Mobile apps have not been around for that long, and yet they have undergone some form of evolution from the time they first emerged to this day. In just 7 years, from the time the Apple App Store first went live up to now, you will notice that there have been a lot of big changes in how mobile app designs have changed. Let us check what the most noticeable changes are and how these have helped us more now than they have in the past.
From too simple to aesthetically pleasing – in the past, the main goal was to give people apps that they can use, and that is just exactly what happened. Aesthetics took the back seat most of the time and functionality was front and center. These days however, you can see that when you click on your apps that the opening pages are usually easy on the eye and are good to look at. Some apps have an opening image, others have numerous buttons that are also well-thought out in design, and still a few more have a similar look as their PC counterparts but in a mobile-friendly guise.
Super functionality from singular use – if you were to remember back to when location apps were first launched, you should envision these as mere maps that show you where these places can be found. The most you could probably hope for from these were directions to the place you were trying to look at via colored lines on the map you see on your device. These days, you will find that not only will you be given a map of where you are going, but you also get pictures of the place, different routes to choose from, and voice guided directions from your app. You will also find an option to add your own pictures of the place, and to find alternatives to the same business within the area with more competitive prices or offerings.
From try to learn as you go to intuitive and more user-friendly – in the old days, you would need a few days, sometimes even a couple of weeks, to get used to and learn how to use your mobile apps. With the latest ideas in mobile app designs however, you will notice that the old designs and interfaces have evolved into ones that are very easy to understand and work on. Instead of needing to dig into various pages to find what you want, you can try to filter things via a drop down menu on the upper corners of the app, or via a side-scrolling menu that you can simply swipe sideways to access and use.
These are just a few of the distinct changes that you will see in majority of the mobile apps that you will be able to get for your device these days. Other changes in how these are now designed include an increase in the tiled navigation design, context aware UI, use of swiping gestures for actions, and layered interfaces. While these may seem like more complex designs in terms of mobile apps, these increase the usability as well as the functionality of your apps in so many ways.
