Creative web apps that hint at the future of development
Part of any good development project involves looking at the fresh innovations that have recently been released and determining what will add value to our clients. In addition, we’re always looking for ways to streamline the development cycle by not reinventing the wheel. That’s where web apps come in.
AWS explains, “A web application is software that runs in your web browser. Businesses have to exchange information and deliver services remotely. They use web applications to connect with customers conveniently and securely. The most common website features like shopping carts, product search and filtering, instant messaging, and social media [news feeds] are web applications in their design. They allow you to access complex functionality without installing or configuring software.”
But are there really creative web apps that hint at the future of development? What can we learn from the trends in what’s out there right now?
Creation web apps
Firstly, AI-powered content creation can make text, images and even videos for your next post or project like Writesonic, DeepAI or Canva. You can make an assistant to help your business answer users’ questions like Elai – these AI avatars are becoming more human-like every day. Or you could use something like Google’s NotebookLM to read and process incoming information, even turning it into a podcast! Overall, these tools can make boring interactions like training, onboarding and customer service inbound contacts more engaging. Next, we look at proactivity – like Clippy of old – the next gen of web tools will actively suggest time-saving and creative ways to use AI and ML in your day-to-day.
Hyper-local web apps
With location data on, there’s a lot you can do. It’s not just geotagging like Samsung’s knack for knowing whenever you’re within 100 feet of a store. UberEats, Deliveroo and JustEat all use location to deliver relevant food and offers. Uber, GetTaxi and Bolt do the same for ride-sharing. But expect a future where your calendar is integrated with these services. Where these apps encourage you to lock down your plans to order in advance, instead of waiting for that impulse. This could take the form of notifications to put in your lunch order if you’re working away or giving you alerts if transport is down, suggesting you take an Uber. The base technology is already there, the permissions and integrations just need to be written.
Gamification web apps
Fianlly, some things aren’t fun to do. Banking, chores, curbing bad habits, learning, sleeping? That’s why many new web apps in the lifestyle space focus on gamifying these activities. Deloitte explains, “Most companies utilise game mechanics to reward positive behaviour and educate players. Gamification also provides other advantages, including the capturing of data, which can be used to promote new products and services, and to enhance customer satisfaction or the ability to help lower customer service costs.” So, whether you’re learning a new language with Duolingo or investing with Plum, elements of fun and enjoyment are layered as standard. Lastly, think of how these gamified lifestyle apps could be layered with fitness trackers, work calendars and GPS tracking to offer a more timely and nuanced experience that’s easier to fold into your day…
If you want to start developing your future-state web app today, please reach out. We’d love to support you in bringing these innovations to life for your brand.
