Few of the top Smartphone companies are heavily investing to offer consumers Foldable smartphone devices for a better user experience. These phones are already in the market and soon will be available at almost every store. These are believed to be a sure hit if you believe the signals users are sending after using these phones. Before these foldable smartphones are in the hands of every user App developers need to adapt quickly to provide applications that can support new changed screens and other functionalities. App migration is another area where developers would need to focus their minds on if they are not in a position to build a new application altogether.

However, new development may not face as stiff challenges as migration may, but still, there are a few challenges that even developers developing entirely new apps may need to overcome. These challenges can become stiffer for any mobile app development company because smartphone providers are offering devices with different folding options. Take for example Huawei and Samsung. These giants have come up with foldable phones which are already in the market but for an app developer, these are two different conditions for the screen to adjust because of different folding options.

Advantages of foldables

For android developers or custom mobile app development, one of the challenges in foldable phones would be to make the app switch from a single screen to an expanded screen seamlessly. The transition from a single screen to a fully expanded screen and vice versa needs to be seamless without even a flick. This means the app should be able to adapt according to screen size and should possess the intelligence of sensing change in different screen modes.

What makes it a bit more complicated is the different types of foldable options or screens supported by smartphone makers. Samsung is offering a device that has two screens, cover and main, whereas Huawei smartphones are coming with a single screen that can be unfolded to get a tablet-sized display. To overcome this problem all Android SDK provides is a measurement of screen size and adjustment of the display accordingly.

Multi-window

Developers need to put in some extra effort in order to manage multiple apps at the same time in a foldable screen device. The feature of running multiple apps at the same time is already there in Android but it was not introduced for smartphones, this is for large screens like LEDs. Right now android can manage multiple apps at the same time but keeps only one app active and remaining in dormant mode. With foldable phones, users would like to run multiple apps at the same time. With Android 10 SDK managing multiple apps is not a problem and can be managed.

The real problem arises and will need some development effort if these apps access any hardware resource like a camera simultaneously. Managing apps that access hardware resources and run at the same time calls for some changes in development methodology for a flawless user experience.

Resolution factor

To handle fold screens there is a need for different user interfaces. But even after having a different user interface different resolutions of screens that smartphone manufacturers are offering may pose some difficulty. Samsung and Huawei have hit the market with phones that have different resolutions for single and unfolded screens. The aspect ratio can vary from 21:8 to 1:1. Android 10 SDK offers support for a range of screen ratios.

QA of Apps for foldable phones

It is not just developers that are going to face some challenges because of foldable devices. Even quality analysts would need to gear up to test the functionality of apps across different devices offering different screen sizes, resolutions, and folding options. Although there are emulators that can help a tester to check how the app functions over different hardware specifications but to be sure of quality the real testing app should be run on as much variety of devices as possible.

With the arrival of foldable, there is going to be no change in the business logic of apps which actually saves a lot of repeated work for every Android development company. But any custom mobile app development company would need to do plenty of changes in the user interface. The advent of foldable phones is going to increase time and cost for every mobile app development company and eventually for end users. How much change in cost and time can be absorbed by companies and providers will be seen in the future and may even decide how well foldable smartphones venture into the market.

It is not just the cost of development but quality checking is also going to incur more costs while developing apps for foldable. With companies just beginning to launch their new devices in the recent future rush of new models with different options is going to flood the market. Changing models and screen resolutions are going to pose more challenges for developers and eventually for testers. All these are going to make apps costlier.

In the end, the impact of foldable phones is going to increase competition amongst manufacturers and will test app development companies for managing development cost-effectively. However, custom mobile app development is not going to pose any stiff challenge which may bring any substantial change in the process of designing and coding the apps. Experts even view how well app development is going to respond to foldable phones may prove to be deciding factor for the future of foldable phones.

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Mobile application development is going to change in a big way, not because there will be a serious change in the method of development but because the intrusion of new technologies that provide enhanced features that were literally unimaginable a few years back, will bring this tidal change. Now if you are a professional developer or need an app for your business it is vital for you to feel the pulse of mobile app development.

Any Big boy mobile app development company would offer features in apps that can be surprisingly cool for your business or service. But foremost is that you know what is best for your business and how you can use an app as a tool to generate revenue. If you engage any mobile app development company or any React Native app development company for instance to get an app developed, besides idea you should have a clear image of features you would like your app to have. The latest trends show that there will be quite a few astonishing features that will rule the roost in the coming 2020.

Blockchain

This is already categorized as a revolutionary technology that possesses the capacity to change the complete scenario of how apps will be used in the coming future. In 2019 itself this technology has stepped in and has proven its immense worth in a variety of industries. Food chains, banks, fintech, insurance, real estate, crowdfunding, healthcare, etc are already using this technology and gaining benefits.

• Blockchain with IoT
• Blockchain as a service
• Federated blockchain
• The above solutions are just the beginning this technology has the potential to offer much more in 2020 and later.

Artificial Intelligence

More AI integration in mobile application development will make apps smarter. The trend of AI inclusion in mobile apps will continue to grow even in 2020. In fact, 2020 may see the arrival of new AI-enabled services like AI-enabled chips and integrated machine learning. These features are bound to bring considerable change in the features of mobile apps. Right now one can see the disparity between users of AI-enabled apps. Some industries are pretty high in percentage use, while some are still out of the picture. This disparity is going to vanish very soon. The AI-enabled features with their efficiency and ability to reduce workload will bring a bigger wave of change in app development in 2020.

Beacon technology

Beacon technology right now has been picked up by companies for location-based and proximity marketing. Beacons are wireless transmitters that transmit signals using low-energy Bluetooth to smart devices available within a certain range usually mobile phones. The technology is simple but its usage can be immense. Experts this year have predicted that by 2024 beacon technology is going to surpass 24 billion in revenue. The technology runs on a simple concept. A beacon sends signals which are picked by the smart devices in proximity and get connected with the beacon. Once connected, the beacon can perform all sorts of functions it has been programmed to. Right now Google ad marketers are utilizing this technology and nearly 40 billion queries by android users pull from beacon-related content.

More use of AR and VR

These technologies are bound to come out of the gaming industry and take other industries by storm. Some of the industries that can emerge as major players in using AR are expected to be healthcare, advertising, marketing, and manufacturing. However, the scope of use of these technologies will not allow it to remain limited to just these industries. 2020 may see Augmented reality spanning across other industries and of course with few more amazing new features. Companies in flutter app development are already floating out mobile applications equipped with AR features.

Chatbots

If you are working with any mobile app development company or have engaged one for your app this feature is going to be fiercely important. People simply love the apps that carry chatbots and prefer to download such apps. In a study in the USA alone nearly 63% of app users prefer apps with a chatbot for its quick and precise answers. This feature is going to be a lot in trend in 2020.

Cross/hybrid app development

Any React Native app development company would be preferred for engagement over company experts only in native apps. Flutter app development is expected to be in trend in 2020 although it is newer than React Native but promises much more structured, reliable, and cost-effective development than other technologies. Some major players like Alibaba already have an app in a flutter. However whether any new like a flutter or already tried and tested technology like React Native, cross or hybrid app development will trend more as these technologies are now coming equipped with toolkits for iOS and Android-focused development. This gives hybrid apps functionality, speed, and reliability as good as any native app may have.

Cloud-based mobile apps

Integration with cloud computing enhances the performance of apps in numerous ways. The app can be accessed from anywhere which is a major plus for various sectors that need info in real-time from anywhere. More importantly, apps can use large data without compromising speed and size and also high-standard data security features. Most mobile apps are using AWS for their cloud computing backup. In 2020 development of apps that may come with cloud computing integration using services of other companies than AWS is expected to happen. Any Mobile app development company offering cloud-based apps will be able to offer its user more efficient apps.

Predictive analytics for better UX

Companies are going to utilize predictive analytics to improve user experience and it is also going to be a hot trend in 2020. Mobile apps use huge amounts of data, machine learning, and other techniques to predict future trends and happenings. These predictions enhance user experience considerably and this feature can be worth a million for a variety of industries in attracting customers and generating sales. There can be various other features that may trend in 2020 as this year is expected to be one of the landmark years in terms of mobile app development. Many new technologies have already earned the trust of developers and users and are now all set to make a big mark.

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