Today mobile apps have become an integral part of our lives. Nokia introduced the first mobile app, the “Snake” arcade game, in 1997; since then apps have been continuously evolving. In case you want to make an app for your business, it is good to take a feel of the landscape first before you choose what app development company to go with.
Deciding whether to develop a web app or a native app is not enough; you’ll also have to decide what category your app would go into. There are seven main categories of mobile apps, and here they are:
Educational Apps
Educational apps include apps that inform and educate you with new things. There are a lot of varieties seen when it comes to educational apps. Apps like news apps and language apps are included in this category. During times like pandemic educational apps have been top choices for people who want to learn something new without leaving their home and, more importantly, for educational institutions apps have come as a saving grace with schools and colleges shut for an undisclosed period.
If you are developing an educational app find a unique way to communicate with the users. If you want to tie them to your app, deliver your content in a way that is interesting and not just ordinary.
Several popular apps in this category are as follow:
- Buzzfeed
- Google News
Social Media Apps
Social Media is probably the most popular category for apps used widely by the population from all over the world. We build an online persona of ourselves and drop in every day to check on it. Facebook alone has 2.80 billion active daily users. This means that almost half the population of the world uses Facebook every day.
Most people use social media apps because they are fun and, most importantly, it gives us a peek into the lives of our friends, favorite celebrities, and popular content creators. For this reason, even apps that are not under this category include certain social sharing functionality.
Once you integrate the social media features into your app the users will keep coming back to it. Here are some of the popular social media apps:
- TikTok
- Snapchat
Lifestyle Apps
Lifestyle apps have seen rapid growth in the last few years. The category covers a lot of ground and includes apps related to fitness, food, dating, and travel.
The best thing about these apps is that once users are part of the system, they stay there for a long run. Users turn to these apps daily to help them get through various essential tasks like cooking, finding a restaurant, or looking for their next vacation destination. These apps provide you with your likes and make sure you fall in love with the app. Here are some examples of popular Lifestyle apps:
- Spotify
- Uber
- Tripadvisor
Entertainment Apps
This is the category that is solely made to keep you busy. During the period of the Covid-19 pandemic, where everyone around seemed quarantined in their homes, entertainment apps have been very popular for spending time. Entertainment apps also come to your rescue when you feel bored during a long plane journey, commuting to work, or lounging at home. Most of the apps in this category are streaming services where you can watch a movie or watch TV shows.
Apps like Kindle, which lets you access your e-books on your smartphone, are also included in this category. With apps like this, the platforms increase their reach to a new customer base. Here are some other examples of entertainment apps:
- Netflix
- YouTube
- Amazon Prime Video
Payment Apps
Mobile payment apps have become a very convenient option for people who prefer cashless transactions. Payments being made through mobile apps .has also helped control the spread of coronavirus. On the other hand, it has also accelerated digital wallets, giving a boost to online payments.
Mobile apps have partnered up with many major established banks, e-commerce websites, popular retail stores, etc., to offer users attractive deals and discounts. Some notable examples of payment apps are:
- PayPal
- Stripe
- Venmo
Productivity Apps
Productivity apps majorly include office apps that help you organize and complete your tasks on time. While they may sound boring, coronavirus has forced everyone to work from home; productivity apps have risen to become a popular category.
Convenient features of productivity apps take you from point A to point B with minimum effort. So if you are looking to dominate this industry come up with ways to do things that no one has. Here are some productivity apps:
- Google Keep
- Evernote
- Trello
Gaming Apps
Gaming apps are pretty self-explanatory and account for most app downloads across all the categories. The category is pretty crowded, and developers have come up with different types of gaming apps for their targeted audiences to break into it. The category includes arcade games, puzzle games, learning games for children, and many more. The category serves children and games like PUBG and Free Fire have also won a big part of the adult user base.
Many of the big game developers have launched their games in the form of mobile apps. While during the quarantine period, to keep people busy a lot of online gaming tournaments were held. While a little bit addictive, the apps also bring friends together in one place. Here are few popular gaming apps:
- PUBG
- Free Fire
- Candy Crush
Regardless of which category you choose, to beat the competition, your app needs to stand out. Think about users and how you can provide them with a unique experience. Once you get the idea of what your audience wants, your app can easily take place in the top downloaded apps.
Once you know how you want your app to be, you can go on sites like GoodFirms to find the best development companies available in your country. With a good development company, you can shape your app exactly how you envisioned it.
