Android App Development Trends in 2022

1. Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence

There have been attempts to create artificial intelligence for a long time. And now this technology is prevalent. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are already embedded in many of the applications we use every day. Voice assistants, search engines, smart homes are all developed based on AI technology. Have you "played" with Face App and tried to change your appearance? Well, these exciting aging and retouching mechanisms that blew up the Internet use artificial intelligence. Popular platforms such as Netflix, Facebook, and Linkedin analyze user preferences and, based on it, show them the most interesting content. They can self-teach, tracking what the user liked and disliked, and as a result, they give more accurate and high-quality results each time. 

More than 87% of startups believe that adopting AI will bring a competitive advantage. And it is true, the number of AI-based applications is growing exponentially. The global GDP is expected to reach $15.7 trillion by 2030 as a result of AI products. So if you want to excel, artificial intelligence with machine learning is a must-have for your product. 

More AI-based Android Apps:

1. Prisma. The app uses a neural network to transfer an artistic style to a photo.

2. Google Maps. Perhaps this application needs no introduction. It uses AI mechanisms for top-notch navigation. 

3. Tinder. A popular dating app that provides the most suitable candidates based on the analysis of user actions.

2. Chatbots and Google Assistants

This Android app development trend is a logical continuation of the previous one. Chatbots and voice assistants have already become classic examples of artificial intelligence.

According to research published by the International Journal of u- and e-Service, Science and Technology,  “chatbots are one of the most elementary and popular examples of intelligent Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).”

They work successfully wherever the business communicates with the user directly. And this is not the only benefit that chatbot development can bring to the table.

In 2020, 41.3% of consumers said they used chatbots for purchases, while in 2019, there were just  17.1% that were willing. Chatbots allow you to provide better customer service while reducing maintenance costs. If you want your business to stay connected 24/7, you need to implement this technology.

In 2021, chatbots will become even smarter and more capable of complex operations to improve the user experience on Android apps. 

Being powered by more advanced AI algorithms, embedded chatbots will be able to make smart choices  - for example, suggest the best outfits (H&M chatbot already does) or plan travel itineraries in your favorite messenger (like Eddy Travels).  

In other words, users will get even more useful interaction with chatbots, carried out using voice.

Popular Chatbot apps:

• Starbucks Barista. The application allows users to order any drink before they even arrive at the establishment. It is very convenient and saves customers time.

• Facebook Messenger. It is the largest platform with over 300,000 active chatbots. The app was created specifically for businesses of any kind to help them get closer to their customers. 

• Hello Hipmunk. It is an AI-powered chatbot that helps you plan your travels. Hello Hipmunk can buy the tickets, book a plane, search for the best offers, and much more as if she were a real assistant.

3. Kotlin Multi-platform in Android Development

Multi-platform Development with Kotlin is one of the technical Android app development trends for 2020. However, to understand the essence of this trend, you first need to understand the nature of Kotlin and the advantages that this platform provides for native application development.

Kotlin Multi-platform solution makes the most sense when you develop two native applications at the same time - for example, for Android and iOS. When two different teams are working on the application, they may come up with entirely different approaches to solving the user's problem, which means that the user experience on the two platforms will be too diverse. 

Kotlin Multi-platform allows teams to work in closer collaboration and reuse already created pieces of the code. Developers create a standard part of the application using Kotlin and then complement the experience with a design and feature specific to the operating system. 

In practice, this significantly saves time and resources, improves collaboration between teams, reduces the number of bugs, providing users with a fresh native experience - both on Android and on any other operating system.

Best Android apps that use Kotlin:

• Pinterest. This is a popular social network filled with cozy and beautiful pictures. Initially, the application was created in Java, but later it was ported to Kotlin, which allowed it to become more productive and easier to maintain. 

• Evernote. It was also originally created in Java. It made it possible to organize and maintain personal notes effectively. Now it is another product that is successfully using Kotlin. 

• Coursera. This application serves users from all over the world to take various courses and develop their skills. The application is based on Kotlin, which allows it to handle heavy loads efficiently. 

• Uber. One of the best taxi booking apps available in 69 countries. The Uber development team notes that the application performance has improved significantly since the Kotlin adoption.

• Atlassian | Trello. This is an excellent task manager that is used by businesses of all sizes. Although the original application was written in Java, the developers note that new parts are being developed with Kotlin.

4. On-Demand Applications

The use of sharing economy, on-demand applications with the most popular operating system to access all the necessary services in a few seconds is a perfect match that has shaped one of the most influential Android development trends in 2021.

On-demand applications are used successfully in many industries. It can be software for planning daily tasks, booking tables in a restaurant, delivering groceries, and so on. Their advantage is that they analyze the user's location and offer the nearest services, such as Google Maps or Uber.

One of the most popular apps, Postmates, is available in over 2,900 American cities. It allows you to order food, meals, and other goods from nearby restaurants.

What is more, when considering the technical side of the issue, Android becomes a better choice for developing on-demand applications than iOS. There are several reasons why this is the case.

• A simplified application publishing procedure. It is quite challenging to promote an application in the App Store compared to Google Play. Besides, the on-demand use specificity is that the user should be able to satisfy a request immediately. The development of on-demand apps for Android allows you to reduce the time to market.

• Multilingual support. Android supports over 100 languages, compared to 34 by iOS. Thus, Android becomes an excellent operating system for scaling business, bringing it to the global level, and reaching Android users worldwide.

But when you need to create two native on-demand apps (for Android and iOS), the process becomes even more straightforward and optimized with the Kotlin multi-platform solution.

5. Internet of Things

The Internet of Things is no longer a gimmick, so this year Android developers will be looking for ways to improve the user experience and data security when working with IoT. And better yet, it becomes more comfortable with Android.

It is expected that there will be over 75 billion active IoT devices by 2025. At the same time, the building of such products does not require serious effort since the developers can use Android SDK and Android Studio. It provides access to the phone’s internal devices, like a camera, or integrates with third-party APIs to expand product capabilities.

By leveraging popular hardware platforms like the Raspberry Pi and publishing code to devices with the help of the Android Things Console, IoT app development becomes faster and more straightforward.

You surely need to take this trend into account as it encompasses a vast area of ​​human life. 

According to research published by the Journal of Computer and Communications: “The IoT aims to unify everything in our world under a common infrastructure, giving us not only control of things around us but also keeping us informed of the state of the things.”

Smart cities, parking, homes and offices, connected cars, and wearable health devices are promising areas for development and investment.

Best Android IoT apps:

• Raima Database Manager. It is the world's largest embedded database for IoT devices that process queries in real-time. It allows you to run project files in minutes and scale with additional hardware. 

• Vialatm. It is a GPS tool for vehicle fleet tracking. The app provides convenient features and easy integration with IoT platforms. You can receive real-time notifications, track vehicles, and easily integrate with your internal systems. 

• Manage Petro. The main functions of the product are related to fuel delivery. It also provides opportunities for convenient creation of an order, instant processing, documentation, and even office management. 

• Blynk. The system allows you to connect IoT devices to the cloud, manage them, collect data and analyze large arrays. It also provides capabilities for data and performance management and visualization. 

6. Android Instant Apps Development

The vast number of applications on the market has led to users becoming tired of installing and uninstalling the application after the first use. According to statistics, 21% of users are doing so. Instant Android apps have a goal to zero this indicator. 

The essence of this approach, and one of the latest Android app development trends, is to let users test the app without installing it. It is a kind of demo version that requires much less time and money to be created. 

Thus, business owners and project initiators gain a considerable advantage. It's like creating an inexpensive but working MVP and getting feedback from your target audience for free and instantly! Expectations are that in 2021, and beyond, both companies and users will benefit from this advancement.

Popular Android instant apps:

• Skyscanner. An indispensable travel app. It scans all air tickets in a given direction and offers them to a user. The application also highlights the fastest, cheapest, and most expensive options.  

• NYTimes Crossword Puzzle. An excellent entertainment app that provides users with fresh puzzles every week. You can find mini crosswords, sudoku, spelling bees, and much more.

• Buzzfeed. This application is a news portal developed by a popular internet media company. Here users can find an overview on a wide range of topics, from international politics to television series and creative workshops. 

• Onefootball. A Berlin-based football media company developed this product. The application provides live results, statistics, and news from 200 leagues. 

• Red Bull TV.  It is a free channel that is available worldwide. It distributes digital videos of various kinds with entertainment content. 

7. Virtual and Augmented Reality

Virtual and augmented reality is a technology that has gone beyond the gaming sphere. Leading auto manufacturers are using this technology to create smarter designs for their vehicles. Medical students are using AR-powered Android apps to hone their surgery skills, and world-leading retailers utilize the technology to show the users how a product will suit them. IKEA has implemented the latter approach. With their AR mobile app, a user can see how a piece of furniture will fit their interior.

Best Android VR and AR apps:

• Fulldive. It is a stunning virtual reality platform that provides over 1 million videos with 360-degree viewing. You can see what your friends are watching, share interesting content with them, and visit places you have never been before.

• Ink Hunter. A cool app for anyone wanting to get a tattoo. With it, you can see how it will look on your body before you actually do it. Users can choose from a vast catalog of templates or upload their own designs. 

• Google Translate. An indispensable application for anyone who is going to travel. Don't know what is written in front of you? Just point your smartphone at the text, and you will see the translation right on the screen. 

• SketchAR. If you have always dreamed of learning how to draw, then this is precisely what you need. You can repeat the technique step by step and see how the painting should look on canvas. 

• Google Arts & Culture VR. All art lovers have appreciated this app. Now you can visit virtual tours of museums or galleries from the comfort of your home. Change the scale to see any details, and listen to the curators right in the application. 

As for VR and AR as recent trends in Android development, in 2021, we will see even more applications based on this technology, and not all of them will be designed to entertain users like photo filters in Snapchat. Augmented and virtual reality technologies can save money and effort, for example, when used in medicine or aircraft construction. We will see more uses for AR and VR as the technology potential unfolds and expands.

8. 5G

As you can see, new trends in Android development are very closely related to each other. For example, it would be extremely inconvenient to use an AR-powered application without high-speed data transfer technology. 5G networks are going to solve this task. By 2023, the number of 5G connections is expected to surpass one billion. For comparison, this figure reached only 10 million in 2019.

Therefore, you should not be surprised if Android developers start creating applications taking into account the technical capabilities of 5G networks, the most advanced data transfer technology.

9. Android Jetpack

The next powerful Android development trend is the Jetpack. It is a set of tools, guidelines, and libraries for creating advanced applications. It helps to simplify the process of creating applications, making the work of developers easier and faster. It includes 4 main components: architecture, UI, foundation, behavior.

Android Jetpack components:

1. Architecture. It is intended to use various elements to design reliable and easy to maintain products.

2. UI. Allows you to make the application user-friendly through built-in widgets and assistants.

3. Foundation. It expands development capabilities, offers testing and integration features with Kotlin. 

4. Behavior. These services aim to provide additional functionality such as notifications or permissions. 

By providing clear and understandable documentation, Google allows you to start using Android Jetpack almost instantly. Its popularity will only grow in the near future, as it is continuously being supplemented with new features. 

10. Beacon Technology

The final one on the list of trends in Android app development is a technology that allows businesses to become more attractive and ordinary users to receive even more useful information. These are the so-called beacons.

Beacons transmit information to the user's smartphone as soon as they pass the sensors wherever they are installed. For example, you have a clothing store and want to report about discounts. Having beacons, when customers walk past the store, the phone will automatically display the necessary notification on the screen. Another example is the BMW World complex, which functions as a showroom for cars and new technologies. Around the exhibits are beacons that provide additional information at the right time and in the right place: videos, images, and text.

The Future of Android Development

So, what is the future of Android application development? All these lastest Android development trends are powerful enough to lead the industry for a long time. What is more, all current trends are intimately interconnected, harmoniously complementing, and strengthening each other.

Machine learning, artificial intelligence, and virtual and augmented reality are perhaps the most powerful technologies. They dominate not only Android development but almost all business industries. 

It is worth noting some already relevant technologies will continue to be quite popular in 2021. 

Mobile wallets continue to be actively implemented by businesses from various industries. The main advantage is the security of transactions and personal data. A mobile wallet allows you to leave cash and cards at home while always having funds with you. Similarly, it is now difficult to imagine an application that does not have built-in cloud technologies. But the capabilities of such products will only expand, making data storage more reliable and secure. 

At KeyUA, we are always researching new technologies and actively applying them to life. Therefore, if your business still needs an Android application powered by these innovations, we are always here to help.