Popular Industries To Develop An App For
There’s a reason ‘There’s an app for that’ became a famous catchphrase. It’s because apps (short for applications) are so pervasive that almost every activity you can think of can be done with apps. Want to order food? There’s an app for that. Want to time your 10k run? There’s an app for that. Want to learn a new language? Well, you get the idea.
And as smartphone users continue to increase, so do apps. Smartphones users are estimated to be almost 6.4 billion in 2021 worldwide. You can say that smartphones’ popularity is partly because of the number of useful and amazing apps, and you wouldn’t be wrong. There were more than 200 billion apps downloaded, and it’s showing no signs of decreasing. On average, there are 40 apps installed on a single smartphone. (1)
Do people rely too much on apps? Maybe so, but they do play a large part in a lot of people’s lives. Different marketplaces for apps are saturated with apps in various categories. And that’s mainly because consumers demand it. Also, apps are very effective when it comes to linking businesses and consumers.
Businesses will be remiss if they don’t take advantage of apps. In a world of 10-second sound bites, speed reigns. People want technology that wouldn’t make them wait. That’s why mobile apps are here to stay.
An Overview of Apps
Applications are a type of software or a computer program that performs a specific task. They can come pre-installed on your mobile device or computer, but you can also download and install your app of choice. It’s a piece of software, but strictly speaking, software is a group of programs with data or instructions that work with hardware to make the whole machine run. Apps are a type of software, but software can’t be called apps.
Apps are usually run on your device locally. But some apps can be run via browser. They can also be installed on electronic devices, like smartwatches and TVs. There are millions of apps in different categories, like entertainment, productivity, food, shopping, and many others. They’re usually available at various app stores, for free or for purchase.
Mobile devices today are part of the lives of billions of people, and as mobile phone ownership continues to rise, app installations have also increased by 31%. Visionary industry leaders are aware of the apps’ potential and have already taken advantage of the opportunities that these pieces of technology present. Mobile apps are a huge help to various industries and have made them known at the global level. (2)
It isn’t a stretch to say that apps have transformed the whole business milieu; the marketplace is now drastically different from the way it was in the 90s. The apps made the business world smaller and more personal.
Popular Industries That Benefit From Apps
Industries need apps now more than ever to reach out to their customers. For many, apps are the most convenient way of reaching a particular business. Industries that use apps not only make it easy for customers to reach them but also signals to others that they have joined the digital age. An industry that fails to adapt would have a hard time catching up to others. But most importantly, an industry that doesn’t have an app would be letting its clients down, especially for essential industries.
Here are a few popular industries that are worth developing an app for.
Healthcare Industry
Healthcare and fitness apps continue to be popular, especially in times of critical health concerns. Investments in developing healthcare apps that can improve patients’ self-management behaviors, as well as provide better services, are still an important initiative for healthcare providers. There are more than 400,000 healthcare apps available in app stores, but that doesn’t mean they’re all successful in giving consumers what they need. (2)
To make sure an app for essential industry checks all the boxes, here’s a detailed guide to developing a healthcare application. A well-made app could provide more than just convenience. It has the potential to improve the quality of life of people and may even save lives. At the basic level, healthcare apps could help them set up appointments, consultations through telemedicine, or review prescriptions.
These functions would seem pretty simple, but unfortunately, not many apps have successfully implemented essential features like these. Healthcare apps should be as user-friendly as possible, with functions like easy access to professionals, with the necessary information that patients can use. Healthcare organizations still have a lot of room for improvement when it comes to mobile apps’ potential. (3)
Education Industry
Mobile apps for education have been slowly gaining popularity in the last few years due to convenience and making remote education more affordable. Now, health concerns have pushed remote learning to the forefront, making it a key player in the education sector. Remote learning apps, as a result, have become not only popular but necessary.
Besides the ability to conduct remote classes, mobile educational apps have also integrated technologies such as augmented and virtual reality, making remote learning more effective and fun. Moreover, the use of interconnected gadgets across classrooms, including laboratories, plus the development of interactive educational apps have enhanced the modern learning environment. (4)
E-Commerce Industry
Customer service is always at the forefront of every business’s list of priorities. In the retail industry, customer service is the driving force of many innovations. Mobile apps, for example, play a huge role in providing the customers every convenience that this technology can offer. Apps are also faster than mobile websites; they can store data locally (on your device), so data retrieval is a cinch.
A mobile app integrated with virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR) can make shoppers visualize how a product—for example, clothes—would look on them before the actual purchase. VR and AR is also a valuable aid when buying furniture. You’d get an idea of how’d they look in your home. These are just some of the examples of why mobile apps can create connections between businesses and consumers.
And as the increase of mobile shoppers shows no signs of slowing down, the use of retail mobile apps has also increased. In 2020, they increased by 44% from the previous year, which indicates mobile customers’ engagement. Since the number of mobile apps across all industries, including retail, has also increased, a business’ e-commerce mobile app should stand out. (2)
Gaming and Entertainment
Mobile gaming is a billion-dollar industry and is expected to increase even more in the coming years. These gaming apps have something to offer for all age groups, so this industry is rife with all sorts of opportunities for developers, advertisers, and other stakeholders. Likewise, mobile entertainment apps also have their day in the sun.
Health concerns made home entertainment the only choice for most people; instead of going out to the theaters, they can stream movies, binge watches any TV series, or watch any sporting event on their mobile devices. Most of these apps also use geolocation, so providers can customize the content for users wherever they may be.
Food Industry
Mobile apps have effectively changed how restaurants and fast foods connect with their customers. For customers, this means they have the option of no longer standing in line to get in and no longer perusing printed menus – they can just order food and have it delivered to them. Mobile apps in the food industry aren’t limited to food delivery apps, however.
There are also mobile food apps that help you reserve a table at your favorite restaurant and guide you on what food to order. Some apps can help you cook a dish based on the available ingredients you have or help you manage your food intake if you’re on a diet.
What the food apps give to consumers is control over what, when, how, and where they eat. For restaurants and catering businesses, mobile apps make it easy for customers to order from. The food industry is huge, and for the mobile apps market, opportunities are practically endless, as proven by the increase in food apps available in various app stores.
Finance and Banking Industry
The finance industry is another industry that has benefited from the surge of smartphone ownership. The industry has invested a huge amount of money in developing apps that could help them keep up with the upsurge in online financial activities. Security has also become a huge concern for the numerous mobile finance apps. Security, convenience, and ease of use are the main features that consumers value.
Mobile banking apps make it more convenient to check financial records, pay bills, and take care of other tedious tasks usually associated with the phrase ‘going to the bank.’ In 2020, about 76% of Americans used a mobile app for these tasks, like depositing checks. Plus, as mobile apps are on your phone, those tasks are reduced to fishing your phone out of your pocket and pressing a few buttons. (5)
As with other apps featured in this blog, banking apps let you have control—in this case, control over your finances.
Apps can sometimes allow you to enjoy features that may not be available through conventional banking. Other apps in the finance category can even send you notifications to your phone in real-time about the stock market, enabling you to monitor your investment’s performance. For investors, this feature is valuable, as a prompt response to trends could be crucial.
Conclusion
Mobile applications have become an essential part of life in the 21st century. They have changed the way people live and have influenced the way they interact with the world. Industries recognized this as a very effective way of connecting with consumers, giving them greater control. Mobile apps prove to be more than just for convenience. In the case of healthcare apps, they can save lives.
The app’s popularity convinced late adopters to pay attention, as these apps made moribund industries exciting again and attractive to younger people. Especially in times of health scares, apps are extremely useful not only to businesses but also to consumers. Mobile apps are part of the disruptive technologies that have revolutionized the lives of people around the world.
This article has been published in accordance with Socialnomics’ disclosure policy.
References
- “App Usage Statistics 2021 that’ll Surprise You (Updated)”, Source: https://www.simform.com/blog/the-state-of-mobile-app-usage/
- “It’s back! Mobile App Trends 2021: A Global Benchmark of App Performance”, Source: https://www.adjust.com/blog/mobile-app-trends-2021/
- “Health apps track vital health stats for millions of people, but doctors aren’t using the data – here’s how it could reduce costs and patient outcomes”, Source: https://theconversation.com/health-apps-track-vital-health-stats-for-millions-of-people-but-doctors-arent-using-the-data-heres-how-it-could-reduce-costs-and-patient-outcomes-162575
- “How Android And iOS Apps Help Engage Students In eLearning”, Source: https://elearningindustry.com/how-android-and-ios-apps-help-engage-students-in-elearning
- “Digital Banking Survey: 76% Of Americans Bank Via Mobile App—Here Are The Most And Least Valuable Features”, Source: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/banking/digital-banking-survey-mobile-app-valuable-features/
