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!