Where It Started
What was the first app? Some consider it to be Snake, the arcade style game built into the Nokia 6110. Alternatively, the first app could be considered to not be one at all, but 500 apps. When Apple launched the App store in 2008 it began with 500 apps, so if you consider these the first ‘real’ apps, then there is not one that can be pointed to as the very first app (Inventionland).
Where It’s Going
The number of apps available has grown exponentially since their beginning in 2008. In Q3 of 2022 the App Store had 1,642,759 apps. On top of this, Google Play had more than double at 3,553,050 and Amazon App store had 483,328 (Statista, 2022). While it would be easy to think there now must be an app for everything, there continues to be apps created for a myriad of purposes. Whether it be a new take on an existing idea, an app for a specific niche, a development based on tech improvements or a brand-new idea altogether, apps aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. In 2016 there was 140.68 billion app downloads worldwide, in 2022 there was 255 billion (Statista, 2023).
Wearable Tech
In 2022, the global wearable technology market was valued $61.30 billion and this is expected to grow between 2023 to 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.6% (Grand View Research). In the UK, the CAGR between 2022 and 2023 is predicted to be <17.65% (Mordor Intelligence). With the market expected to grow at such a rate, it follows that companies should be considering their wearable app development capabilities. Apps for wearable tech differ from mobile apps, dues to screen size and usage, they need to be simpler and straight to the point. For example, Android are updating their quality requirements. These requirements include wear OS apps having to have a black background.
Types of wearable tech include:
- Smart watches
- Wristbands
- Fitness trackers
- Medical devices
- Head mounted displays
- Ear-wearables
While different from mobile app development, wearable apps tend to be integrated with a mobile app counterpart. As wearables grow in popularity, businesses with mobile apps should seriously consider whether their offering and customer experience could be improved through a wearable app.
Conclusion
Over the years apps have taken root as a fundamental part of our mobile technology. Whether they continue to hold their place cannot be said for certain as technology is constantly evolving. But for now, app development isn’t going anywhere.
If you are still wanting to learn more, take a look at our blog on the Top Mobile App Technologies to Consider in 2023.
