Innovations Shaping the Mobile App User Experience

We know first impressions matter. Your customer’s first interaction with your mobile app is their first impression, and it can set the tone for their entire user experience.

User experience, or UX, is nothing new. Although the term was coined fairly recently (in terms of pioneering technology) by Professor Don Norman, computer scientists have worked collaboratively with psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists and other social scientists for years to further human-centric designs in technology.

That focus becomes increasingly important as technology takes center stage in our lives and particularly as our reliance on our mobile devices increases. If your mobile app isn’t delivering the first and long-lasting impressions your customers crave, it could be time for some software development updates to incorporate innovations shaping the mobile app user experience. Here’s a look at six:

• Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning & Augmented Reality
• Gesture-Based Navigation and Actions
• Biometrics
• Dark Mode
• Wearables
• 5G Technology

AI, ML and AR

While Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and Augmented Reality (AR) are all marked by differences, a combination can power your mobile app user experience to a new level. Google Maps offers up quick examples, such as with its Live View and eco-friendly route features. Incorporating a Voice User Interface (VUI) can allow for speech recognition. Using these technologies to learn your users’ behavior patterns can offer up customized and personalized experiences and enhance micro-interactions, resulting in increased customer satisfaction and retention.

Gesture-Based Navigation and Actions

Most mobile users have been “swiping left” for a while but consider incorporating other gesture-based actions such as tapping, dragging, pinching and moving. Incorporating this innovation into your mobile app can optimize screen space, leaving more room for valuable content. Gesture-based navigation is also intuitive and easy for most users to learn.

Biometrics

Like most criminals, cybercriminals go where they are likely to have success, and as hand-held device capabilities have expanded so have mobile cybercrimes. Security professionals long cautioned users against storing very private information, like credit card numbers, in apps and on websites – yet those are some of the features that enhance the user experience. The answer? Make hardened security easier through biometrics, which verifies the user’s identity based on physical characteristics such as facial recognition or fingerprints.

Dark Mode

While research regarding blue light exposure from computer screens is inconclusive, the Dark Mode experience is becoming more popular with the concerns of eye strain. We do know that Dark Mode can preserve battery life, which is also important to the mobile app user experience.

Wearables

Your customer went from the desktop to the laptop to the handheld. Now, many of them are wearing their technology. Just as you had to optimize your website for the phone, if you’re not working with a software developer and designer to optimize your mobile app for wearables you’re missing out – because your customer is missing out.

5G Technology

5G is here (at least in some areas), so if you haven’t accounted for it in your mobile app optimization you are already behind. With increased connectivity around 10x faster than what your user has now, expect your customers to want to take advantage of increased integration ability, or being able to run your app from the cloud.

Custom Mobile Apps Enhance Your Customers’ User Experience

You’ve worked hard to understand your customer and incorporate that feedback into your business operations. You can do that with your mobile app design as well, with a customized software solution from Flint Hills Group. The innovations listed here are just some of what’s possible, with more to come. Together, you and Flint Hills Group can transform the possible into the mobile app user experience that will move from a positive first impression to a five-star rating from your customers. Contact us to get started!