10 Mobile Apps Design Trends of 2022
Did you know that over 6 billion people in the world own smartphones? Yes, 6 billion! Smartphones can be found anywhere with an average of 35 apps on each phone. Conversely, mobile applications are as easy to install as they are deleted. So, you might want to upgrade your mobile app’s UI to keep up with the latest trends.
Some of these UI/UX designs are made to suit the way mobile phones have evolved while others are with users’ satisfaction in mind.
1. Augmented Reality
Augmented reality is becoming more popular among app users in 2022. Augmented Reality was once popular mostly with mobile games where there is an interaction between the virtual and real world.
Apart from gaming apps that use AR to give users the illusion of reality, mobile apps for makeup, shopping, interior designs, and furniture are adopting AR combined with 3D technology for a life-like experience. Apps like Google Lens, Snapchat, Google Maps, Houzz, YouCam, and PokemonGo use AR in their UI.
2. Split Screen
Performing different tasks simultaneously on a smartphone has never been easier. The split-screen design on mobile phones is one of the most popular app UI/UX trends of 2022. A split-screen is especially useful if you need information from different places on your phone or you want to compare two different sets of data side by side.
Split-screen can be vertical or horizontal as well as symmetrical or asymmetrical. While vertical and horizontal split-screen designs are conventional, you can adopt an asymmetrical pattern in your UI to make it look unique and beautiful.
3. Animation and Video
Animations and videos in a mobile app make it so easy to use. Many users will opt for mobile apps with a simple user interface over apps that are complicated to use.
However, if you want users to understand certain features and functions of your app, why not add videos? Better still, use animations. They can be used anywhere. Animations also inform and entertain your app users. So, instead of giving your users a YouTube link on how to use your app, you can use animation to seamlessly give a brief account of how your app works.
4. Dark Mode
The dark mode is a mobile app feature that not only boosts user experience but also makes your app unique and impressive. People spend an average of 5-6 hours on their phones in a day. The first thing a person probably sees in the morning is their smartphone.
Dark mode reduces the light ray that comes from phones. This is why most users prefer dark mode to light mode. If you want to meet the trends in mobile app features, better to design your app to be able to transition between dark and light mode.
5. Voice Interaction
Depending on the purpose of your app, you can add a voice command feature to make it easy for users. Voice interactions UI design allows communication between the user and the device. This is gaining more popularity in 2022.
You can just talk to your phone instead of pressing it when you use voice interaction. For instance, if your app is about cooking, the user might want to follow the instruction without touching their phones. You can add a feature to ask for the next recipe in the UI design.
6. Illustrations
Instead of boring images and texts, you can use illustrations to convey messages about your products and services to your app users. Illustrations are magnetic, serving as a hook that easily grabs users’ attention rather than words.
If you want to explain complicated concepts to your brands, it is better to use illustration in your mobile app UI design. With illustrations, consistency is key. Users will identify your brand with the illustration that you consistently use. Therefore, it is better not to mix too many styles and forms.
7. Chatbots
Although this feature has been part of mobile apps for a while, it will witness an increase in 2022. If you want to increase your brand’s leads and conversion or boost customer satisfaction, you need chatbots in your mobile app UI design.
Chatbots have been known to give users swift support and assistance. However, chat software will become more advanced in 2022. They will carry out analytics using metrics that will give a brand a clear picture of their company and how they can increase user experience.
8. Buttonless Image
Mobile apps now have images without borders or ends. With a full-screen feature, comes a bottomless design where pictures are brought to life. Mobile phone apps come with slide and swipe features instead of the traditional back and menu button and this trend will continue in 2022.
Users navigate their phones by swiping and sliding backward or forward. Therefore, including a bottomless feature in your mobile app will be great.
9. Gradients, Shadow, and Futuristic Colors
Gradients have transcended 2D to 3D. More apps are now using gradients to show more depths and dimensions in their UI. Don’t just use solid colors in your design. Combine different pastels to achieve a blur and futuristic color effect that will make your app more unique.
Also, transparent shadows in mobile app backgrounds and muted colors have become a thing in 2022. This gives your app some level of complexity and airiness.
10. Features to aid people with disabilities
Accessibility features on mobile apps are designed to aid people with physical disabilities while using their phones. Some of these features may include; the ability to read text on the screen aloud, using alt/caption to describe images on the screen and read-back features to verify information input on the phone.
Mobile Apps with inclusive designs are trending in 2022. To add accessibility features to your mobile app, you need to pay attention to details and follow guidelines provided to developers.
Final Words
To keep your mobile apps up-to-date and relevant, you need to include certain features. With millions of apps on both the play store and app store combined, you need to evolve your UI design to create an app that can stand the test of time.