Top 4 Trends Shaping App Development this Year
Mobile app development is an ever-evolving field, and developers must keep up with the latest trends and technologies to create innovative and effective apps. Developers constantly rewire and rethink how applications are built, but 2023 is delivering a plot twist. For the first time in over a decade, companies seem to be favoring efficiency over innovation.
So, what are the trends and technologies that will allow developers to focus on innovation in a tougher economic environment and what should companies consider to help developers do their best work during an extraordinary year? Here are the top 4 emerging trends that will shape the mobile app development landscape. These trends will allow developers to focus on innovation in a tougher economic environment and help companies create an environment that supports developers to do their best work.
1. Developer Efficiency
In 2023, developer efficiency will be a critical trend in mobile app development. Developers will need to be able to create apps more efficiently and effectively to keep up with the increasing demand for high-quality apps. To achieve this, several tools and technologies are emerging that can help developers streamline their workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and reduce errors.
Datawire Technical Consultant Daniel Bryant kicked off his Cloud Native London talk saying that, as developers, “A lot of our jobs revolve around taking a good idea and turning it into value for our customers.”
One such technology is low-code or no-code development platforms, which allow developers to create apps without writing extensive code. These platforms leverage visual interfaces, drag-and-drop tools, and pre-built modules to simplify the development process. As a result, developers can create apps much faster, reduce the time and effort required to debug and test code, and reduce the overall development time.
Another technology that can enhance developer efficiency is DevOps. DevOps is a software development methodology that combines development and operations to improve the overall speed and quality of the software development process. With DevOps, developers can automate various stages of the software development process, such as testing, deployment, and monitoring. This automation reduces errors and increases the speed of development, enabling developers to focus on building new features and improving app performance.
2. Generative AI
Generative AI, a subset of artificial intelligence (AI) that involves creating new content, such as images, videos, and text, using algorithms, is another trend that will shape mobile app development in 2023. In mobile app development, generative AI can be used to create new app features, generate personalized content, and improve app performance.
For example, generative AI can be used to create personalized chatbots that can respond to user queries in a natural language format. It can also be used to generate new product recommendations based on a user’s purchase history, search history, and other data. This technology can help companies improve user engagement and provide a better user experience.
Recently Robert Nishihara, the co-founder and CEO of Anyscale, the company behind the open source platform, Ray (the distributed machine learning framework being used by ChatGPT) noted on Twitter that “training and serving foundation models are some of the fastest growing use cases we see” on Ray and Anyscale. A foundation model is an AI model trained on broad data and at a massive scale, with the goal of using it for many different types of tasks. It’s a relatively new phenomenon, with OpenAI and Stable Diffusion helping to popularize the technique in the last couple of years.
3. Passkeys
In 2023, Passkeys will be another critical trend in mobile app development. Passkeys are a new type of authentication technology that allows users to log in to apps using biometric data such as facial recognition or fingerprint scanning. Passkeys offer several benefits over traditional password-based authentication, including enhanced security and convenience.
“The Passwordless Authentication Report 2023” delves into key technologies like passkeys that are driving the growing popularity of passwordless authentication, particularly with the adoption by tech giants such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Companies feel more secure when using passwordless authentication methods and are able to provide an improved user experience that supports their overall conversion rates. The report also covers the current state of the industry, user and device adoption rates for passwordless authentication.
With Passkeys, users no longer need to remember complex passwords or worry about password-related security breaches. They can simply use their biometric data to log in to their apps securely and quickly. This technology can improve the overall user experience, reduce the risk of password-related security breaches, and enhance user trust in mobile apps.
4. Cryptographic Advancements
The final trend that will shape mobile app development in 2023 is cryptographic advancements. With the increasing need for app security and data privacy, developers must incorporate advanced cryptographic techniques into their apps. Cryptographic advancements will enable developers to build more secure apps that protect sensitive data from unauthorized access and ensure the integrity of data in transit and at rest.
One of the most significant cryptographic advancements that will impact mobile app development is homomorphic encryption. Homomorphic encryption is a technique that enables computations to be performed on encrypted data without decrypting it. This technique allows developers to build apps that perform complex computations on sensitive data while keeping the data encrypted and secure.
According to Global Market Insights, the global market size of homomorphic encryption reached around USD 150 million in 2021 and is set to depict a CAGR of over 9% through 2030.
Another important cryptographic technique that will impact mobile app development is post-quantum cryptography. Post-quantum cryptography is a set of cryptographic algorithms that are resistant to attacks from quantum computers. As quantum computers become more powerful, traditional cryptographic techniques may become vulnerable to attacks. The goal of post-quantum cryptography (also called quantum-resistant cryptography) is to develop cryptographic systems that are secure against both quantum and classical computers, and can interoperate with existing communications protocols and networks making it crucial for securing sensitive data in the future.
And although the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) doesn’t expect to publish a standard of use for commercial products until 2024, organizations could start preparing for the transition now by following the DHS Post-Quantum Cryptography Roadmap.
Conclusion
In 2023, the trends of developer efficiency, generative AI, passkeys, and cryptographic advancements will shape the mobile app development landscape. These trends will allow developers to create apps more efficiently and effectively, improve app performance, enhance user experience, and enhance app security.
As the mobile app market continues to grow, companies must provide an environment that supports developers to do their best work. This includes investing in the latest tools and technologies, offering training and development opportunities, and creating a culture, like we have at Bryj, that values innovation and creativity. If your company is ready to its next digital step, talk to an expert and learn how your business would benefit from a high-quality app.
