Mobile Apps revolutionise the digital sphere for the better. The apps help businesses make their presence relevant to customer needs and stay prominent amidst the competition.
But why do businesses need mobile apps?
Consumer behaviour is evolving faster than ever. Smartphones are an omnipresent medium in their daily lives and modify their activities. These users are mobile-device-dependent for necessities, shopping and staying connected with friends. They prefer performing digital actions at lightning speed and through a simple medium. This is where the benefit of mobile applications stands out.
To cater to the growing demands, industries are investing in bespoke mobile app development. These apps allow businesses to connect with their consumers effortlessly, irrespective of location. The need for these mobile apps applies to multiple industries in the digital domain.
In this article, we will explore the various industries that are the top benefactors of mobile app development.
We will also discuss the growth of the app development industry and what the future of mobile apps entails.
Overview of the Mobile App Development Industry
The mobile app development industry has witnessed exponential growth over the last decade. It is likely to grow further and offer plenty of opportunities to businesses in the foreseeable future.
The significance of mobile apps is reflected starkly in the digital landscape today. The number of smartphone users is rapidly increasing. Several businesses are turning to mobile apps to reach their target customers because of this growth.
With increased Smartphone adoption and technological advancements, businesses are leveraging mobile apps to enhance customer engagement, streamline operations, and boost revenue. The mobile app industry’s growth is evident in the surge of mobile app downloads, which surpassed billions across various app stores.
Location of app development companies in UK
Source: SlashData
In the United Kingdom, the mobile app development industry’s statistical trajectory for 2023-2024 is soaring high. The country is the linchpin in providing robust app development services to the global digital market. It aims at developing innovative and feature-rich apps for businesses and their consumers. By 2025, the app industry will be worth £30 billion and cater to a large customer base.
The industry will experience notable upgrades and changes to meet trends. The rise of AI-integrated apps, AR/VR applications, and the focus on user privacy and security is already shaping the mobile app development landscape.
In 2024, these features will become a must-have in business apps. The mobile app development companies in the UK will have to revamp their knowledge base and service packages to offer the best to the businesses.
Mobile App Development Market Size
The mobile app development market develops and designs mobile applications for businesses of various industries. As highlighted by the numbers, the app development market has expanded significantly. It showcases a robust network of services that continues to escalate in the UK and globally.
This steady growth of mobile app development is driven by several factors.
The increasing Smartphone penetration, the shift towards app-based services and the continuous demand for innovative solutions across diverse industries have enabled it.
Businesses need quality mobile apps to stay ahead in the competitive market and meet evolving customer expectations.
The market size reflects the immense opportunities for businesses to invest in app development. With quality apps, the owners can target specific niches and cater to evolving consumer preferences. As the market grows, investments in mobile app development continue to rise, indicating sustained expansion in the foreseeable future.
Industries Leading and Thriving with Mobile App Development
Not all industries look for the same development services during expansion. However, mobile apps can utilised in several sectors regardless of the business type. Applications can improve how these industries function and manage deliverables, keeping users at the top of the priority list.
Source: Statista
Here are the top 10 major industries that benefit the most and thrive with mobile app development
1. Retail
The retail industry takes the first place in utilising mobile applications. The majority of its processes are dependent on it. Retail mobile apps possess a distinct feature. It offers a responsive presence with user-friendly features that enable quick conversion.
If we look into the mobile app industry statistics, 63% of Smartphone users turn to mobile apps to make a purchase. The apps offer users with a personalised experience and product recommendations.
Dedicated mobile apps have revolutionised how users shop daily. Irrespective of strategies, apps offer a smooth communication medium and an enhanced shopping experience. Expert-built apps are also known for intuitive UI/UX designs. Those are visually appealing and offer ease of access and increased ROI.
For retailers, dedicated apps provide a robust system to run loyalty programs and rewards. It allows complete control and monitoring of incentives. Mobile apps also simplify integrating multiple payment options for a broader customer base.
2. Travel & Tourism
The travel industry in the United Kingdom is expanding exponentially, and mobile applications play a significant role in it. These apps allow tourist agencies to effectively promote their business; and offer comfort to tourists.
One major boon of mobile apps in the travel industry is the precise recommendation based on customers’ past data analysis. These apps collect all the data as the user progresses towards a conversion.
A study suggests that 30% of Smartphone users prefer a mobile device to search for travel packages and affordable flights. A large number of tourists are already present looking for exclusive deals. A business just needs a powerful travel application that is intuitive and user-friendly.
Today, the travel industry utilises mobile apps more than just for booking trips. It can offer weather alerts of specific destinations, precise maps with places of attraction, and essential spots like petrol stations, grocery stores, chemist shops, famous eateries and more. These apps also hold a collection of reviews and photographs to offer credibility.
A travel-based mobile app helps tourists make an informed decision about an itinerary beforehand.
3. E-commerce
The e-commerce industry was the first to embrace the functionality of mobile applications. Unlike retail, e-commerce stores do not offer in-store purchase options. They are heavily dependent on mobile apps and benefit the most from mobile app development growth.
Apps have made e-commerce shopping super easy, and the growing app development industry aims to make the experience better.
The apps today are effectively equipped to enhance user experience and improve conversions through a tailored approach.
Presently, several popular e-commerce apps have smoothly adjusted to people’s daily lives. There are a million e-commerce websites in the United Kingdom, offering a seamless shopping experience to 66 million Smartphone users in the country.
The users are inclined to their mobile devices for all necessities – groceries, essentials, home supplies, luxury shopping, apparel, and more. To make it better, these apps have access to other features of the device – camera, microphone, GPS and so on. These make the shopping experience far better than anticipated.
4. Finance
The Finance and the banking sector merged with the mobile app development industry, offers a powerful advantage. Present-day finance apps can manage consumer data, handle transactions and mitigate financial risks.
Finance is the most influential and vital department for consumers. The industry had to adapt to the changing consumer behaviour and invest in quality mobile app development. The apps enabled consumers to handle their finances at ease and make transactions in a jiffy.
These applications also offer immaculate security measures and aim to protect sensitive data.
For the finance sector, these apps were a convenient medium of productivity. Going digital was a cost-efficient move and strategically relevant to the present times.
Several finance sectors in London and other parts of the UK are readily investing in bespoke mobile app development to offer users the best experience.
5. Healthcare
Mobile app development has gained noticeable traction in the healthcare industry. The healthcare apps provide patients across multiple locations with the most updated services. One can encounter several telemedicine apps that deliver essential supplies to the doorstep. The apps are utilised by consumers to avail doctors, and other healthcare services on the go.
The mobile apps benefit the healthcare industry in multiple ways. Patients can avoid long queues in healthcare facilities and book an appointment at a preferable time. Some healthcare apps offer direct video consultations with doctors without travelling.
There are 350,000 healthcare apps globally available for users to download. This includes healthcare service apps, online chemist shops, exercise and nutrition apps, and more.
Over the years, several of these apps have gained mass popularity – especially apps related to women’s health, fitness, pregnancy-focused apps, etc.
6. Gaming
The mobile gaming industry revenue in the United Kingdom aims to reach 99 billion GBP by the end of 2023. The industry, in the United Kingdom as well as globally, is the most popular in utilising mobile apps.
The gaming industry caters to 31 million users in the country. It offers a fun and time-killing experience for all ages and genders.
The gaming industry is the trendiest in the digital space. On the surface level, these are just games developed to entertain users. If we segregate carefully, the games are divided across multiple genres.
There are racing games, shooting, multiplayer, learning and interactive games, and more. The gaming industry is aligned with pop culture references as well and readily develops games to attract users.
The gaming industry is not a new sector to utilise mobile apps. All these games are age-old. Each of the mobile games in the app store is monitored and updated accordingly by a reputable mobile app development company.
7. Fitness
Although fitness and exercise is a healthcare subcategory, it deserves special mention in the mobile apps sector. The industry has significantly transformed post the introduction of various fitness apps. The apps provide easy access to workout routines, meal plans, weight loss programs and more. There are personalised training programs available for users willing to go the extra mile.
The fact is undeniable – gym and fitness apps provide the much-required convenience and flexibility to users. They can opt for a workout routine that effortlessly adjusts to their schedule. These apps are cost-effective compared to a gym membership and compatible with multiple devices.
From a business perspective, fitness apps bring in more customers than a physical gym. With an app, showcasing available services and pricing is straightforward. Several businesses offer exclusive discounts to first-time joiners to stay ahead in the competitive market.
8. E-Learning
Learning and education through mobile apps is an economical and convenient choice. The education industry utilised mobile apps to the maximum during the pandemic era. Schools and colleges were completely shut down to mitigate possible contamination. However, learning continued through various applications.
Present-day students, from kindergarten kids to university fellows, find e-learning mediums flexible. The mobile apps can accommodate a comprehensive list of study materials and promote learning from everywhere.
As mobile app development companies enhance their services, learning apps are gearing up further with more features. These apps can provide students with personalised learning programs and one-on-one instruction tutorials.
Educational apps are especially fruitful for older candidates in course programs. Most educational course pursuers and distance learners manage education and a job. An efficient mobile app allows them to study at a preferred speed and schedule.
9. Job Portals
78% of candidates use a Smartphone or a mobile device to apply for a desirable job.
The recruitment industry has endless possibilities and opportunities related to mobile usage. If one explores the Play Store, there are innumerable job-searching apps. The apps allow users to explore the available vacancies based on skills and location. They can utilize these job portals to connect with recruiters.
The most lucrative feature of a job portal app is the Smart Notifications. A recruiter is immediately informed of new applications, irrespective of time and location. Similarly, the candidates receive swift updates of applications and recruiter messages. This overall system expedites the recruitment process.
Take LinkedIn, for example; it is the top-ranking mobile app that helps users search for jobs. The application allows candidates to connect with several multinational companies and leading organisations. The candidates can utilise the platform for sharing content and portraying skills.
There are several job-searching applications; only a few for searching candidates. The mobile app development industry is aiming to develop candidate searching portals for large-scale organisations. These apps will help in filtering out the skilled individuals for workplaces.
10. Social Media
We are not discussing how social media helps businesses in growth. The readers must understand – by social media, we mean how social media as a business has benefitted from mobile apps.
Remember the time when social media meant Facebook and YouTube and just that? It is no longer limited to Facebook, Instagram and the usual. There are other apps like Snapchat, TikTok, Pinterest and more.
The influence of these social media platforms is paramount in people’s lives. Social media today shows the world how to live, what to watch, who to follow, the current trends, etc.
People’s growing inclination towards social media dependency has increased over the years. This dependency is leading to the birth of a few more social media platforms.
Yes, the popular social media platforms have a web version, web apps and so on. But nothing can compete with their efficient mobile application. The apps are free from distraction, responsive, faster, and with unique features.
Take Pinterest, for example; it functions well as a Progressive web app. However, users will not get quick notifications or suggestions. The pin-saving feature in the mobile app is smooth, and several features cater to user expectations.
Mobile App Industry Statistics for 2024
If you are a business reading this and considering a mobile app for your trade, you must be aware of the industry statistics. This data will help you plan out objectives and decode success factors.
There are 8 billion people on Earth and 6.9 billion Smartphone users. Meaning, your business app can be utilised by 85% of the global population.
Amazing, right?
Over the decade, society has experienced massive digitization, and smart device penetration, including mobiles. Mobile devices are currently an essential entity.
To match the ever-growing market of mobile phone users, the industry skyrocketed the development of advanced applications. The businesses doubled their investments in mobile app development. However, despite the advancements, several businesses fail to succeed in the mobile domain.
The reason is not being aware of the market, its trends, user expectations and a thorough understanding of competitors.
This is what you must know as a growing business:
- There are 8.9 million active mobile apps.
- 3.5 million Apps are available on Google Play. 1.6 million Apps are available on the Apple App Store.
- Each day, almost 250 million app downloads occur.
- Android users spend 90% of their mobile time on apps.
- On average, a UK individual spends 4.2 hours on mobile apps.
- The topmost mobile app activity is texting or sending messages. Followed by this are emails, banking, and music.
These above stats, although minute, play a vital role in influencing business objectives.
The mobile app industry is growing rapidly. Ensure you grab the opportunities it offers for future businesses to leverage.
Mobile App Development Company Insights
Several factors cumulatively influence the mobile app development industry, such as trends, changing customer behaviour, technological upgrades, etc. The coming year will introduce some more advancements aligning with customer preferences.
For a web development company in London or other parts of the country, it is essential to stay informed of these trends. It ensures robust services to the clients and a sure-footed success in the domain.
As we are about to enter 2024, it is crucial to stay alert to the upcoming trends. Here is a quick list to keep in mind when availing of mobile app development services –
- The introduction of 5G networks will affect the mobile app industry.
- Beacon technology will be a prominent trend for mobile apps. It utilises low-energy Bluetooth signals to connect with close-range mobile devices.
- Artificial Intelligence will keep reshaping the app development arena.
- While Augmented Reality and Virtual reality are already trending, these will offer diverse use cases for businesses to explore.
Do you need to hire a Mobile App Development Company?
We have established the need for utilising mobile apps for success. Let us uncover the importance of mobile app development companies in the industry –
- Mobile App development projects are handled by industry experts and certified professionals. These individuals have the ideal market insights and industry knowledge to deliver optimum mobile apps. A professional mobile app development company offers hassle-free services with a goal-oriented approach.
- Like websites, mobile apps require round-the-clock maintenance to offer exemplary performance. A professional team of app developers provide essential support and accurate solutions. They can improve and enhance mobile apps with emerging trends and technological advancements.
- Getting a mobile app developed by professionals leads to reduced security and legal concerns. Launching an app requires adhering to various legal agreements, depending on the country. Similarly, it is essential to protect the app data from possible breaches. A reputable mobile app development company monitors both and develops effortlessly.
Mobile app development companies play a pivotal role in shaping the industry landscape. Key players in the mobile app development sector have transformed how businesses approach app creation, offering tailored solutions and cutting-edge technologies to meet diverse client requirements.
Apart from trends, these development companies adopt agile methodologies, cross-platform app development, and a focus on user-centric designs to deliver high-quality apps that drive business success.
Future Trends in Mobile App Development
The future of mobile app development in 2024 is poised for significant evolution. The emerging trends redefine user experiences and the industry landscape.
With elaborate research, here is a list of mobile app development trends to expect in the upcoming year –
- Touchless UI – It will allow users to interact with mobile apps without touching the screen. Some notable features like biometrics and authentication are touchless experiences. However, future mobile apps will be able to detect eye movement and enhance scrolling.
- Custom Apps for Foldable Devices – Several Smartphone brands have launched foldable mobile devices for larger screens. Mobile apps optimised for these large screens will offer a positive experience for users.
- Extended Reality – This trend gained popularity with the well-known mobile game ‘Pokémon GO’. Several businesses are investing in mobile application development with the XR (extended reality) technology to provide a similar realistic experience.
- 5G – It offers lightning-speed data and low latency allowing developers to build complex mobile apps that function seamlessly.
- Beacon technology – It utilises Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to connect and communicate with nearby mobile devices. Businesses can utilise this feature to offer personalised notifications to mobile users in proximity.
Adhering to the nature of the rapidly evolving mobile app industry trends, we can expect design modifications as well. Design principles focusing on minimalism and immersive experiences through AR/VR will influence the way users engage with applications.
The future of the mobile app industry promises enhanced user experiences and priority to data security and scalability.
Steady Business Growth with Mobile App Development
These industries mentioned are only a few from the massive spectrum of the digital space. Several other business niches can benefit from mobile app development.
The constant reason behind the skyrocketing of the mobile app industry is the user’s dependency on it.
The coming year, 2024, will experience several more industries exploring mobile apps to offer their consumers a streamlined experience.
Be mindful that mobile apps, like websites, require constant monitoring and adhering to trends and regulations to stay ahead of the competition.
Are you looking for mobile app development services in London?
Webskitters LTD. is a leading mobile app development company in London offering bespoke development services across multiple industries. Our team of app development experts will assist you through the various benefits the business can reap from a high-functional mobile app.
Get in touch with us for your first conversion-oriented mobile app!
