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.
