Forecasted Trends for Mobile Applications in 2018

In the dynamic world of technology, 2018 was a year marked by significant shifts in the mobile app landscape. Here's a rundown of the key trends that shaped the mobile app industry last year.

The media, music, and entertainment categories experienced a 43% annual growth in 2017, reflecting the increasing popularity of streaming services and social media platforms. This growth was mirrored in the global consumer spending in app stores, which was expected to cross $110 billion in 2018.

One of the most notable predictions for 2018 was the dominance of phablets in the device category for mobile app usage. These larger-screened devices offered a more immersive user experience, making them favourites among users.

Blockchain technology made its way into various apps across industries such as Real Estate, Healthcare, and Payment in 2018. Companies like Coinbase, Ripple, Paradigm, Blockchain.com, and Solana, focused on blockchain infrastructure, finance, and decentralized applications, were at the forefront of this innovation. Venture capital firms such as CV VC and Placeholder were also active in funding blockchain startups during this period.

The app session growth activity declined to 6% in 2017, compared to 11% in 2016. However, this didn't deter the demand for Android app development companies, which saw an increase due to the introduction of Instant Apps.

Web browsers accounted for 16% of the session time on mobile devices in 2018, while gaming apps accounted for 3.7%. Independent publishers also benefited from changes in the Play Store and iOS Store, gaining greater discovery opportunities.

The overall time spent in the social and news category decreased, while it rose for the travel and sports category. This shift in user behaviour was indicative of changing preferences among smartphone users.

In 2018, there was a greater acceptance and shift from Native Apps to PWAs (Progressive Web Apps). Brands were investing in PWAs, experiencing faster page load times, greater conversion rates, lower bounce rates, and higher page session times.

The demand for video streaming apps continued to rise in 2018, with major players like Netflix, Snap, and Disney investing heavily in the category. Users now spend more than 5 hours on their smartphones daily, with a changed behaviour that divides their time between new and old app experiences.

Finally, nearly half of device sessions in 2018 were expected to start with communication apps, underscoring the importance of these apps in shaping user behaviour and app trends. Utility apps like App Stores, Contacts, and Gallery were also expected to account for 10% of the total session time on mobile devices.

In conclusion, 2018 was a year of significant changes and innovations in the mobile app industry. As we move forward, it will be interesting to see how these trends continue to evolve and shape the future of mobile app development.