technologies that are impacting the future of mobile app development in a big way: IoT technology and chatbot technology.

The Future of Mobile App Development: IoT Technology

Let’s start with IoT, which is short for the Internet of Things. For those who are unfamiliar with it, IoT is basically a network of interconnected devices with humans thrown into the mix. It’s machine-to-machine communication in which devices connect with each other and the internet, which opens an avenue for A LOT. For example, pretty much every smart home device you can think of is possible because of IoT, and pretty much all of them can connect to a mobile device thanks to the internet.

In other words, whenever you turn on the air conditioner through an app, you’re using IoT. Whenever you ask Siri to turn the lights on or off, you’re using IoT. Whenever you’re checking up on your home security system while you’re on-the-go, you’re using IoT. In this way, every device in an IoT ecosystem is interconnected with each other through your mobile device and IoT integrated apps, allowing you to use it as a main interface to control all IoT apps.

Delving deeper into mobile apps for IoT, smart homes contain intelligent systems in areas like lighting, heating, air conditioning, security, cooking and even cleaning, and all can be programmed to receive instructions on how to behave from a smartphone or tablet. When you consider that the global smart home market is forecast to grow to $53.45 billion in size by 2022, up from $31.4 billion last year, you can see how popular these devices and apps are.

When it comes to IoT app development in the future, don’t be surprised to see brands make use of it even more so to improve their services and what they can offer their users. For example, imagine going shopping without actually “paying” for things, but rather simply putting things in a basket that’s connected to your phone, which automatically knows when products are taken or returned to the shelves and keeps track of them in your virtual cart. Actually, that’s already a possibility thanks to Amazon Go! Now imagine all the possibilities of what the future can hold.

The Future of Mobile App Development: Chatbot Technology

Another big change to mobile app development we’ve been seeing recently and will continue to see more of it in the future is the use of chatbots to interact with users in real-time. Unlike human representatives, chatbots can connect with countless users at once and help them all out with a good attitude. This is because chatbots are essentially computer programs that can be programmed to talk and act like a real person, and can be used as one as well. For example, if you’ve ever landed on a site and were instantly greeted by  pop-up in the bottom inquiring if you would like some help, that right there is a chatbot.

Though they are used in many websites, chatbots are more widely used in mobile apps, especially messaging apps like Facebook Messenger and Kik Messenger, or brand-owned apps like eBay and Pizza Hut. Used in this way, they can be a great helper to eCommerce businesses, who need only deploy a chatbot and let it do all the work while users interact with it and convert. Even better, they can be further modified and optimized by leveraging chat histories and relevant analytics to see what’s working and what’s not, which can lead to even more conversions.

As you may be able to tell by browsing your favorite app store or doing a quick Google search, bots are already used in practically every industry for many purposes. As we move forward, don’t be surprised to see even more businesses developing a chatbot app to uphold their strategies and reach their goals.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to the future of mobile apps, it can be safely said that IoT and chatbots both will be a big part of it. On the former, IoT allows us to connect more aspects of our lives together to create a seamless way of life that champions the very best of what life has to offer in terms of the smart home. On the latter, chatbots are quickly claiming a spot in our hearts as they help us out right when we need it most. If you’ve been thinking of venturing into mobile app development, suffice to say that both of these areas are ones you should be looking into.

Smartphone Technology Trends to Look for in 2019

        Source: omaghenterprise.co.uk

With the proliferation of mobile devices around the world, namely smartphones that come with digital assistants like Siri and Alexa that streamline our lives and make practically everything easier, it’s hard to imagine how mobile technology can improve even further than it has already. Well, whether we can believe it or not, it’s happening. And no, I’m not referring to displays that are getting smaller or larger, or headphone jacks that are disappearing in favor of wireless audio; I’m talking about actual smartphone technological innovations we’ll soon see, i.e. upcoming smartphone technology in 2019.

Before we begin, keep in mind that many of the tech trends we’re going to cover today are based in speculation and scattered reports with enough validity that they’re likely true. With that in mind, many big brands have already confirmed upcoming smartphones in 2019 and other tech upgrades they’re trying out. Let’s get started!

Smartphone Technology in 2019

As we place 2018 firmly behind us and move into 2019, it’s time to talk about a very hot topic many tech-enthusiasts cover every year: upcoming smartphone technology trends and their potential impact. So, will we finally see foldable phones that are truly foldable? What about 5G phones that run faster and have better coverage than anything we have today? Keep on reading to find out.

Multi-Camera Phones

While we saw an influx of dual-camera phones in 2018—phones with dual lense setups in which one took the pictures and the other captured the depth of field—to allow for camera features like portrait mode, 2019 seems prime for an expansion and the inclusion of camera options like wide-angle, telephoto, depth sensing and monochrome.

In fact, almost 42% of smartphones sold globally in July 2018 sported two or more rear camera sensors (27% increase in market penetration), a charge that was led by brands like OnePlus, Huawei and Apple. As for 2019 and beyond, we already have the Huawei P20 Pro, the world’s first triple lense camera, a patent by LG hinting at a smartphone with 16 lenses, and we even have a leaked photo of a Nokia smartphone with five rear camera lenses.

Source: androidauthority.com

5G-Enabled Phones

With Qualcomm introducing the Snapdragon 855 processor late last year, which will power most Android smartphones and allow them and others to connect to 5G networks that enable faster speeds and better coverage, it’s clear that 5G is soon to be mainstream. Keep in mind that it’ll take a while for this to happen—probably 2019 and 2020—so for now we’ll cover what’s expected in 2019:

● Apple: Nope, Apple doesn’t seem too keen on putting forth a 5G smartphone.

● Samsung: Samsung announced last year that they were working with South Korean telecommunication companies to release its first 5G phone, which will likely be part of the Galaxy S10 family.

● Google: Nope, Google doesn’t seem too keen on putting forth a 5G smartphone, BUT Verizon, who it’s been using as it’s exclusive carrier partner for Pixel phones, said it’s planning to roll out its 5G network this year.

● LG: In August of last year, LG confirmed that its first 5G phone will debut on Sprint in the first half of 2019, just as Sprint launches its 5G network.

● Huawei: We already know that Huawei’s first 5G smartphone is coming this year, likely before the end of June 2019, but it’s unlikely that it will be available in the US.

Foldable Phones

Will 2019 finally be the year of the foldable phone that’s not a flip phone, but an actual foldable phone? That’s what we’re here to find out. Starting with the concept of the foldable phone, this would entail a phone that can be opened up and folded at will, which would need dual displays with dual batteries. With that in mind, we already have some contenders who appear to be throwing their hats in the ring. For example, Samsung revealed the Galaxy X (or will it be Galaxy F?) with an “Infinity Flex Display at a developer conference, Motorola is apparently working on revamping the Razr as a foldable phone and was awarded a patent on a folding smartphone design that featured a heated central hinge that would “heal” imperfections in the OLED screen caused by bending, and LG appears to be debating whether to go the foldable route or take a detour and venture into optional second screens.

                                                                                             Source: digitaltrends.com

Final Thoughts

Out of all of the technological innovations we have, it’s sometimes hard to stay up-to-date with everything that’s coming out. That’s why today, we focused on something that most of us can relate to: mobile technology. Here’s what we covered:

● Multi-camera phones that allow for much more options when you want to snap a picture

● 5G-enabled phones that work much faster than any phone today, even in low-coverage areas

● Foldable phones that truly fold and unfold without screen imperfections

Enjoy what’s to come!

How Smartphones are Revolutionizing Business Growth

100 years down the line, if you were to ask historian what the biggest advancements of the early 21st century were, chances are very good that the smartphone will make the cut.

With almost 4 billion unique worldwide users, uses that number the thousands, if not millions, and the fact that over half of all internet traffic today comes from the mobile web, it’s clear that smartphones are taking over the role of “man’s best friend.”

There’s just no escaping it…businesses included.

But for them, unlike seeing smartphones as friends, they see them as opportunities for growth.

How to Use Smartphones for Business Growth

Apart from the general usefulness that smartphones bring to business in terms of mobility and 24/7 connectivity, the smartphone’s impact on business—the biggest impact—can be seen when you consider what makes them different than their normal counterparts: the “smart” that precedes it.

With that moniker comes the ability to use a multitude of applications, which come in various shapes and sizes that vary by use.

For example, you can have an app that allows you to dabble in the stock market, and another that lets you play Scrabble with people around the world.

More on the business side, smartphone business apps usually fall into two categories:

● Internal applications that benefit a company by streamlining tasks and creating more efficient work environments
● External applications that benefit a company’s customers, thereby benefiting the company itself through branding and loyalty perks, data gathering and, if an eCommerce, extra sales

After all, with increased productivity from internal apps comes business growth, and as we all know, a happy customer is a loyal customer (also key for growth), which external apps are excellent at fostering.

Internal Smartphone Business Apps

Starting with internal smartphone business apps to showcase how to use a smartphone for business, the key here is focusing on increasing productivity.

The good thing is that because applications can be programmed to do pretty much anything—helping employees throughout their day included—they can be used as tools to fix anything that’s lagging or needs improvement.

In this way, business growth comes internally, as employees are able to work harder and smarter, resulting in overall better company productivity and a better return on the business’ investment.

For example, you can create the following types of applications among many to improve your business’ processes:

● Customer Relationship Management (CRM) apps that help you manage customer relations
● Lead generation apps that help you identify potential customers
● Inventory management apps that help you keep track of everything

As to where or who to go to for inspiration, because these apps will be the tools your employees use as they go about their workdays to streamline tasks, improve efficiency and help the company run more smoothly, they’re the ones to turn to.

External Smartphone Business Apps

Unlike internal applications, the idea with external, client-facing apps is to present your company to your audience in mobile form to maximize interactions with them and make the most of them.
After all, considering that 71% of total digital minutes are spent on mobile devices, it makes sense that you’ll use mobile, their apparent preferred mode of communication, to connect.

In doing so, you’ll be turning your app into a marketing channel that works at all times of the day, and may even bring its own revenue if you can sell products and/or services through it.

However you choose to make use of external apps, some of their benefits are that they:
● Improve communication between you and your audience
● Provide information to your audience at all times of the day (even better if a chatbot is used)
● Present your offerings in a visual and convenient way
● Ensure loyalty through rewards and promotions
● Gather customer data and insights through usage statistics

More on the last point, one of the biggest benefits of client-facing apps is that they’re a literal goldmine of user data, including their browsing and purchasing habits, which is a great help when creating and tailoring marketing strategies.

The Current Smartphone Landscape

When it comes to growth through smartphones, though internal applications will give you much-needed help running things within the business, external apps are where true growth will come from.
For example, think of the 125 Million U.S. consumers who own smartphones and that, as of December 2017, 82% of online users in the U.S. used a mobile device for online shopping, with 35% being mobile-only online shoppers.

Apart from eCommerce, think of one of the main uses for apps: entertainment.

As it happens to be, the mobile entertainment market—comprised of games, videos, and music—is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 15% during the period between 2018 and 2023, with games generating $40.6 billion in revenue in 2017.

With these stats, it’s clear that pairing an app with an eCommerce business is not only the logical thing to do, but what will open doors for more sales to come through, and that putting out an entertainment app that gives your users new ways of discovering and viewing your content is exactly what they want.

Final Thoughts

With the ability to do practically anything through an app, smartphones are absolutely wonderful for businesses and consumers alike.

For example, while consumers gain a new channel to browse and buy products, or learn more about a company, businesses also gain a new channel, this time to sell to and connect with their audience, and the ability to create apps that streamline various processes.

Putting it all together, smartphones are definitely a “win’ for business.