ChristineThere are a limitless number of apps in the market. The sad truth is, however, that a large majority of them do not last more than 3 months. It is extremely challenging to build an app that has a pleasing design. To help you in this struggle, I have researched top mobile app design trends and UI/UX design trends for 2022. They will help you stand out.
Here are the top mobile app UI/UX design trends in 2022.
- 3D
- Animations
- Dark mode
- Voice User Interface
- Voice User Interface
- Augmented Reality
- Micro-Interactions
- Face ID
- Video content
- Conversational design
- Serif fonts.
Before we elaborate on each, you may wish to consult top prototyping tools for mobile app design. You may also wish to read about instant apps. These blog posts will give you an idea about the mobile app development industry in general.
Now, let's get back to our main topic. Let's see why UI/UX design trends are significant and elaborate on each.
Why Are UI/UX Design Trends Significant?
It's clear that UI/UX design trends play a significant role in user experience. This is especially true for the first day of an app. If UI/UX design is not user-friendly, the chances are high that the user will drop the app just on the first day. So, the first expression is of primary importance.
The fact is that the market constantly tests various UI/UX design trends. To keep up with these trends is essential as this will give you tested info on what works and what doesn't.
Some mobile app design trends were popular several years ago and they are still on the go. At the same time, some became popular just in 2021 and continue leading. Google, Apple, Facebook, and more put good money into research to identify the trends that will also be on the top in 2022.
Let's have a look at them!
Mobile App Design Trends and UX/UI Design Trends to Look Out For
Technology changes. So do the consumer demands. The design trends in 2022 aim to meet these requirements and at the same time perform their job of keeping the users interested in the apps. Here are the trends that are expected to be on top in 2022.
3D
Designers have grasped the importance of 3D graphics in the past. However, this tool was mainly applied in educational materials previously. Today it is increasingly being introduced in the field of internet promotion. It’s always easier to enjoy a picture than to read a text description about something.
The intensive application of 3D graphics in mobile apps became possible thanks to the development of augmented and virtual reality technologies. The technology today is so advanced that it allows all kinds of manipulations with 3D. And it is marketable because 3D illustrations are closer to our perception.
Animations
Animations are always entertaining and evoke an inner child in us. No wonder, designers in 2022 are going to use lots of animations to make the topic easier to grasp and more comprehensible.
The difficulty with animation is that it cannot be done by the designer alone. It is a teamwork of a product designer, UI/UX designer, illustrator, animator, programmer, and tester.
Dark mode
You may be surprised to know that dark mode is one of the mobile app design trends in 2022. When it started to be applied in the mobile app industry, a dark mode was mainly used for night scenes. Today, it is applied as a general look of the website or the app. Apple, Facebook, YouTube, and many more actively apply dark themes. And believe me, these guys know what’s working and what’s not.
Voice User Interface
Voice apps are commonly dominating the market in 2022. Customers can engage with software programs using Voice User Interface (VUI). Apps like Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa are already part of life. It is expected that 75% of US households will have some kind of voice assistant by 2025. This number was 50% in 2021.
Since talking to an app is a much more convenient way of interacting, customers prefer virtual apps over those that use traditional typing modes. That’s why a lot of businesses are incorporating virtual assistants into their apps.
Augmented Reality
Today the technology has advanced so much that AR and VR are quickly becoming the standard. Perhaps Covid has its say for the increasing spread of the work-from-home model of business. Due to this, virtual reality office environments have emerged as a new trend. VR apps are meant to replace whole offices. “It’s like Skype meets the Empire State Building,” a former analyst says.
It may seem wild but it's a totally new environment that an ordinary brain may not comprehend unless you experience it yourself. To come back to Earth, you just need to unclip the VR headset and the magic is over.
A great example is IKEA's app. Customers can test out a piece of furniture to see how it looks in their room before placing an order.
So, augmented reality apps are becoming more and more practical and touch the very basics of our lives.
Micro-Interactions
The market is full of apps but some gain acceptance in the market and some don’t. The devil is in the details. Users don’t even realize why they like one app and don’t like others. The micro-interactions have a role to play. These are animated triggers that can react to the actions of users and make the interaction with the design more entertaining.
We may not be mistaken to say that there is much to learn from user experience when it comes to micro-interaction. They must be carefully considered by UI/UX designers when designing apps. Otherwise, they are going to ruin the user experience.
Face ID
More and more smartphones refuse to use buttons on their devices for unlocking their phone. Due to this trend, face identification might become the preferred mode. In part, this is done for better user experience but security has a say in this trend. Very often users use their devices for personal finance or banking applications. So instead of remembering lengthy passwords, users use facial recognition and confirm their identity.
Video content
Statistics shows that users prefer watching videos over texts. This is because the human brain can process visuals more quickly than it can text. No wonder videos get more than 1000% more shares than texts and images taken together. So, more and more developers try to boost user engagement with video content. Having said this, expect to see more video-based content and more platforms with live streaming capabilities.
Conversational design
It’s interesting how the digital world has evolved. Virtual reality is taking more and more forms of normal human interaction modes. And conversational design is just one element of bringing human interaction into the digital world.
That’s why chatbots and voice assistants are designed so that they bring empathy for human experiences through user research and listening. Research and development help software engineers design apps that serve people better and that’s the goal of conversational design. If you are interested in the principles of conversational design, here is an article to go.
Serif fonts
Serif fonts like Times New Roman, Garamond, Baskerville, Georgia, and Courier New are best for mobile app design and UI/UX design. And believe it or not, fonts matter. If your app is not legible or causes frustration, the users will drop it without a second thought. Here is an article on the best fonts for mobile app design.
Conclusion
We have come up with a couple of trends that will dominate mobile app design in 2022. If you search the web, you will see much more. However, no matter how many blog posts you read on mobile app design trends and UI/UX design trends, the final say will be with your development company that understands the basics of design.
I think you did your homework by reading this article and you can now talk to your software engineers on a professional level. The way these guys will perform their tasks will largely determine your future conversion rates. So, make sure to know who you are hiring. And if you are interested in how much it will cost you to design an app, you can have a general idea by reading this article on ''How much does it cost to design an app in 2021?''
And if you liked this article, don’t forget to clap it! This may help other people find it.
