Mobile technology is constantly changing. Therefore, the company IT should inform itself early on news. Read which trends you cannot miss in 2019.
Mobile devices have become smarter, bigger and faster. And organizations have increasingly picked up mobile technologies and integrated them into the enterprise. As employees demanded improvements in the user experience, mobile app developers have tried to adapt to these needs.
These changes have taken place in recent years. Therefore, mobile strategy IT professionals should keep an eye on the following mobile technology trends in 2019.
Smartphones are becoming even smarter
AI and virtual assistants will no longer be new trends in mobile technology in 2019. However, it is becoming common practice for mobile devices to integrate AI technologies into chatbots, virtual assistants, and operating systems. The current market for mobile devices points in this direction. For example, Qualcomm and Huawei chips already have AI capabilities.
Over the next two to three years, users will be able to fully control their mobile devices with voice commands. This is the conclusion of Jack Gold, Chief Analyst at J. Gold Associates of Marlborough, Massachusetts. In the next three to five years, users may not even know which mobile apps they are using, because virtual assistants will anticipate their needs and act accordingly.
These advances will have profound implications for organizations. For example, the AI is likely to improve mobile security by detecting user behavioural anomalies and detecting whether a user is the legitimate owner of the device. AI-enhanced security will go far beyond methods such as biometric authentication. This may be implemented in the form of on-device applications or as an addition to EMM suites (Enterprise Mobility Management).
To prepare for AI-based devices, companies should be watching the current market and considering strategies to take advantage of these smart features. Technology buyers should engage with vendors and their representatives to understand what features are available as enhancements to the hardware and software of mobile devices.
EMM and beyond
The EMM market is likely to change in 2019. The focus is shifting more and more from Mobile Device Management (MDM) and EMM to Unified Endpoint Management (UEM). UEM includes a variety of devices, including desktops, wearables and IoT devices. Many UEM tools include the features known by EMM and MDM. In addition, they integrate other aspects of IT management, such as identity and access management (IAM).
Vendors rename and redesign their products to address the emerging trends in mobile technology in 2019. This development has been observable for some years and will most likely continue. In 2016, the EMM suite from BlackBerry became an UEM platform. Citrix renamed XenMobile to Citrix Endpoint Management in May 2018. And in July 2018, Gartner rolled out its new series of market research reports (Magic Quadrant) on UEM for the first time.
Organizations should understand the implications of vendor product updates. Several companies, such as Citrix, are encouraging their EMM customers to migrate from on-premise to cloud solutions. IT should know which features of its on-premise EMM platform may be compromised.
If necessary, IT should also prepare to integrate IoT Edge devices into a UEM strategy. This can mean finding a product that can securely integrate, deploy, and monitor connected sensors and networked equipment.
The future development of apps
Developers, too, have to adapt to the trends in mobile technology that can be identified in 2019. Cross-platform mobile development is becoming increasingly viable as more developers are turning to frameworks such as React Native and Native Script, or technologies such as Progressive Web Apps (PWAs).
Frameworks such as Native Script and React Native allow developers to write a common code base for both Apple iOS and Google Android. Tools like Apache Cordova have tried this in the past by creating hybrid apps that show web content in a native view. However, each platform requires customization so developers have a hard time actually using a common code.
PWAs, which combine the best features of web apps and native apps, are becoming increasingly popular among mobile developers. PWAs are expected to be the new standard for mobile app development. This opinion is shared by Michael Facemire, vice president and chief analyst at Forrester Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Users will notice little difference between the interface of a native app and that of a PWA, which is why the new mobile development method promises an easy transition. In addition, PWAs are relatively easy to develop, so it is likely that a developer has the skills to write them. But for PWAs to prevail on a broad basis, Apple must support them in Safari. However, it is unclear when this will become reality.