When it comes to UI/UX design trends, there is no end. The trends keep changing every year depending on user behaviour and new technology. In recent years, UI/UX design trends, particularly for mobile apps, has drawn a lot of attention due to the staggering growth of mobile traffic.
As mobile apps are on the verge of an internet traffic revolution, UI/UX design for mobile apps is inevitably essential. Consequently, the competition in digital product design is high.
To win the mobile app development battle, blindly done UI/UX design won’t help for sure.
So, what exactly will help you designing outstanding UI/UX that will engage customers?
Only strategic and customer-centric UI/UX design can help your app stand out in the market, following contemporary trends.
The Ever-Changing Design Trends
“Sixty per cent of firms use design in some way, as defined using the Design Ladder. And more than two-fifths of our survey respondents agreed that the use of design within their organisation has contributed to an increase in sales turnover, increased business competitiveness and increased awareness and recognition of the brand and/or raised brand loyalty.”
Design Council UK
Product designing is one of the most crucial works that go back in time. The word trends itself stands for changes. We can certainly see a significant difference between designs from the 90s and recent. And there is no doubt that we will see a lot of changes in the coming years.
Due to the constant shift in customer behaviour, both the conventional and digital product manufacturers are constantly changing designs. In more advanced product designing, human psychology is blended with current technology to present a better solution that solves real problems.
Keeping customers in mind, more and more companies are focusing on user interface design that provides a hassle-free customer experience.
Though design trends have evolved a lot in previous years, the UI/UX design trends took a massive transition in the wake of COVID-19.
The 2020 UI/UX design trends significantly focused on the remote work environment. Businesses with mobile or web applications that came with better user interface increased in sales turnover.
Like 2020, UI/UX design trends in 2021 also have something unique to offer. Yet in most cases, the previous trends will continue since remote workplace and online shopping continue to dictate our daily lives.
In response to the changing attributes in online businesses, you should move forward with future proof UI/UX design trends for a higher profit margin.
Why UI/UX Design Trends for Mobile Apps Matter?
Do you know that more than 80% of internet users worldwide use mobile phone to surf the web?
And this is not the end; mobile internet traffic is substantially growing every year. Besides, the use of mobile apps is also on the rise.
In the UK, 61% of total web traffic comes through mobile devices. Moreover, 58% of British customers prefer in-app purchase, which is still growing.
According to several surveys, Customers are highly likely to view 4.2x more products through mobile apps than mobile sites.
Thus, mobile apps contribute to pushing more customers into the purchase funnel.
Mobile apps also have 1.5 times better conversion rates than desktop.
The given statistics only work with a well-designed mobile app interface tested for a better user experience. Depending on your app’s UI/UX design, the numbers can be even better.
But what makes a UI/UX design better?
A better mobile UI/UX design mostly depends on the current trends and technology that blends with something unique.
But the oversaturation of the existing UI/UX design trends can make your app ineffective as well. Therefore, designers need to find something different from the other competitors. At the same time, that element can connect human emotions and their needs.
Thus, to design your mobile app’s UI/UX, choosing an agency is very important. And we can help you with UI/UX design services.
UI/UX Design Trends for Mobile Apps in 2021
1. Personalised Design
In the latest UI/UX design trends, personalised web pages are more likely to be crucial for better customer satisfaction.
According to Instapage, “74% of customers are frustrated when a webpage is not personalised.”
“80% customers are more likely to purchase a brand that provides a personalised experience.” Says Epsilon.
So what is personalised UI/UX design?
Personalised design refers to a design trend that provides a personalised browsing experience. The AI and data drove user interface changes and shows its contents depending on customers individual taste.
For example, when we browse Netflix, every user has a different interface that suggests personalised contents.
This tailored user experience substantially increases users satisfaction. Thus a personalised mobile app is one of those UI/UX trends you need to follow.
2. AI Integrated UI/UX Design
AI is one of those disruptive technologies that has created many opportunities for UI/UX designers.
Companies want an AI integrated UX design for a more intuitive user interface.
According to the UserZoom survey in 2020, 80% of UX executives believe that AI and UX design is the future of user experience.
UX design is all about making the user interface more accessible and intuitive. And AI will help the entire process easier for both designers and end-users.
3. 3D Design in UI/UX
Despite being in the scenario for a long, 3D design in UI/UX is essential. Therefore, the use of 3D design in both web and mobile app will increase.
Similarly, immersive experience is another UI/UX design trend getting popular.
Both these design trends provide a highly engaging experience for users. And eventually, these design elements increase customer satisfaction if they are relevant and helpful.
3D UI becomes highly effective for spatial tracking. With 3-dimensional user interaction, the system can track users position, orientation and how they interact with the product.
4. Touchless Interaction in UX Design
Mobile UI/UX design trends in 2021 are more aligned to the touchless user interface. As a result, users are more likely to engage with the apps that integrate the voice user interface.
VUI is now a significant UI/UX design trend that helps you complete your work without touching your device. Though it finds its rhythm during the pandemic, it was one of the innovations thought to become a major UX revolution.
Besides the voice user interface, the air gesture control mechanism is another technology to consider for UI/UX design. With this mechanism, users can send signals to a device through gestures that detect airflow.
5. Neumorphism in UI/UX Design Trends
At the beginning of its inception in 2020, Neumorphism showed a new design sense using a different approach of using colour palate. Neumorphism combines flat design and skeuomorphism to create a unique layout.
This latest UI/UX trend focuses on colours, shapes, gradients, highlights, and shadows in a unique way to provide an aesthetic look of the elements.
6. UX Simplification
Do you know what the purpose of UI/UX design is?
Improving customer satisfaction is the primary goal of UI/UX design.
Mobile apps often have a very complex user interface. With a problematic user interface, businesses lose customers.
70% of online businesses fail due to bad usability.
UX simplification is one of the reasons your UI/UX design matters a lot. Think from a customers perspective; if you feel that the app you are using is complex? If the app is unable to navigate you? Would you go back to that particular app?
The answer is a big no!
Therefore, a simplified UX design is of utmost importance for your mobile app to succeed.
7. Retro Aesthetic
As a popular belief, history repeats itself, and so does its elements.
90’s design aesthetics seem backwards, but this is something taking control of the web. In the coming years, UI/UX design trends will be inspired by 90’s big and bold typography, asymmetry and choice of colours.
In mobile app design, a retro aesthetic can become a great addition. But designers need to be mindful of the innovation. It is more important to provide a fun experience to your users and make sure they will convert.
8. Microinteractions
Microinteractions are worth including in your mobile app. The small buttons, icons, or animations help your app increase engagement leading to a better customer experience.
At least we understand, customer engagement is more difficult nowadays. Mobile app users are not satisfied so easily. So you have to provide some elements that encourage your users to engage your brand.
Examples of Microinteractions:
- Changes in colours in a different segment of the app
- Animations between page transitions
- Visual effects of opening a page
- Buttons for giving reactions
- Navigation signs etc.
Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin are the early adopters of Microinteractions. The like and comment buttons are some of the actual examples of these UI/UX design elements.
9. Virtual Reality in UI/UX Design Trend
For more than a decade, remote work is getting popular, and due to the pandemic, it has become a necessity.
2020 saw a tremendous technological innovation in UI/UX design. Virtual reality is one of those trends that dictated several industries.
Medical-tech, EdTech and art are some of the sectors that integrated virtual reality to provide adequate services.
Until the pandemic, virtual reality was merely an entertainment thing, at least to ordinary people. But now, people perceived that VR has endless possibilities. As this is the need of the hour, UI/UX design can establish a full-blown virtual office system for a more effective remote working environment.
10. Advanced Augmented Reality
Now we move into an even more advanced augmented reality environment.
Augmented reality is out of the box technology in UI/UX design. It helps us blend digital information into the physical world, leading users to get real-time feedback.
In comparison to VR, AR technology does not even require any device or goggles to participate.
For example, mobile apps intended to provide remote working facility like Zoom or similar can adapt to AR technology. The adaptation will result in creating a real-like physical environment. For example, there is already an AR-based virtual-office startup-like Spatial.
So there is no doubt that AR will revolutionise the UI/UX design for mobile apps and web applications.
In short, UI/UX design trends are of great importance to better your mobile app’s user experience. The design trends keep changing every time depending on new technology. To make your business successful, you must invest in UI/UX design following current trends. Moreover, you should also invest in something that breaks the trends and engage customers.
