As mobile app usage increases over the years, we’ve seen iOS take a dominant role in the mobile apps industry. Discover where the future is heading for iOS development in today’s article.
In this fast-paced world of technology, there’s no doubt that mobile has taken a significant leap to prominence. Who would have thought that mobile will one day dominate the industry, overshadowing earlier technologies that were once popular?
Hence, businesses were quick to discover these changes and get on board with their mobile presence. As a result, this exponential growth in mobile consumption led to strong demand for mobile developers.
As it stands toe-to-toe with Android, iOS continues to soar in the mobile app development industry. Today, Apple’s App Store boasts 1.85 million apps for its iOS users.
This staggering number should convince developers to hone in on the latest iOS trends. Doing so will help them stay competitive in the mobile app market. Let’s look at the top iOS development trends to keep a close eye on in 2020 and beyond.
iOS Development Trends: 2020 and Beyond
SwiftUI
One of the top trends in iOS app development is the SwiftUI. It’s a user interface toolkit that allows developers to create UIs across all Apple devices using the Swift programming language. Additionally, the SwiftUI integrates with Xcode design tools to synchronize all code and designs seamlessly.
The Swift syntax is declarative, so writing and reading the code is easy and comes out naturally. With a declarative syntax, you simply say what SwiftUI should do. This tool will then work to bring out the results when a user communicates with it.
Additionally, this declarative style is perfect for sophisticated technology like animation. With just a few lines of code, you can add animation using ready-made effects. The system keeps the movements smooth and manages any disruptions, keeping the app stable and functioning.
SwiftUI can work across the Apple ecosystem like iOS, tvOS, watchOS, and macOS. It’s also native, which means that apps have access to technologies in each platform with fewer code and more interactive designs.
Internet of Things (IoT) Apps
While IoT isn’t exactly a new technology, it still is a ubiquitous part of our digital lives. After all, the Internet of Things is the gateway for users to interact with smart devices. Today, more and more developers build iOS apps that can connect with devices through the Internet.
Healthcare, fitness, and electronics are some industries that have reaped the benefits of IoT in their iOS applications. By now, you’ve probably seen the influx of fitness wearable devices. iOS apps powered by IoT technology will continue to revolutionize how people track their health and fitness routines through their smartwatches and phones.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Today, more and more industries are fully embracing the benefits of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This highly versatile technology has made strides in the world of iOS app development. It includes subsets of technologies such as Machine Learning (ML), Deep Learning (DL), and Natural Language Processing (NLP).
With its capabilities to think logically, businesses have better insights and analysis rooted in experience. AI paved the way for companies to understand behavioral patterns, user input data, search recommendations and so much more.
With Core ML, iOS app developers can easily integrate the machine learning model. This allows them to develop applications with better features using only a few lines of code. You can add ML features such as object detection in videos and images, speech recognition, natural language analysis to the mobile app.
Thanks to AI and ML, iOS users can expect Siri to provide more accurate and reliable answers and solutions. With the recent improvements, Siri can better understand the user (location, device usage, etc.) and provide precise recommendations based on data gathered.
Top-Notch Security and Privacy
In 2020, improvements in privacy and security protocols remain a solid iOS development trend. Apple built its reputation known for its high-level security and strict compliance policies. These strict protocols ensure that nefarious individuals can’t breach their devices.
Hence, Apple provides its users with a secure and private environment. It zeroes in on cyber-attacks and breaches that continue to be a worldwide problem for users.
As an example, Apple uses ASWebAuthenticationSession to improve the OAuth sign-in process across different iOS devices. This manages site data and cookies when signing in. It also enables devices to use authentication services such as password managers (LastPass, Dashlane, etc.)
Augmented Reality
Another pivotal trend in iOS development is Augmented Reality (AR). ARKit is Apple’s augmented reality platform for iOS mobile devices. It allows you to add animated 3D objects and characters to an AR environment on an Apple device.
The ARKit includes features like camera scene capture, motion tracking, scene processing, and display. You can create all kinds of AR experiences through the front and back cameras of an iOS device.
Recently, Apple unveiled Arkit 4, its latest AR app development kit. It’s currently in beta and introduces a feature called Depth API. It provides a new way to get detailed depth information on the iPad Pro. It also features:
- Location Anchors – for AR experience on specific geographic points
- Expanded Tracking Support – face tracking support extends to the front-facing camera on any iOS device using the A12 Bionic chip and earlier.
The Future Looks Bright for iOS Development
In summary, these trends in iOS development brought meaningful innovations to how we build and use mobile apps. iOS developers should be aware of these technology trends to build a seamless user experience.
IoT, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and Augmented Reality are a few of the innovative technology they can hone their expertise on. As you can see, everything is coming up roses for iOS, so expect more exciting things from Apple.
If you’re searching for an iOS developer who: (a) understands these trends (b) has the technical chops to build an iOS app, then we’ve got great news for you. At Full Scale, we bank on our tech experts to develop mobile applications that drive growth for our client’s bottom line.
Also, we have a team of project managers, web designers, and content writers to bring the best well-rounded results for your business. So, reach out to us, and let’s get started on your software project.
