5 Ways iOS App Development Will Change in the Next 5 Years

Phones are constantly changing human behavior. People are used to carrying them everywhere and tapping on screens to meet various needs. They quickly adapt to new features. Smartphones are here to stay, but their form and function will continue to evolve rapidly. How you use your iPhone apps may be significantly different in five to 10 years.

If you keep up with the news or own the latest gadgets, you probably have already seen some of the iOS app development trends that are shaping the future. It’s not a big secret that AR and VR are widespread, and that artificial intelligence is reshaping technology on a wider scale. The world is becoming more connected. Our phones will remain our most important personal devices, but they will be constantly redesigned to embrace new technologies and allow for greater interconnectivity with more devices.

Here are five innovations iOS app developers are keeping in mind while designing future iPhone apps:   

(Storyblocks: Development On Screen Shows Technology Updates)

1. Augmented Reality

Augmented reality has revealed a sampling of what it can accomplish with the latest ARKit feature for iPhones. iOS developers introduced the AR platform that connects the real and the virtual world by letting users play with virtual features that can be projected onto the real world. At the moment, the iPhone AR features are very limited. For example, iPhone 11 provides measuring tools you can apply from your smartphone to the world around you. In the next five years, we will see more variations on this technology for users, who may be able to make to-do lists, perform Google searches or play games while strolling on a sidewalk with a set of Apple glasses.

2. AI and Machine Learning

The intelligent voice assistant in your iPhone will soon improve by leaps and bounds. As machine learning progresses, you will be able to let Siri run your full daily schedule and perform complex functions wherever you go. When it was launched, the Siri app got mixed reviews, but many now see it as an indispensable tool. Upcoming iOS app development efforts will integrate Siri with a variety of other iOS apps, further enhancing its functionality.

3. New iPhone Design Will Redesign Apps

Instead of designing for features, some iOS app development trends (and mobile app design in general) point to designing for systems as a new priority. An ultra-thin phone with no buttons, a long-lasting battery, and wireless charging will completely change how apps look and function. Processors will be more powerful and the 5G network will provide ultra-high-speed internet access. Since a number of other features will be a part of your iPhone, iOS app development companies will have to keep in mind the increasing complexity of a device that serves as a camera, an authenticator and a router, among other functions. In a nutshell, iPhone apps will have to be carefully designed to enhance some  iPhone features without interfering with others.

4. Flexible, Brighter, Energy-Saving Displays

The small mobile screen will become increasingly dominant over its tablet or desktop counterparts. Although we probably will always have different screen formats, big screens will get even bigger and mobile screens may get larger or smaller depending on the latest technology and trends. Mobile screens may soon become flexible and virtually unbreakable. Responsive design could soon be three-dimensional. Materials will become more resistant to water and other types of abuse. OLED is already making an important impact on user experience and energy savings, and MicroLED technologies could greatly enhance screen quality in the near future.

5. Adopting Universal Apps

Current iOS development projects generally follow two separate pathways. Mobile apps take one. MacOS apps take a different path. Though probably still a few years away, an integrated Apple OS could enable universal apps that function on multiple devices.

Even if these trends or predictions don’t pan out exactly as described, it’s important to keep in mind that our phones will still be our most important tool to connect. Because of wider IoT adoption and practical new IoT solutions, we will most likely soon be using apps that automate a number of processes, potentially making our lives simpler and maybe even less stressful.