Mobile App Ideas According to Current Trends

According to the latest statistics, there are approximately 5.7 million apps in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store alone, not counting third-party providers like Amazon Appstore. Digital solutions for mobile devices have firmly become part of the everyday life of modern society.

People use them for personal purposes, such as controlling robot vacuums or fitness trackers. Similar programs are invaluable for students, including various educational platforms, online communication, etc.

The business sector has also become more mobile in recent years. Companies manage equipment, interact with customers, and organize their internal processes through smartphones.

While products for online banking or taxi booking have been well-known and widely used worldwide, there are innovative ideas that can surprise even the most sophisticated users.

The experts at Lampa have prepared a list of the top best ideas for app development based on modern trends.

Drone Apps

Drone photography is becoming increasingly popular. It is considered both an exciting hobby and a tool in various fields of activity. For example, drones are used for mapping in the mining industry and construction and to create detailed photographs of buildings in real estate sales.

According to the latest data, homes with aerial photos are sold 68% faster, and 56% of realtors use drones in their work. Let's explore the most trending app ideas to optimize working with this technology.

Drone control app

Both free drone management apps with basic functionality and solutions with advanced opportunities are available in the software market. However, the latter may require payment.

Good app ideas should include the following features:

• Control of the drone using an on-screen joystick

• Mission planning

• Map viewing to assess route safety

• Flight automation

• Flight mode selection

• Battery performance monitoring, and more.

Here are some examples of the best app ideas: Drone RC For Quadcopter Drone, Litchi, DJI drone software, etc.

App for shooting from a drone

If the drone is designed to fly and take aerial photos, the app for controlling the device should have additional functionality. 

Among the required features:

• Calculation of the optimal time to get the desired photo

• The opportunity to share your photos with friends

• Specific functions, including Deep Of Field (DOF), Exposure, FOV calculator, etc.

Examples of interesting app ideas: PhotoPills, AirMagic.

Application for detailed study of the terrain

A detailed study of the area where the flight is planned is the key to its safety and success. Special apps, which are endowed with the appropriate functionality, can help in this.

Among the main features:

• Saving the desired locations

• Creating, editing, and visualizing 3D terrain models

• Measuring distance, volume, and height

• Terrain tracking and positioning the drone at the optimal height for high-image quality

Examples of such mobile application ideas are Propeller Aero and DJI Terra.

App for flight safety in a specific location

Flight safety apps are designed for the global market or specific regions.

Key features that such solutions should possess include:

• Flight registration

• Dividing airspace into geofences

• Real-time notifications about nearby air traffic

• Alerts about even minor changes in airspace

• Information about restricted or prohibited flight zones

Examples of innovative app ideas: AirMap and B4UFly (for flights to the U.S.).

App weather forecast for drone pilot

Good weather conditions are one of the necessary elements for a successful mission. So, creative ideas in this field are important for effectively working with drones.

These apps have the following capabilities:

• Gathering data about the current location

• Providing information about weather conditions, including wind speed and direction, temperature, and precipitation

• Flight logging

• Thermal imaging camera

Examples of weather forecast apps: Hover, Aloft. 

App for testing magnetic fields

This type of app offers truly unique capabilities for drone pilots. Apps for testing magnetic fields allow you to track magnetic activity near the flight path. This is important to avoid any performance degradation of your aerial vehicle since its compass also emits a magnetic field.

Key features include:

• Detection of external magnetic fields

• Recording information about the detected activity

• Ability to share data with other pilots

An example of implementing such a unique app idea is Tesla Field Recorder.

Augmented Reality App

According to statistics, about 1.4 billion augmented reality devices are in use worldwide as of 2023. Experts expect this market to double in the next five years, for example, in medicine or the automotive industry.

And in some industries, dozens of times. For example, we are talking about the use of AR technology by office workers. Below you will find a list of innovative app ideas involving Augmented Reality. 

Virtual Art Gallery App

The relevance of such apps increased in 2019-2020, which coincided with the peak of the global pandemic when people couldn't visit museums and offline exhibitions.

To ensure maximum realism in virtual tours, a mobile application should have the following features:

• High-resolution 360-degree panoramic images

• Accompaniment of a virtual audio guide

• Access to online art purchases

• Ability to capture screenshots

• Filtering and sorting options for artworks.

Examples of similar smartphone application ideas: solutions for virtual tours already exist in many world museums, including the Natural History Museum (London), Musée d’Orsay (Paris), The Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam), J.Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles), and National Gallery (London). 

App for identifying plants and animals

Such app ideas allow nature enthusiasts and scientists to unite in unified communities to gain new knowledge and share their experiences. Most apps for identifying plants and animals are primarily based on artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies.

Such an app can help:

• Identify animals or plants based on uploaded photos

• Share personal observations with other users

• Create a personalized journal for plant care

• Receive news and reports about interesting species

Examples of similar mobile apps include iNaturalist, PlantSnap, and PictureThis.

Virtual clothes shopping app

According to Statista, over 40% of shoppers dislike purchasing clothing and footwear online because they can't personally "touch and feel" the items. To address this issue, a useful app idea emerged: What if we create a virtual clothing shopping app where customers can experience the feel of an offline store?

The goal was achieved, and now Virtual clothes shopping apps are available. Their key features include:

• Virtual 3D fitting of clothes

• Size and style recommendations

• Visualization of footwear in motion

• Online payment for purchases

Examples of virtual shopping programs include YourFit, GUCCI, and Warby Parker.

Virtual Event App

Quality mobile app development allows you to create an app for virtual events that will help achieve high user engagement and ROI. 

To do this, it must have this functionality:

• Push notifications to remind about the event

• Working offline

• Personalized agenda

• Surveys of participants in real-time

• Implementation of gamification elements

Examples of good app ideas of this type are Webex Events, Whova, and Swapcard.

Virtual Fashion Assistant

The modern fashion world offers consumers a variety of styles, wardrobe items, and stores where all of them can be purchased.

To navigate the latest fashion trends and look stylish and unique, special apps can greatly help. Their capabilities include the following:

• Assisting in combining items from your wardrobe

• Recommending new clothing based on your body shape and desired style

• Online shopping for new clothes

• Sorting wardrobe items by season/color

• Providing advice from friends and fashion bloggers

Examples of the best Virtual Fashion Assistants: GlamOutfit, Intelistyle, and ClosetSpace.

Virtual Party Planning App

Such apps allow you to bring all your friends together, no matter how challenging it may be in fast-paced modern life.

If you decide to implement this cool app idea, consider that the digital solution should have the following features:

• Conducting polls

• Support for images and GIF files to create invitations

• Built-in chat for discussing event details

• Inviting friends within the app and through links

• Syncing with external calendars

• Creating user groups

• Budget and purchase management

Examples of such a fun app idea: Virtual Party Planning Applications: Howbout, Pro Party Planner.

Virtual study group app

According to the National Center for Education Statistics in the United States, 77% of students in public colleges take at least one online course during their education. In other countries, virtual classes are equally popular, sometimes out of necessity, as in the case of schools and universities transitioning to online learning during Covid-19.

To successfully tackle the tasks assigned to them, such apps should have a range of features:

• Creating virtual classrooms

• Forming student communities

• Live chat for real-time group discussions

• Video uploads

• Virtual whiteboard

• Taking tests

• Learning planner

• Conference communication

The best examples of this type of app: Wiggio, ExamTime, ThinkBinder.

Virtual Tour App

Virtual tour apps allow users to visit museums, gardens, zoos, and other landmarks worldwide without needing physical presence. This is made possible through unique ideas implemented in such apps:

• Support for 360-degree and satellite images

• Video conferencing

• Use of virtual reality technology

• Integration with external resources

• Sending invitations to participants

• Creation of custom tours

Examples of such mobile apps for smartphones: Klapty, My360, Panoee.

Apps for EV owners

The electric vehicle market is expected to be $561.30 billion by the end of 2023 and will nearly double in the next five years, showing an annual revenue growth rate of just over 10%. Given this broad industry outlook, developing an app for owners of this mode of transportation is a worthwhile investment. 

Nearby EV Charging Station Finder App

An interactive map of charging stations helps EV owners stay on the go and choose the best service nearby. These digital solutions allow users to leave reviews about the stations, add photos, and pay for services directly in the mobile app.

Some examples of such software are PlugShare, ChargeHub, and EVgo.

Apps for finding and reserving rooms at hotels that offer charging facilities

Similar software combines the functionalities of hotel booking apps and searching for nearby charging stations. This is especially convenient considering the growing popularity of electric vehicle travel.

One such app, EVhotels, offers users access to over 25,000 hotels with electric vehicle charging services worldwide.

Application for optimizing the EV charging

Applications designed to optimize EV charging enable electric vehicle owners to enhance the performance of their vehicle's battery. This is achieved through 24/7 monitoring of charging status, sending notifications when a recharge is needed, and providing a map of charging stations. These apps also facilitate online payments and offer insights into energy consumption.

Examples of such software include True Energy, EV Energy, and Monta.

IoT Apps

The Internet of Things has become an integral part of our lives. IoT technology is widely used in households, as seen in smart home systems and common devices like smartwatches. The business sector is also actively embracing these innovative technologies.

According to a survey by Forbes in collaboration with Intel, more than half of the respondents already leverage IoT in their businesses, particularly in the financial services, telecommunications, and healthcare industries. Let's discuss some interesting app development ideas in this field.

App to track the movement of sensitive printed documents

These digital solutions enable monitoring of confidential document security after they are sent to recipients. Key features include maintaining a log of document views and allowing tracking of who has accessed the file. Additionally, users can check how often the document has been printed, when it was opened, and how much time was spent studying it.

Such phone app ideas include FileAudit, PA File Sight, and LANGuardian.

App to trace your pet’s location

Similar apps for Android and iOS devices sync with special GPS collars and give users access to their pet's whereabouts. They also are an excellent way to track the pet's activity level and monitor its overall health.

Software examples: Wag, Rover, FitBark.

App to control water temperature

Apps to control water temperature can be used for personal and professional purposes. In households, these apps monitor the quantity and temperature of hot water in the tank. With the help of this software, users can program the desired parameters even when they are away from home.

On an industrial scale, these apps are employed by organizations requiring precise water temperature and cleanliness data. This includes industries such as mineral extraction, water reuse, food processing, and more.

An example of an app to control water temperature for personal use is Aqualoop, while the Water Temperature Control and Monitoring mobile app by GoCanvas is designed for business purposes.

App for Agriculture System

Farm management apps are indispensable for automating and optimizing this process. All you need to do is to install the necessary sensors, trackers, and remote monitoring devices on the farm. The app will collect data from each of them, systematize it, and provide it to the user in a convenient interface.

Examples of IoT apps for agriculture: INCYT, AgriApp, FARM HQ.

Home Automation System

The concept of a "smart home" is no longer something extraordinary. Today, home automation systems help control lighting, climate, household appliances, security systems, and other devices regardless of the homeowner's location.

Examples of Home Automation Systems include SmartThings, Home Assistant, and Apple HomeKit (for iOS device users).

Face Recognition Bot

Face recognition bots, based on artificial intelligence technology, are widely used in security and surveillance fields, and they are also popular among individuals. For instance, this authentication method is used to unlock mobile devices or gain access to personal data within various apps.

Examples of such software are FaceID for unlocking iPhones, Amazon Rekognition, and solutions by SenseTime (SensePortrait-S, SensePortrait-D, and SenseFace). 

Smart Garage Door

These apps allow users to control garage doors with just a button, similar to any other device within a smart home system. Moreover, advanced garage doors have smartphone-controlled LED lighting and integrated security features.

Examples of apps for controlling Smart Garage Doors include Chamberlain B970, Genie 7155-TKV, and Skylink ATOMS AT-1611.

Other Interesting Ideas

According to recent data, the average user spends 3 hours and 15 minutes daily on their smartphone. The average American has about 80 digital solutions installed on their smartphone, 9-10 of which they use daily. Not surprisingly, today's software market offers products for every aspect of life. We suggest briefly highlighting noteworthy iOS and Android app ideas. 

App For Refugees

This software helps refugees and immigrants adapt to life in a foreign country. It includes maps showing the services you need, helps in finding a job, access to communities of people of the same social status, medical services, etc. 

Such apps include RefAid and Mygrants.

Charity Donation App

There are charity donation apps for individuals, companies, and nonprofits. They help simplify the donation process: some involve manually depositing funds, while others can automate the process. For example, donations can be transferred from specified details every month without the involvement of the account owner. 

Easy Donation, Give Lively, and Whydonate are software products of this type.

Church and Religious App

In today's society, global digitization has touched all industries, and religion is no exception. Clergy can take advantage of specialized software with many useful features. These include a church calendar, donation tools, push notifications, and a built-in media player. 

The best solutions of this type include Tithe.ly, Breeze, and Apollo Apps.

Compatible Food Finder App

With the compatible food finder app, users can always find where to go for lunch or where to buy/order certain foods, such as vegan foods. 

These digital solutions include FoodFinder and HappyCow.

Criminal alert app

The app will help anyone in a difficult situation and needing emergency assistance. Through this solution, users can contact the police, who, in turn, can notify residents about the crimes committed. 

Examples of criminal alert apps: OWL, Citizen.

Digital CV/Resume App

A well-written resume is one of the mandatory requirements when applying for a job. To make the document literate, structured, and appropriate to the employer's requirements, many users choose the Digital CV/Resume App. 

For example, Resumaker, MyPerfectCV, Enhancv.

Digital Receipt App

Such apps enable scanning, storing, and organizing all financial information in invoices, receipts, and bank statements. Digital receipt apps often utilize Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology, making extracting information simple, fast, and convenient. 

Examples: Dext Prepare, Smart Receipts. 

Disaster management app

While some app ideas for startups can be classified as entertainment, disaster management apps are definitely not. These solutions are designed to save lives. They provide users with information and resources to prepare for and recover from disasters. 

They include MyShake, FEMA, and Harbor.

Eco-Friendly Lifestyle App

This type of app brings together a lot of different digital solutions to lead a more sustainable lifestyle. For example, there are food donation apps that can be used to share food with those who need it. Ecosia uses the profits from search ads to plant trees where they are most needed. 

Examples abound: Too Good To Go, Refill, etc. 

Finance And Bill Management App

Another type of useful app that allows you to monitor your finances and save money is finance and bill management apps. You can use them to track your most significant expenses, make bill payments, and monitor your credit rating. 

Such software includes Mint, You Need a Budget, and Spendee.

Find your band member app for musicians

Such apps are platforms that bring musicians together to find people to collaborate with, get current news in the world of art, and exchange messages with professionals and music lovers. 

Such digital solutions include Vampr, Jambro, and BandFriend.

Goal Tracking App

We're all accustomed to juggling multiple tasks in today's multitasking world. As a result, we often face the challenge of keeping track of our progress on all the goals we've set for ourselves. That's where a Goal Tracking App can come in handy. These software products allow you to visualize your goal progress, provide reminders and notifications to keep you on track, and include checklists for necessary actions.

Some of the top products in this category include ClickUp, Strides, and Weekdone. 

Loaned money tracking app

Loaned money tracking apps help you stay in control of your borrowed finances, enabling you to avoid delays and, ultimately, additional financial expenses. With such programs, users can view their credit history, track their overall balance, and store information about the individuals they've lent money to.

Examples of digital solutions for tracking debts include Debt Manager and Tracker, and Debt, Loan tracker: You owe me.

Original Item Detector App

This technology allows users to recognize any objects using their mobile phone's camera. Simply point the lens at the object of interest, and the app will display detailed information about it. Some apps of this type are specifically designed to verify the authenticity of products.

Examples of such software include Google Lens, Snapchat, and TapTapSee (a solution for visually impaired individuals).

Startup Assistance App

Launching any startup comes with significant risks. A reliable startup assistance app can help founders minimize these risks and feel more confident implementing their business ideas. Such software products automate administrative tasks, manage projects and risks effectively, and facilitate team meetings.

Examples of such software: nTask, Clarity, Mindmeister.

Toilet Finder App

Finding a public restroom can be challenging, especially in an unfamiliar metropolis. With a specialized app, all the user needs to do is open the program. The screen will display a map with all the nearby toilet facilities.

For example, this new app idea has been implemented in Flush Toilet Finder, Sit or Squat, and Bathroom Scout.

Wedding Planner App

Planning a wedding is a time-consuming and financially demanding task. The software market offers specialized programs that can ease this process. Among their features are venue search, event planner, budget management, online vendor payments, and more.

Examples: Wedding Planner Apps: Pantone Studio, Zola, Minted.

Conclusion

To capture your target audience and maintain your business's competitiveness, you can't do without an innovative app idea for your startup. To develop a new app with unique functionality that meets your company's needs, turn to Lampa. We will listen to your idea and bring it to life using progressive technologies and tools.