Emma Quinn

How To Tackle App Fatigue? Here Are Some Answers

2021-01-25T13:16:49.745Z

We are at the fag end of 2017, and the global app ecosystem has grown bigger than ever. The phrase ‘there’s an app for that’ (coined by Apple Inc. in 2009) has become more than literally true – with multiple apps existing for the same core purpose…for delivering similar values to end-users. According to reasonable estimates, close to 198 billion applications will have been downloaded this year – with the Android platform notching up ~91 billion downloads, while the iOS app download count hovering around the 26 billion mark. By 2021, we will be looking at more than 350 billion app downloads in a single calendar year.

While the app industry seems all bright and filled with opportunities, there is a primary point of concern – in the form of ‘app fatigue’. In layman’s terms, this refers to the sheer tiredness, and resultant unwillingness, of general people to download and use new apps. In the United States, nearly 66% smartphone-owners download a grand total of ZERO applications every month, while a further 17% download one or two applications. What’s more, 85% users regularly use only 4-5 apps (even when they have 30-odd applications on their devices). These are not great stats for third-party app developers, among whom the competition levels are also immense (there are ~500K Apple developers, and a jaw-dropping 970K Android developers at present). As 2018 rolls into view, we present some handy tips for both developers and smartphone-owners to overcome the ‘app fatigue‘ challenge:

(for app developers): Consider the security features and permission requestsWith tasks of critical nature being increasingly performed through mobile applications, concerns over their security and reliability have been – understandably – increasing. Most users also typically keep an eye out for the permissions that an app requires and the type/extent of data it has access to. If an app has to be regularly updated for retaining its functionality, that can also be viewed as a hassle. App makers need to focus on creating software that have robust security assurance, and do not need too many permissions.
(for app users): Avoid downloading apps for experimentationIn the United States, a typical mobile-user has 27 applications installed in his/her device (this figure has remained relatively flat over the last three years). While that seems pretty much reasonable, it won’t be difficult to find people with 150+ apps, stretching across 7-8 home screens, installed on their handsets. For these users, the phone often feels unnecessarily cluttered and clogged up (apart from the device running short on storage capacity). It’s high time smartphone-users stopped downloading every new app that hits the stores – simply to check it out. Browse through the apps available, find out the ones that would fit your requirements the best, and get them only.
(for app developers): Take advantage of the new Apple and Android updatesAs the worldwide app market gradually moves towards maturity, developers need to start thinking out-of-the-box, for tweaking the app-usage experience for end users. iOS app developers can easily take advantage of the all-new subscription-based model for users, as well as paid searches, to drive more business for their products. The revenue-sharing option on the Apple platform can also be rewarding. On the other hand, the arrival of Android Instant Apps earlier this year has revolutionized the scenario for those working on this platform. Indie developers as well as third-party app companies can now allow users to check out a section of an app’s functionality directly from mobile web – without the latter having to actually download the application. It’s a handy way of giving people a first-hand preview of an app – and if they like what they see, downloads will happen.

Note: The cost-per-install (CPI) figure for developers has jumped significantly over the last few quarters, and currently varies in the $5-$10 range.

(for app users): Be ruthless in deleting what you don’t needApp fatigue has got a lot to do with app overload. That, in turn, comes from the general tendency of keeping applications that are hardly ever used on the device. Over time, the number of such uninteresting and unnecessary apps begin to accumulate – clogging up the display and eating into the phone memory (on Android, maybe the SD card memory). There can be occasions when you download an application, only to find that it isn’t quite what you were looking for (or it isn’t efficient enough). In such cases, get rid of the concerned app immediately, and look for an alternative. A smartphone should ideally have only those third-party apps that will be used.

Note: In general, do not have duplicate apps (i.e., apps for the same purpose) on your handset. A probable exception to this can be on-demand cab apps, though.

(for app developers): Go for the best possible UXIrrespective of whether it’s a B2B or a B2C application, a seamless blend of functionality, ease of usage, and design optimization(visual appeal) should be present in any mobile app. It is of utmost importance for developers to make the best use of the available resources – including innovative technologies like speech-recognition (on the lines of Siri and Google Now), artificial intelligence and machine learning. Keep track of all the latest developments in the app development tools and frameworks, and consider how your existing apps can be further improved. In addition, mobile app development experts have to make sure that their software has smooth device-specific capabilities (i.e., can optimally utilize the features (say, camera) of the device it is installed on). Human-centered design (HCD) is what you should be aiming for.
(for app users): The importance of mobile webBy 2014, mobile apps had pulled ahead of mobile web in terms of popularity. Even so, at a time when many users are facing problems due to ‘app overkill’ – it would be a prudent option to check out the mobile web version (if available), instead of downloading the app straightway. Right from banking sites to online shopping portals abd news portals – most present-day websites are responsive, have fluid designs, and are generally user-friendly. Users can give them a try – and more often than not, they can perform tasks without having to download ‘yet another app’. Mobile apps are more convenient and have higher adoption rates – but mobile web is not dead, and it should also be given a chance.
(for app developers): Be wary of front-end fatigueCoding languages, and CSS and HTML and agile methodologies and javascript libraries and open source tools and time-management skills – the required skills of a professional app developer can often seem overbearing. Attempts to learn everything within a short span of time often results in burnout – and all that the concerned developer is able to come up with are sub-standard software applications. Keep in mind that you DO NOT have to learn everything – and the trick lies in being a master of the skills that you already have. In other words, specializing in a set of tools and technologies is what app developers should focus on. You also need to keep some time aside for constantly learning and upgrading yourself (technology is in a continuous state of flux). A tired developer is incapable of creating apps that have the much-required edge.
(for app users): Check out the mobile app adsThe total expenditure on mobile advertising globally stands at ~$144 billion at present. By 2020, this figure would swell $247 billion. Problems arise when this money gets wasted – when users do not bother watching the ads, and making an effort to understand what the main features (USPs) of a new app are. Instead, they frame an idea about the qualities of the app under question – and whenever these expectations are not fulfilled, ‘app fatigue’ arises. Users need to be patient enough to watch the app ads, to get a reasonable idea on the nature of the application – and the requirements it has been designed to fulfil. This will prevent them from indiscriminately downloading (and uninstalling soon after) a large number of apps. Ads are displayed on any digital platform for a purpose – and it’s high time we gave them some time.
(for app developers): The need for efficient app marketing campaignsThe Apple App Store has more than 3 million apps (including games). Over 3.3 million apps are available for download in the Google Play Store. In order to gain visibility in an already overcrowded app marketplace, the importance of coming up with smart marketing strategies in general, and app advertisements in particular, is immense. Provide genuine, updated information about your mobile application (highlight the ‘gaps’ it can bridge) – and avoid overselling your product (for instance, with exaggerated info). Apart from being informative, mobile app ads should also be interactive – prompting the users to do something on playback. If a person can simply mute his/her phone and set it down when the ad is displayed – that’s an opportunity lost. Engaging, informative, and interactive – these are the chief qualities of a good app advertisement.

Note: App ads need to be relevant and personalized as well. A recent Fiksu report has shown that apps with irrelevant, annoying ads are often uninstalled immediately.

10. (for app developers): Integrate deep linking in apps

Deep linking with the help of Universal Resource Identifiers (or, URIs) can be particularly useful for enterprise applications. The average employee in the IT sector regularly use more than 10 apps on their handsets – and things become a lot more convenient for them, if there are deep links in an app, for navigating to other applications (or moving to other sections of the same app). There are several platforms available for integrating deep linking in apps (Deeplink.me is a good example). Complicated in-app navigation is a frequent cause for app-abandonment – and deep linking can go a long way in solving that problem.

11. (for app developers and app users): A change in mindset

Most developers focus only on the total download count/number of installs for their new applications. While these figures are important (early downloads boost the chances of an app getting featured in stores) – in the absence of a proper, end-to-end app analytics system, these metrics make little sense. It might very well happen that a new and promising app is downloaded by many people – who then detect a major flaw in the app’s functionality – and as a result, the app gets removed from most devices. The mindset of professional app developers has to change – from simply counting downloads, to factoring in the feedback received from users, and planning improvements on the basis of them. Apps have to be FOR and ABOUT users…if the latter are unsatisfied with a software, it is doomed (whatever the early download figures might be).

Speaking of mindset changes, the increasing availability of freemium apps and games are making the average user less inclined to spend money on mobile applications. The onus lies on developers to make use of the freemium model to drive revenue for themselves – without hampering the user-experience in any way whatsoever.

12. (for app developers): Create apps that deliver value

Candy Crush Saga is an insanely popular game. However, the same cannot be said about its hundreds of clones (almost similar match-3 games). Avoid being a copycat, and put your attention to conceptualizing apps that would deliver something unique…something better to the target-users. There has to be a primary functionality of an app (‘easier banking transactions’, ‘football on the go’, ‘karaoke fun’, etc.), which: a) can be used in the promotional pitches for the app, and b) would appeal to end-users. Do not try to pack in too many features in a single app. That would only end up confusing people.

Note: As a rule of thumb, the simpler it is to use an app (which has important value proposition(s)), the higher is its chances of becoming successful.

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13. (for app developers): The need for Mobile App Management (MAM)

Researches have shown that app fatigue can cause considerable loss of employee productivity at workplaces (the time required to install new apps, research about their features and going through their security features can take up a lot of time). To tackle this issue, dedicated ‘app containers’ can be created – from where the app deployments to the employees’ devices would take place directly. Apart from taking away concerns over installation and app-security, such container-based MAM can handle app upgrades, regular monitoring requirements, and data safety standards. Enterprises need to make an attempt for reducing the number of work-related apps people have to use – and MAM is a more than viable option for that.

14. (for app developers): Customized versions for different platforms

Contrary to what many believed earlier, a mobile app is NOT an watered down version of a website. Software development is certainly not a field where the traditional ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach works – and the onus lies on third-party developers to determine the platforms/devices that their apps will be usable on – and then create separate, customized versions of the software (e.g. for web, mobile, tablet, etc.). With wearables in general, and smartwatches in particular (2.7 million units of Apple Watch were shipped in 2017 Q3) growing in popularity – developers have to come up with compatible versions of apps for these smart devices. IoT (Internet of Things) is growing fast – and the techniques of app development have to keep pace with it.

15. (for app developers): Do away with unused features in apps

Generally, app updates are all about either bug-fixes or adding new features. However, getting rid of the features of an app that are hardly ever used is important too – for removing distractions in the path of the final users. Precise focusing of apps also increases overall engagement levels. Once again, the presence of a reliable, real-time app analytics system is essential, for finding the usage rates of the different features of an application (i.e., behaviour of app users). Depending on the likely interaction by a user, and the device(s) (s)he is using, the UX of the app should be modified.

Note: The importance of cross-device continuity and functionality is also going up. A person should be able to launch and start using an app on one device, and finish up with it on another device.

App fatigue stems from two channels: the tiredness of general users with too many apps, and the tiredness of developers churning out similar apps repeatedly. In the US, there has been a 20% dip in the download-count of apps developed by the 15 biggest app companies – clearly indicating that this fatigue is not a myth. The good thing is, the ‘app fatigue’ is avoidable, and can be managed – both by developers and end-users. Mobile apps are here to stay…and the app industry will only get stronger in the foreseeable future.

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The Growth Of Mobile Gaming

2021-01-15T11:48:48.969Z

With the rapid growth of smartphone users worldwide, it’s not surprising that the mobile gaming industry has matured and developed into one of the most lucrative markets in the business world. In fact, the overall revenue of the mGaming sphere has doubled in only three years. In 2014, the market weighed $25 billion, which rose to $46.2 billion in 2017.

The growth can be connected to the rising ownership of mobile devices, particularly the smartphones, that is projected to surpass the usage of dedicated console platforms. Ownership of smartphones has shown a steady growth of 145 million users in 2014 to 180 million after three years. Meanwhile, PC and console owners are a bit flat with 45 million users to 60 million for the same time period.

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There’s also a rise in the number of new titles in mobile devices than in PC and console. In 2014, new games for mobile was at 72, 530 compared to 1, 580 in PC and 360 in console. In only three years, the release of new game apps for mobile rose to 152, 180 versus the 3, 400 in PC and 520 in console. With a steady growth in user and demand, this is a clear evident that game developers are focusing more on reaching out to smartphone gamers with the growth in new game apps yearly.

You might be wondering why mobile gaming is highly popular. Apart from the increased ownership and usage of mobile devices, there are plenty of other reasons why game apps are prevalent today. Here are the top reasons:

The gaming platform is portable. Anyone can carry it anywhere easily and play conveniently. Game apps are highly addictive. Even a simple tap-and-play game can get you stuck in playing for hours. The quality of gaming apps has increased massively with high definition features and new technology used. Most importantly, it offers free games for gamers.

Experts foresee further growth in the mobile gaming sphere. MrGamez’s detailed infographic not only discusses the current trends in mGaming, but also highlights future developments to expect in the industry. Some of the highlighted future trends include multiplayer and social gaming as well as the application of new technology (i.e. Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality) that will span across all gaming platforms.

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IoT Product Design: 12 Mistakes To Avoid

2021-01-15T11:31:33.736Z

In North America, the adoption of IoT (internet of things) projects had risen to an impressive 27.5% last year – nearly double of the corresponding figure in 2013. The growing popularity of IoT is evident in the UK too, with adoption rates expected to surge towards the 45% mark by 2020 (in 2015, the IoT adoption here was ~30%). While there are no doubts over the spiralling demands for enterprise IoT applications and smart tools for big data analytics – speculations, however, remain over the usability of the tools currently available. Retention levels are, on average, on the lower side – and in many cases, poorly conceptualized/overcomplicated product designs lie at the core of the problem. To put things in perspective, the overall retention of mobile apps hover in the 11%-13% range after the first week. We will, over here, highlight a few common mistakes that have to be avoided, to ensure that your smart products deliver greater value to end-users:

Not adopting an ‘object-first’ strategyDesigning for IoT is different, and often, rather more complicated that general app design projects. While creating an optimized, user-friendly mobile application (for controlling/monitoring the device, sensor(s)) is obviously vital – you need to focus on the design of the IoT hardware device first. Determine the data capabilities and functionalities required in the device, and develop the ‘smart object’ accordingly. Only when you have a rough idea of how the device will be made and the way sensors will be equipped/embedded/connected to it – should you move on to conceptualizing the app. Making the app first and trying to ‘fit’ an IoT object to it will not be a good idea.

Note: Make sure that there are no ‘points of disconnect’ between the app and the IoT object under question. There should be proper alignment in the actions required to perform the same task on the app and the device (for instance, moving a slider to adjust the volume). Gaps between the physical product (hardware) and the digital product (app) can cause problems for customers.

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2.Making a ‘smart thing’ just for the heck of it

Here’s a rule of thumb: if you are not sure about how a particular component (say, a sensor) will be useful in an IoT product – you are better off not adding it just because you can. Prior to the actual ‘instrumentation stage’, have a clear idea about the reason(s) for which you wish to make an IoT device, the nature and extent of data it will have to collect, and what existing problems it is going to solve. This clear focus will help you in finalizing the ‘intelligent components’ that are necessary for the final product. If you do not do this homework, you’ll end up incorporating too many complicated parts and sensors and processors – and the product’s overall functionality, as a result, will become erratic and restricted. What’s more, indiscriminately adding smart components to the object without analyzing their needs can also open up security vulnerabilities.

Note: Keep in mind that you are creating an IoT product to deliver value to final users. It should never become a platform for you to showcase your advanced tech skills.

Not paying attention to scalabilityIn 2011, the size of the big data market worldwide was less than $8 billion. Come 2025, that figure will swell to an astonishing $88.5 billion. Apart from the exponential rate of increase in the volume of data handled by IoT – the underlying technologies in this field are constantly evolving too. In such a scenario, if the product you design is not scalable – it is more than likely to become stagnant and useless in a few years’ time (at best). The tool and its operations should be customizable and expandable, to keep it in sync with the changes in technology, capacities, and proliferation of the global smart sector. In other words, the usability of your IoT product should not be adversely affected by technological refinements.

Note: In this context, we should also underline the importance of being aware of the ‘refresh cycle’ of the IoT setups (gateways, nodes, workstations, etc.). This knowledge makes it easy for developers to arrange for timely machine replacements – instead of carrying on with inefficient, outdated systems for long.

Allowing users to be distractedAs you chalk out your IoT UI/UX design plans, identify and mark out the factors that might cause end-users to be distracted(thereby hampering the immersive nature of your product). For example, if a user is prompted to open his/her email to retrieve a one-time password generated by the IoT system – that can be treated as a source of distraction, since the user is being forced to move away from the actual system. Many first-time IoT developers make the folly of being over-concerned with the external competition (i.e., about similar devices being launched by other developers) – and neglect such ‘internal competition’. Remember, if you allow users to navigate away from your product, you are giving them an opportunity to abandon it altogether.

Note: A smart IoT product should, ideally, be not targeted towards a niche audience. While it takes advanced technical expertise and quite a bit of relevant experience to come up with a proper, useful IoT solution – it should be usable by nearly everyone.

Not understanding the precise functionsThe speed, battery performance, and overall longevity of an IoT object will critically depend on the nature of functions it will perform. You need to carefully examine whether your system would only collect real-time data from sensors, and pass it on to an external gateway/server for processing – or whether some of the processing will take place in the device itself. For the latter, including automated control functions (with controllers) is essential – and that, understandably, has an effect on battery life. In general, the degree of processing required to be done by the device has to be factored in – to devise the correct design and development plans. If your research on the components to be added on the system is half-baked, the final product will also have glitches.

Note: Developers can either go with a gateway-based IoT network (as in the LoRa star-of-stars network) or a multi-SIM network.

Glossing over the IoT security requirementsFrom Gmail and Deloitte, to Hyatt Hotels and Equifax – the biggest of players fell prey to serious data breaches last year. As the volume of private, confidential data shared/stored on the cloud is increasing – concerns about hack attacks and unauthorized data access is mounting too. In such a scenario, if the design of your IoT tool has glaring security loopholes, no one will take the risk of investing on it. For a standard IoT tool – you need to pay attention to two things – firstly, the data-level security, and secondly, the device-level security. For the first, strong encryption of all the collected and stored data is important, along with provisioning each smart sensor with external locking systems. On the other hand, device-level security involves using only EPID (Enhanced Privacy Identity)assurance (which significantly reduces hack threats). Avoid trying to cut down expenses by using components with suspect security standards. Every component of your IoT object should be of the best quality.

Note: Specialist app testers and tech device quality analysts are required to make sure that security glitches of any type do not go unnoticed.

Considering endpoints to be the only things that matterThis, unfortunately, is done by many IoT developers – and the backend systems are receded to a secondary role. However, the fact is that on-field sensors and endpoints, data communications & transfer, processing tasks and overall backend capabilities play equally important roles in shaping the quality of an IoT system – and determining whether the final product is indeed reliable or not. The focus has to be on designing an end-to-end IoT solution – one in which no component or segment is given preferential treatment, and the others treated as ‘less important’. At the time of conceptualizing the object, think of how you can create a ‘complete system’ – and NOT a particular hardware component per se. A holistic IoT system works – something drawn up in a piecemeal manner never does.

Note: Due care has to be taken while checking all the features of the app as well. Even seemingly minor oversights can affect the adoption figures of your product and the app.

Not keeping things simple and not creating value propositionsIf the learning curve of your IoT tool is too steep, expect many prospective users to drop off and start looking for an alternative. Hardly anyone – however tech savvy and enthusiastic they might be – will be willing to go through elaborate instruction manuals to ‘learn’ about your product. This, in turn, brings to light the importance of implementing a simple, intuitive design scheme (for the device AND the app) – one that the majority of users will find it easy to understand and play around with. Relevance, portability and compatibility are the three pillars that an optimized IoT design plan should be based on.

The other factor that needs to be highlighted here is the need to make people understand the benefits of the product. Do not make the mistake of simply rattling off the technical features of your device – and concentrate on sharing its value propositions instead (i.e., the requirements/problems that it will solve). This will: a) get the target users interested, and b) help you establish a relationship with your customers. Over time, you can keep them informed about the biggest USPs of your IoT device, and clarify their queries. Use the mobile app to publicise the value propositions of your IoT tool. The first-time user experience (FTUE) is critical – and if your product does not ace it, it is most likely to fail.

Note: When you create an IoT-powered system (a ‘connected system’), your objective should be to make the lives of the end-users smarter, simpler and more convenient. The overall UX needs to be top-notch – and all the operations should be user-focused.

Not being aware of how data communications will take placeSeamless communications with the internet lies at the core of every IoT system. As the developer, the onus is on you to know from beforehand whether cellular data (SIM-based), or wifi (if yes, the generation), or LAN (with USB) will be used to establish and maintain the communications. Determining the network connection(s) is vital for designers in a multitude of ways – right from determining the control and/or processing powers required at the endpoints, to the volume of data that is to be transferred from one point to another (say, from the device to the central server). In addition, the reliability of connections in rural/semi-urban locations also have to be taken into account. Gather thorough information about the available technologies at any place, and the likely behaviour-flow of users on your IoT device and app. Based on this, you will be able to determine the most suitable method(s) of communication.

Note: In a business environment, IoT systems have to handle huge volumes of data. The chances of your product’s success crucially hinges on how well it can transform such data into structured, insightful, actionable information.

10. Not paying attention to the unique requirements of users

Designing an IoT solution is far from being a ‘build once, use everywhere’ task. Data can come in from multiple sources – and you need to find out what type of information a certain group of users (say, crop-growers using an IoT-powered agritech device for the first time) would require. You can then make the object customized, so that it supplies precisely the type of service that would deliver value for any user. Ready availability of relevant, personalized and accurate data is the thing that makes a ‘connected device’ deliver greater value (than traditional devices). The needs of a farmer are radically different from someone looking for a smart home automation tool, or those of smart city planners. You need to be able to mark out the specific needs of each type of user, and customize the operations of your IoT product accordingly.

Note: Data staging and intermediate data processing are also things you need to consider, if the collected data has to be moved to a centralized server or gateway for processing. That will enable stronger security standards, better control parameters, and will also reduce the volume of data to be transferred.

11. Confusing quality control with testing

If you start paying attention to the quality of your IoT product only AFTER the testers have found a couple of serious faults in it, your approach is seriously wrong. Make it a point to use only such standards and processes and frameworks that come with verifiable certifications – and check whether their performances are affected under any circumstances. Instead of relying upon the testing phase to find out your design mistakes, treat it as an opportunity to confirm the ‘correctness’ of your IoT tool.

Speaking about testing, things here are not exactly the same as that for standalone mobile apps. For starters, there is no scope of treating the first set of customers as the ‘beta testers’ (if the negative word-of-mouth reviews spread, that can spell the end of your device). Also, for sensors and gateways placed on-field (maybe at remote locations), it is next to impossible to update them frequently. Test your IoT product during every stage of design and development. Only well-tested, uniformly efficient connected devices can deliver incremental value to users in the long-run.

Note: For selecting processors, network protocols, radios and other key components of the system, creating a mesh network generally proves to be handy.

12. Making subscription/sign-in mandatory from the very outset

The IoT product you have created might be of great value. It might offer real benefits, be qualitatively excellent, and have a series of high-utility features. All the good work can, however, be undone – if you do not offer the people the opportunity to check out some of the important features of your product, without having to sign in. A potential user would, understandably, like to play around with a new IoT system for some time – before actually deciding to purchase it/subscribe to it. Never take it for granted that everyone would like to be a ‘captive customer’. Give people the chance to preview your product for free – be impressed by what they see, and THEN sign up or subscribe.

Note: An interactive tutorial can go a long way towards familiarizing new users with your IoT solution.

Avoid giving too many alternative options in the app or the device, which might confuse users. Make sure that there is a seamless integration between the online functionalities and the regular, offline experiences (IoT-based RFID in retail stores, for example). You might also consider the option of using ready-to-use platforms like Xively and Ubidots for IoT development. Such platforms have many useful built-in features (like analytics) – and they make the task of creating a powerful, well-rounded IoT tool that much easier.

Although the average cost of IoT sensors is steadily falling (estimated to be around $0.44 by the end of 2018) – it still requires considerable investment to make an end-to-end IoT system. User-retention is extremely important – with recent researches showing that the cost of acquiring new users can be up to 5X more than that of retaining existing users. Designing for IoT can be tricky – and you need to stay away from the above mistakes to give your product a chance of success.

P.S.: Did you know that we recently launched the first prototype of our breakthrough IoT agritech device, powered by LoRaWAN? For the entire news, head over to https://prwire.com.au/pr/75515/teksmobile-releases-first-prototype-for-agritech-iot-tool-1.

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Top 10 Digital Transformation Trends for 2020

2021-01-06T12:19:20.186Z

Yes. I know.

Most of the trends listed in this blog have been going around since the last 5 years maybe, and are still making it in the list of 2020. Some of them, despite the hype, took a long time to come into the market, some are emerging as a trend, and some are still miles away.

But the trends mentioned in the list are there for a reason and that is because these already present and yet-to-emerge technologies are important.
Here are the top 10 technological trends for 2020:

It has arrived. Yes, finally.

With companies like Huawei, Samsung, Nokia, etc bringing in devices and systems supporting 5G, 2020 will get to see elevated user experience with faster speed for uploads and downloads.

There will be exponentially less latency and gaps when the devices are required to communicate with each other. Organizations could make use of the superfast mobile broadband which would help in increasing the efficiency and productivity of the company.

CONNECTING THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCE

Personalized and seamless customer experience is one of the services companies want to provide to their customers. With an organization using more than 800 apps on an average, it is becoming a lot more difficult for them to offer a frictionless user experience.

Proffering synced and impeccable services are going to be the key objectives of the organizations in 2020.

DATA-DRIVEN BUSINESS

Analyzing data is an effective way to gain an insight into how to better and upgrade user experience, rationalizing operations, and efficiently introducing the latest products and services of the organizations.

Organizations would prefer its different departments to be in sync with each other, sharing insights and providing feedback to each other. This would help in not only maintaining a good inter-departmental synergy but also delivering better products and services.

AI, ML & DL

Analytics and AI, ML, DL go hand in hand and are interdependent. For a layman with no concept of any of the above, AI stands for Artificial Intelligence, ML stands for Machine Learning and DL stands for Deep Learning.

AI helps to reduce cognitive biases, thereby improving productivity and individualizing user experience.

ML would help in automating most of the tasks, hence removing the possibility of human errors and biases.

DL, which is a notch higher than ML, helps to find answers with a high level of accuracy, thereby increasing the productivity of the company.

All these three elements help an organization make use of the data and analytics. Investing in data analytics without investing in AI, ML & DL would be like buying a dog collar when you don’t have a dog itself.

At the end of the day, you need a bow to pull an arrow.

USE OF APIs

APIs are the solutions to the problems involving the movement of application workloads among multiple clouds. By using APIs, organizations can make use of the functionalities available in multi-cloud environments.

It helps in integrating third party applications and technologies, thereby enabling faster innovation, and improvement of the product.

Use of containerized apps is also advisable. These apps collect the data and all its dependencies as a package and runs efficiently.

COLLABORATION WITH IT TO ELEVATE BUSINESS

By partnering-up with IT, businesses can take full advantage of the booming technology trend, enabling the business to transform itself digitally.

From security, analytics, IoT to voice recognition, APIs and streaming events, business organizations are investing more and more on distributed technologies, that enable not only sharing of resources but also software.

ELEVATED WIFI SPEED

With the advent of 5G, expect Wifi with higher speed and connectivity. It does not stop at that. With higher processing speed, Wifi 6 will also be able to connect up to 50 devices to a network at one time. This would not only help in easing the pains of Wifi 5, but will also lightning-fast and more efficient user experience. Wifi 6 would also have the advantage of handling high loads of data and users simultaneously, thereby increasing the quality of service availed by the users.

SMART EVERYTHING

Flying taxis, for example, Volocopter, an initiative taken by UK-based Skyports Ltd. and Germany’s Volocopter GmbH, have already started spreading their wings. It’s even said that a ride on a Volocopter is going to cost as much as a regular taxi ride. Most of the cities of the world already are Wifi connected, and with the spread of technology in the world, the day is not very far when the whole world would be interconnected. Every industry, ranging from manufacturing to fashion, is going to be bitten by the technology-bug, which would also result in our lives being changed by technology.

PRECISION AGRICULTURE

With the emergence of GPS and GNSS, it has also resulted in the advent of precision farming. This practice of farming is based on “observing, measuring and responding to inter and intra-field variability in crops” and helps the farmer to analyze and fix the time for planting and harvesting the crops.

Due to the huge number of benefits being reaped by farmers after practicing this type of farming- higher quality of harvests, less use of chemicals and water, among a few- new technologies have also surfaced. From drones to autonomous tractors, precision farming is here to stay.

3D PRINTING

This industry is evolving day by day and will grow by leaps and bounds even in 2020. With the ever-evolving industry, the technologies associated with it are also getting updated simultaneously. 3D printing would continue to strengthen its role in industries ranging from manufacturing and architecture, to medicine and art, and filling up the void.

Apart from these technologies, Xaas, ACPCs, Conversational AI, RPA- to name a few- are also going to create an impact in the upcoming year on businesses as well as our daily lives.

As we know, our world is ever-changing. But since the world of technology is in a state of flux, it would be exciting to know what other innovations come into play in the year 2020.

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Push Notifications vs In-App Messaging: Which Strategy Is Better For App Marketing?

2020-12-22T11:41:15.778Z

Increasing the user-engagement levels is the biggest mantra, as far as the success of mobile applications are concerned. On a YoY basis, 2017 witnessed ~55% increase in the average number of messages sent through apps to end users. Facilitating seamless two-way communication on the mobile platform is the key – and both ‘push notifications‘ as well as ‘in-app messaging‘ are extremely useful tools in this context.

In strategies to bolster app retention rates, both in-app messaging and push notifications play important parts. The former can pull up the retention rate by more than 50% (along with a ~30% higher ‘open rate’). Push notifications, on the other hand, can provide 4X boosts to average engagement levels. The onus lies on app developers to follow the best practices while using either of these strategies – with the focus squarely on providing the best possible user-end experience (UX). Over here, we will closely compare push notifications and in-app messaging, and examine their relative merits and disadvantages:

Focusing on native app content vs driving latent usersIn-app messaging, as the name suggests, is managed in the form of pop-ups and other short, contextual messages – sent to users when the latter are actually using the concerned application. In other words, this strategy is focused on taking user-interactions forward AFTER an app session has already been initiated. In contrast, push notifications (sent as text messages/to the notifications section) are all about creating awareness and providing reminders (a ‘call-to-action’) to people who are not using the app at that particular point in time (i.e., ‘latent users’). These notifications can help an app to reconnect with users. It is not uncommon for a person to ‘forget’ about an app that (s)he had downloaded weeks back – and push notifications can serve as useful reminders of its existence.
In-app messaging has higher response ratesBut that comes with the corollary. While studies have shown that the average responses to regular, conversational and contextual in-app messages can be ~8 times more than that to push notifications – users have to be active on the app to see these messages. That, in turn, implies that if the live user-base of an application is small – in-app messaging might not be a very effective tool. Push notifications cater to a wider audience – but the catch over here is that, a lowly 10% of all users who opt-in for such notifications actually open the messages. However, the response to all ‘seen’ push notifications is generally very prompt.

Note: Around 43% of mobile app users worldwide opt in for push notifications.

Types of messages and notificationsWhile most push notifications are text-based, developers and marketers are gradually warming up to the idea of using pictures and other media forms in such notifications. The prime objective is to ‘re-engage’ the recipient with the mobile application. In-app messaging, on the other hand, are sent to a ‘captive audience’ (i.e., those already using the app), and can be pushed out through images, video playback, and other media formats – apart from plain text messaging. More often than not, these visual messages come with a call-to-action tab/button/area. Using this strategy, developers can provide handy little ‘nudges’ to push the behaviour of the users in the desired direction (e.g., completing a purchase on a mobile shopping app).
The downsidesFrequency and timing of extremely crucial aspects of push-notifications. According to a 2017 report, nearly 47% users are likely to opt out of such notifications, when 3-5 such random push messages are sent to them in a week. What’s more, 1 out of every 3 users can uninstall a mobile app due to ‘too frequent push messages’ (6 or more in a week). This highlights the potentially disruptive nature of push notifications – when they are not managed properly. There are risks associated with indiscriminate use of in-app messaging too. The messages have to be sent ONLY to active users, and the content needs to: a) follow from the natural user-interactions, and b) be highly contextual. The focus of in-app messaging should always be on optimizing the UX of an app, and making things more structured, tailored and improved for the end-users. Also, the same messages should not ideally repeated to a particular user – and each message should be tailored from the triggers (obtained from app analytics). An overkill of push-notifications or a poorly managed in-app messaging system can be hugely counterproductive.
Nature of information sent through push-notificationsThe average app engagement levels can driven up by close to 90% with the help of push notifications. Broadly speaking, push notifications can be classified under 4 categories. For starters, there are the push messages for generating awareness for new, time-limited sales and promotional offers – which the user might like to know. Then, there are the general informational notifications(think of the text messages the rail company sends you when your train is delayed) – to update the users about the status of anything. Push-notifications can also be solely focused on eliciting certain ‘actions’ from users. A classic example for this would be a fitness app which reminds users who have not recorded their activity details for a couple of days. Finally, there are the social network-based messages – which notifies people whenever someone in their network (and fellow-users of the app) does something. In-app messaging can also be divided in 3 classes – the ones which look to initiate a conversation with the user, the ones that help individuals solve a problem (say, confusions while onboarding/learning about the app), and the ones that typically address the potential pitfalls or ‘trickier’ sections of the overall app-navigation scheme.

Note: It is important to create segmented lists of users who will receive in-app messages. The challenge lies in updating this list constantly…so that the messages are always sent to the ‘correct’ audience.

Key elements of push notifications and in-app messagingThere is a lot in common in the main elements of the two forms of mobile app communication under discussion here. Both notifications and in-app messaging should look to deliver actual value to end-users – and the major factors underlying either are ‘Goal’, ‘Timing’, ‘Segmentation’, and ‘Content’. Prompt sharing of information is the main motive of sending push-notifications – while the goals of in-app messaging should also be easily measurable/quantifiable (once again, referring to the analytics is important here). The segmentation of push-notifications depends on, firstly, the type of the app, and secondly, the degree of active engagement of any particular user. On the other hand, the recipients of in-app messages can be segmented on the basis of their behaviour while using the application. The timing matters in a big way, particularly for push-notifications (there is no point in sending the news of the best of offers to anyone at the dead of the night). For in-app messages, the timing should ideally coincide with the launch of new features or levels, or even a short-period offer (‘free coins for the next 7 hours’). Finally, due attention has to be placed by app marketers on the content of notifications and in-app messages. The messages should be suitably personalized, transactional, and be able to pique the interest of final users. With the growth of artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques, message personalizations are also becoming ‘smarter’.

Note: For in-app messaging as well as push notifications, performing A/B split tests of message copies is advisable. That would help developers zero in on the message(s) that would be the most effective.

Different use casesWhile both push notifications and in-app messaging are, when implemented well, mighty useful in boosting user-engagements – they have clearly demarcated use cases for best practices. For instance, push messages work best when there a mobile shopper leaves a purchase process midway, or if a person does not use an app for a certain number of days, or to send payment confirmations, or, if a new and lucrative sale come along, a new product is launched, or a quick announcement is to be made. In-app messages are ideal for asking for ratings and feedback, information/prompts about in-app purchases, revealing the new features of an app (the same can be done with push messages too), and time-bound special offers. The key is to avoid a repetitive, overly marketing tone in the messages, which can irritate and turn off viewers.

Note: It has been found that in-app messages to help with onboarding can take up user-retention levels by up to 50%.

Barriers to effectivenessIn theory, all users would opt-in for push notifications – and then, everyone would be able to see these messages. However, as already mentioned above, the average opt-in rate is a far way off that 100% mark. Hence, it is impossible for notifications to reach out to all users in a particular user segment (some of them will keep notifications turned off). The character limit of push notifications is also an important factor – and messages that are not crisp and to-the-point often are of no use. At the other end, the potential effectiveness of in-app messaging can be limited by a low active user base (which means the audience of the message will be too small), as well as unfiltered, non-customized and irrelevant messages. As a rule of thumb, if any push notification or in-app message seems to threaten the ‘personal nature’ of a mobile phone – it can cause damage to the app’s overall trust-factor.

Note: On average, 30% of all push-notifications are converted to full-blown email marketing campaigns.

Providing information about app downtimes –There can be software outages, or an emergency shutdown, or a regular maintenance downtime for an app. With push-notifications, developers can provide prior information about the time and the reasons of the unavailability of the app, as and when required. This saves the users the frustrations of trying to launch unresponsive applications on their devices. In-app messaging, obviously, would not work here – since an app has to be working and users have to be on it, for these messages to be visible.

Note: Push notifications can be either transactional or engagement-oriented.

10. The need for app analytics

It makes absolutely no sense, if app marketing and communication strategies are not backed up by accurate, real-time analytics data. Right from segmenting the recipients of in-app messages and push notifications, to tracking the number of active users, engagement/retention levels and A/B tests of message copies – app analytics is important in every stage. The onus is on third-party mobile app developers to integrate a reliable analytics system in the app – to track all the important metrics of user-behaviour and actions. Messages sent from an app to the user have to be time-relevant and user-action-relevant – and using data from analytics is the best way for ensuring that.

It has to be kept in mind that push notifications or in-app messaging are not substitutes of each other. For best app marketing results, the two strategies have to be combined in a seamless manner. Push notifications are ideal for ‘bringing people back to the app’ – and when they are there, in-app messaging works like a charm for directing their behaviour/actions.

By the end of 2017, the total number of smartphone users in the world had moved to a shade under 4.8 billion. The burgeoning volume of audience on the mobile platform has made the task of adopting effective mobile/app marketing strategies more critical than ever before. In-app messaging and push-notifications are both useful strategies – and if well-planned and used together, the strategies can seriously lift overall engagement levels of any application.