Top Mobile App Ideas for Your Business in 2020 and Beyond

How often do you look at your phone? It is definitely more than what we would like to admit. In fact, if you take a second to look, you will notice that others are also glued to their phones. An average American checks his or her phone every 12 minutes while 10% of the masses check their phone every four minutes. Now, this is inevitable as we use phones for literally everything and 90% of the time we spent it on mobile applications. Because of these factors and over 2.7 billion smart phone users of the world, it is no surprise that the mobile industry is indeed thriving. 

Mobile apps have become a billion-dollar industry. Applications help generate revenue in ways like charging users for making use of the app, providing access to premium features etc. Moreover, mobile applications are expected to generate $189 billion in revenue this year (2020). Game development companies such as King, Supercell, Bandai Namco etc. has managed to generate a revenue of 40 million dollars in 2019 alone. Developers like Google, Tinder and Pandora have managed to top the list of non-gaming developers when it comes to revenue. 

Mobile apps have become an essential part of our day to day life with 49% of people opening an app at least 11 times a day. This provides a lucrative business opportunity for mobile app developers and startups. 

How is this an Opportunity for Startups?

The smart phone revolution has opened up immense opportunities for businesses in particular. Since the majority of the population are using apps, startups can get a good percent of them to use their application. This is a great opportunity to monetize the utility of mobile apps that already exist. Apps also serve as a better way to interact with customers and transform your operations at a much speedier rate. Because most of your customers will be using smart phones more than laptops, they can use features like location, camera, sensors etc. This makes an application an important tool for marketing your startup. 

Reasons why apps are a great opportunity for startups:

• Apps provide brand presence 

• Stimulate user engagement with push notifications

• Track user’s interest 

• Expand customer base

• Improved revenue

• High conversion rates

• Access to feedback and opportunity to improvise on them

This being said, not all mobile app ideas end up being successful. Your application idea has to be relevant.

1. Mobile E-Commerce App

E-commerce has become a billion-dollar industry and is set to become a trillion-dollar industry in the coming years. Studies have shown that 67% of all e-commerce sales are mainly done through mobile devices. In the U.S alone 82% of the total internet users have used mobile devices to shop online more than any other medium. There is a percent of users who only use mobile devices to shop due to its convenience. Experts have also predicted that the US mobile commerce is set to increase by 420 billion dollars by 2021. Studies have also shown that consumers shopping from mobile devices spend twice as much as a normal shopper. Consumers also shop from applications that are specific to a company. These statistics go on to show that the best way to acquire sales and customers is through developing a mobile application.

Features to be included in the app:

• Analytic

• Multiple payment options

• Push notifications

• Custom branding

• Shopping cart

• Social media integration 

• Rating and feedback

2. Telemedicine and Healthcare App

E-health has become a booming market. The telemedicine market in the US is set to reach 22 billion dollars in two years. Telemedicine services and healthcare apps are needed now more than ever. COVID-19 has changed the way we interact with everybody including healthcare professionals. Following social distancing, it has become difficult for doctors to provide consultation to individual patients in person. Professionals can make use of these apps to reach their medicine. Telemedicine benefits include making online consultation easily accessible to people who are in self-quarantine and practicing social distancing. 

Features that can be included in the app:

• Patient question

• Remote monitoring

• Video consultation

• E-prescription

• Electronic health record

• Patient portal

3. Fitness Application for Gyms like My Fitness Pal

The global digital health industry has seen steady growth with revenue of 14.6 billion. Fitness apps provide a better way of fitness management like tracking your daily intake of calories, charting your activities, connecting with your personal trainer, setting fitness goals and recording workouts. Some apps provide multiple features in one place.

One popular fitness app is My Fitness Pal. It helps to break down ingredients and determine calorie intake with every meal. The app also helps you to log in your activities and goals which makes it easier for you to track your progress. My Fitness Pal helps users to get professional advice regarding their diet and exercise. Virtual personal training apps are a great tool for businesses to convert general members to premium customers and, at the same time, enhance the overall personal training service.

Convenience and quality of life features are what users look forward to in the modern age. An app that does the personal trainer’s job for you is the perfect motivation to overcome all the problems related to fitness problems. Additionally, all these features can be accessed from the device in your pocket making it the perfect app for health fanatics and fitness enthusiasts.

Features that make an ideal fitness app:

• Track macros

• Set fitness goals

• Exercise video library

• Chat

• Schedule & record workout

• Calorie counter

4. Streaming App like Netflix

Streaming apps have become a booming industry with over 27,000 million dollars in market volume. Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Prime have become the most popular streaming applications in 2020.

Netflix has one of the most successful business models. Netflix has become a multi-billion-dollar app with three simple plans for subscription: basic, standard and premium. Not just Netflix but other Over the top (OTT) streaming business verticals are set to reach a whopping 156.9 billion dollar mark by 2025. There are different industries that can now make use of OTT streaming services. 

Other OTT Streaming Business verticals

• Entertainment 

The entertainment industry mainly consists of content like movies, music, sports, TV series etc. This industry relies heavily on audio and video streaming OTT apps. Applications like Spotify and Netflix have become very popular among users. The industry could benefit from OTT in the expanding market. OTT has the capabilities to target ads and tracks the response more effectively which was difficult traditionally as advertisers could never accurately predict the number of viewers watching an ad or if there was any effect on sales due to the ad. Viewers can watch the OTT media from their TV, computer, mobile or any device that has Android or iOS. The device just needs an internet connection to access the media and hassles such as cables and dishes are not required. People also have the options to watch what they want, which enables the advertisers to divide customers into different categories depending on the type of media they watch. Over-the-top media is expected to pass 150-billion-dollar revenue by 2024.

• Education 

Another industry that has immensely benefited from OTT platforms is education. Online courses and teaching have been in existence for a long time. However, OTT platforms for e-learning has now utilized the video on demand concept wisely. While reluctant to adapt to OTT education media initially, recent events such as COVID-19 has shown how education in OTT platforms can be as efficient as traditional methods. Streaming apps play major roles in schools and colleges now. These apps are used to conduct virtual classes which would have been impossible if not for the streaming and video call technologies. The pandemic has also not stopped guest lecturers and industry experts from taking seminars in institutions as the technology has paved the way for live webinars.

• News channels

Traditionally, News contents are broadcast through cables or satellites that can only be accessed in a scheduled time. OTT apps have worked around this limitation and enable users to watch content anytime and anywhere. 

Develop an On-Demand Streaming Service MVP

Netflix did not become a success overnight. The business model was such that they started off with basic features. Likewise, it is always better to kickstart a streaming service with an MVP. Focus on providing a platform which is easy for users to navigate. The feedback after launching the MVP will let you know what the lockdown era users are looking for.

features for a good streaming app:

• Option to livestream

• In-app purchases

• Original content

• Recommendations

• Download and watch offline

5. Food Ordering and Delivery app like Zomato

The food and beverages industry has become an amazing opportunity for startups due to its steady growth. The industry has also made the life of everyone, especially foodies, better in terms of having food. All thanks to Zomato, Grubhub, JUST EAT, Uber Eats and other on-demand food ordering and delivery apps for making it hassle-free. The industry has the potential to grow by 44.23 billion dollars by 2024. In 2019, the revenue from online food delivery amounted to US$107. It has been found out that restaurants that do not have an online food delivery system can lose 70% of their customers. 

Why is a custom food ordering app useful for your restaurant?

• Third-party commission

• The risk of losing customers

• Absence of third-party delivery services in your area

• Limited customer data

Functionality of Zomato 

Zomato offers a very successful online food delivery business model. Their main source of revenue is from charging a commission from restaurants on the basis of orders. The delivery fee is split between the company and the delivery partner. Another source of income for Zomato is its subscription plan – Zomato Gold. 

Features for a hassle-free food ordering and delivery app: 

• In-app online ordering and mobile payment

• Discount/rewards, cashback and loyalty programs

• Real-time GPS tracking of food delivery

• Restaurant profile

• Order history

• Reviews and ratings

• Delivery person contact info

• Content management

• Order management

• Cross-interface communication

6. E-Learning app like BYJU’S

The global online education market has witnessed a steady growth from 187.877 billion dollars in 2019. It is forecasted to reach a market size of 319.167 billion dollars by 2025. This is due to the fact that the faculty worldwide has encouraged less traditional modes of teaching for better results. 

Benefits of Online Learning 

A great example of an online education app is BYJU’S. BYJU’S has seen tremendous success in the past few years. Online learning helps students to progress at a much faster rate. Most applications combine education with entertainment so that learning becomes enjoyable. 

Features for a good e-learning app:

• Videos and interactive visuals

• Live and prerecorded sessions 

• Knowledge testing sessions 

• Total syllabus

• Adaptive learning

• In-built chat

• E-Learning management

• Mobile learning management

• Book store management

7. Bike sharing app like Jump

Another trend that has become popular in the past few years is bike sharing. These applications let you share bicycles and bikes. Public use bicycles have become very popular in China. An example of such a service is Jump which is valued to be worth $200 million.

Why is Bike Sharing a Great Idea?

Bike sharing apps are a great mobile app idea because of the increase in pollution and congestion that is caused by too many vehicles. It is a very sustainable and innovative transport option. People will no longer have to go through the hassle of bringing their vehicles everywhere and can also save up on fuel. In this time of increasing population, pollution and chaos, we need such innovative solutions.  

How Does Bike Sharing Apps Work?

These apps provide an option to the rider to locate bikes that are available in the nearest location. There are mainly two models that bike sharing apps follow. One system is the dock system. In this system, users can use the bike and return it in another dock which is designated. Docks are a kind of rack system that locks these bikes and the release is controlled by computer. The second model is dockless or free-floating. Some popular examples of bike sharing apps are, Mobike, Lime, Jump, Motivate and ofo. 

Features for a great bike sharing app:

• Allow people to find nearby bikes 

• Lock code

• Payment for the trips

• Check out trip details

• Locking bike using bike number

• Customer support service 

8. Parking Management App or Parked Vehicle Finder App

The development of car parking as an industry dates back to the late eighteenth century in the US. Since then it has become a billion-dollar industry by reaching almost 10 billion US dollars in 2017. Increase in shopping malls and office buildings are what drives the market revenue primarily. The expansion in commercial space plays an important role in the increasing number of garages and parking lots. For instance, more than 20000 shopping malls were built in the last 20 years. The ever-increasing number of jobs, vehicles and malls is only going to increase in the coming years leading to ever-increasing revenue in the industry. It has resulted in the creation of parking management apps and smart parking systems for better convenience and productivity. The United States is still the market leader of smart parking and it seems to be so in the future as well. It is stated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that there will be a decrease of more than 35 percent of parking enforcements jobs by 2026. 

Key Features

• Easy search 

• GPS

• Street parking alerts 

• Price comparison 

• Booking 

• In-app communication 

9. Grocery Delivery App 

The number of grocery app users is predicted to pass 30 million by the year 2022. Online delivery has surged since the pandemic lockdown. 

Why Does Your Store Need Grocery App?

Obviously, the app enables you to deliver grocery to your customers. In this age of lockdowns and social distancing, delivery apps are the heroes. These apps let one help in the fight against COVID-19. Customers do not have to queue up at stores and can order grocery from their homes. Another advantage of grocery delivery apps is that you can build your customer base. People now only opt for delivery apps to stay safe as stated earlier. You can promote products, offers and discounts through the app. Customer loyalty can also be maintained with the help of a grocery app.

Since people use applications for running errands, it is also an important opportunity for grocery businesses to bring their market online. Some of the leading grocery delivery apps are Instacart, Amazon Fresh and Big Basket. 

Features for a good grocery delivery app:

• Coupons and loyalty programs

• Barcode scanning and aisle locations 

• Categories base product listing

• Add to cart product items

• Live order tracking

• Manage multiple addresses and checkout features

• Online store locator using your mobile device

• Order history

• Manage categories and subcategories.

• Create/edit/delete product item

• Manage attribute of the product

• Ticket and their status management

• Manage store order status

• Set payment method from the admin dashboard

Offshore Development vs. In-House Development

For any mobile application to be successful, they have to be developed by experienced hands. You can either hire an in-house team or outsource your app development to an offshore development team. Choosing an offshore development over an in-house team is always a better option for developing applications and software. Yes, you also have to make sure that the offshore team knows what they are doing. For a great app, you need a team that has access to a highly-skilled workforce and the latest resources. Offshore teams often have developers that have many years of experience working in that specific domain. You have greater control over the custom mobile app development process and costs. Finally, no matter which mode of development you follow, the efficiency of the app comes down to the software development company. 

We at aTeamTexas create great quality custom mobile applications. That’s it. No other distractions and sugarcoating. All you have to do is come on over, pitch your idea and we deliver the product that you envisioned. 

To  get a free quote/consultation for your mobile application idea, email  [email protected]  or fill up the form