Beyond Aesthetics: The Strategic Art of Mobile App Design

By:

ITS

Category:

Mobile app Design

Introduction:
The evolution of Mobile App design has been remarkable. The advancements in Mobile App technologies directly influence the trends of app design and determine how apps are designed and developed. With time, Mobile App UI/UX design has become more intricate and user oriented.

For instance, the year 2022 was about minimalism and new experiments in Mobile App design. App creators focused on enhancing the navigational experiences with bottom bars and device agnostic designs. However, we have now phased out of the experimental stint as the trends of yesteryear have now become the design principles of today’s world.

The ideas that became a success were adopted by designers across the globe. Those ideas became steppingstones for futuristic trends that are now coming into play. In today’s piece we will discuss some of those ideas and walk you through the latest trends of mobile app UI/UX design. Stay tuned and get bonus app design and development ideas and tips.

1. Top mobile app design trends for 2024
2. Conversational & dynamic design
3. Buttonless & passwordless accessibility
4. Unusual colors & typography
5. Neumorphism
6. User generated content
7. Multipurpose design
8. Designing for inclusivity
9. Conclusion

Top 7 mobile app design trends for 2024

Should I weed out extra buttons or give more menu options to customers? Should I stick to one color palette or go with vibrant and popping designs? How much content is too much content?

As you aim to design and develop an app, there are tons of similar questions that can cross your mind. Following the design trends can help you cut through the noise and clutter and make better decisions for your Mobile App design and development.

Go through the top trends of Mobile App UI/UX design and know more:

Conversational & dynamic design

To make the scrolling experience more immersive, designers will focus on dynamism and ease. The use of AR/VR (Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality), chatbots and AI tools will increase in order to make the app designs more conversational. It will enhance the predictiveness and intuitiveness of the app and make journeys smoother, frictionless, and more personalized.

In fact, apps will have to be smart enough to know where their users are headed and guide them accordingly. Additionally, the browsing experience will become more functional and dynamic with motion design, animations, microinteractions, split screen design (one screen with multiple messages), and more.

Buttonless & passwordless accessibility

Biometric encryptions like face IDs, fingerprints, etc., have now become common. As digital currencies, mobile wallets, and fintech apps will become more popular, the use of passwordless accessibility will also see a rise. Offering users the option to access apps without passwords will become imperative.

Liquid swipes and button less designs will also become trendy as users will need less and less buttons to access app screens and features and move in their journey ahead. This will directly impact app development as the reliability on app gestures will increase and users will have the option of more functional and multi-directional app navigation.

Unusual colors & typography

Color theme and font choices play an important role in the development of Mobile Apps. While colors set the tone of the app and brand theme, typography determines the visual weight and grammar of the app’s content. Over time, the use of colors and fonts has changed dramatically. There is huge emphasis on picking dark-mode and vision-friendly palettes.

While Serif fonts will continue to rule, text alignments may see unusual experiments as screens are getting bigger and better. Moreover, neutral interfaces will no longer mean use of neutral colors. Designers have already moved over the rose gold and pastel palettes and are now experimenting with bold and bright illustrations. Therefore, apps will come in all colors and types.

Neumorphism

Glassmorphism (glass like transparent and translucent design), Claymorphism (3D design with drop shadow and light cast from top), and Skeumorphism (natural interpretation of objects) have already been a part of the design universe for years now. However, Neumorphism is the latest trend that is catching on with mobile app designers.

Neumorphism design is defined by three major characteristics viz., monochromatic color schemes, low contrast, and subtle shadows. It combines the best of Skeumorphism and flat design and enables designers to give objects a ‘simplified realism’ effect. While Skeumorphism (use of real-life representations) will be making a strong comeback, application of Neumorphism will also see a rise.

User generated content

The current and upcoming generations are highly tech-savvy and media-friendly. Moreover, they want to feel involved and engaged on platforms that are meant for them. This is the reason why brands are focusing on a more user-centric approach when it comes to app design and development. Having scope for in-app user generated content is another way to do that.

From audio and video-based reviews to adding self-created content, most Mobile Apps are now encouraging users to add content of their own. Therefore, the app UI and UX should be supportive enough to incorporate user-generated content. The designs will have to be device and content agnostic as users will upload their own photos, videos, and content.

Multipurpose design

Mobile Apps are becoming more versatile and dynamic. Most businesses are shifting to the multipurpose model where one app fulfills several purposes. For example, apps for housing societies that are used for maintenance, surveillance, shopping from local stores, ordering on-demand services, and more.

Eventually, designers will face this challenge where they will have to think beyond industry-specific themes and color palettes and create universal designs that suit a variety of purposes. The ability to create industry agnostic interfaces and apps with limited design elements but unlimited possibilities will be the demand of the season.

Designing for inclusivity

Inclusive designing is a process in which applications are designed to suit as many people as possible, particularly those who are traditionally unable to navigate or use a given interface or environment. More than a trend, it has become an ethical responsibility of designers over the years. Instead of emphasizing on getting many users, designers here shift the focus to incorporating more user needs.

This mainly includes designing for people with impairments, special needs, and accessibility issues. Designers can use ALT text with images, create image maps, add audio and visuals that are not dependent on each other, use relative sized texts, and other elements that ensure inclusivity. Make sure your apps are easy to use for all kinds of people and remain as effective.

Conclusion:

Mobile App designing is a combination of arts and sciences. To achieve perfect results, designers must have visual perceptiveness and work in close tandem with other departments of app development. As a mobile app designer, you should have a sense of the latest trends and adopt new technologies and advancements with open arms.

However, at the same time, you must not lose focus or yield to the pressure of “keeping up with the times”. Each app is unique and at the end of the day what works out best for you can beat any other trend or fad. Besides, you can always create prototypes and mockups of your app and A/B test your design ideas. Know what works best for your app and business and go with that.

If you have any queries regarding mobile app design and development, feel free to drop a line in the comment section and we will get back to you with answers from our experts. While you are at it, you can also spare some minutes and check out our app builder software and design an app for free. Master the art of app design and launch aesthetic mobile apps of your own.