As 2020 draws to a close, the digital world can look back in wonder at how much things have changed. This is partly thanks to the global variations caused by the pandemic; once and for all, the value of digital solutions has been set very high. Everything, from meetings to shopping, has been at least partially delegated to technology.
With all this attention on software, it was inevitable that some trends emerge when it comes to the appearance of apps. After all, when you’re stuck between four walls, you are able to concentrate fully on what’s on your screen. Not just able, actually: you are almost compelled.
2021 is just around the corner. If you’re worried if your current UI/UX skills are up for the challenges ahead, you’re in luck. Here are some trends that will help you keep up:
1.Mobile is King
It might be redundant to say for most of you reading this blog on a website dedicated to mobile-friendly app design, but mobile phones are kind of a big deal. If you look at the fact that more than half of all searches are performed on a mobile device (and about 95% of them are done using Google), it’s clear that having a responsive website or app is going to be the thing that keeps you in the game. How you decide to do it is up to you and your app
2.Minimalism gets you where you need to go
A rise in popularity of apps has made clutter a very real problem. You are no longer trying to stand out through use of a gazillion colors and shapes – this is more likely to alienate your potential user (who has most likely been staring at a screen for hours at this point).
3.Dark mode
Tying in with the previous point, dark mode is becoming a very popular option. Hey, even Facebook™ and Instagram™ have jumped on the bandwagon! It’s a fantastic way of not blinding yourself when you take up your phone in the dark, and it goes well with the right logo.
4.AR and VR on the rise
If you’re into gaming, AR and VR have been on your agenda for the past few years. However, we’ve also seen the trend seep into other sectors like tourism (taking virtual tours of the Louvre, for example) and real estate.
5.Voice commands for the future
With the rise of voice assistants, this particular interface has been given a new life. Why bother hunting down your keyboard when you can just tell your app what to do?
6.The importance of good copy
Even though your app doesn’t necessarily have more than a few words as part of its UI/UX, these words do matter. Everything, from commands to push notifications, needs to tell the right story and be as clear as possible.
7.The color of success
Gradients and simple color combinations have been the rule of thumb for a while, and they aren’t going away any time soon. However, the time has shown that less aggressive gradients have taken over the market, as well as unexpected and fun colors.
8.Keeping it unique
It’s great to get some inspiration from people kicking it with their designs, but it’s a bad idea to just blindly copy what others are doing. Your app is your own adapt it to what you need and you’ll stand out!
