The 7 Essentials to create a great Mobile App Experience in 2024

There are many ways to create mobile apps these days. You can build fully native apps using tools provided by Apple and Google, or opt for cross-platform technologies like Flutter and React Native. There are even services that help you create apps without writing code. This accessibility in app creation is fantastic, but it also makes it easy to create apps that lack the distinct user experience most apps used to provide until a couple of years ago. There has been an overall change in app quality in recent years that's worth discussing in its own post. Today, we focus on the essentials for a great app experience:

1. Instant App Launch

Apps should start up quickly and be ready for use immediately, even if they're still loading data.

2. Offline Data (Caching)

Apps should allow access to previously loaded data, even when you're not connected to the internet.

3. Offline Usability

The app should still be functional and useful when you're offline, even if there is no previously loaded data. For example, you should be able to compose a message when you're not connected to the internet, even if your contact list hasn't been loaded yet.

4. Rich User Experience

Good apps have snappy performance and make it easy and enjoyable to navigate, whether or not data is available. They should use smooth animations, interactive transitions, and clear user interfaces that follow Apple's Human Interface Guidelines for iOS and Google's Material Design for Android, respectively, to create an intuitive experience.

5. Advanced Accessibility

Supporting accessibility features like VoiceOver on iOS or TalkBack on Android is crucial. This includes accommodating dynamic text sizes and offering options for reduced motion. When using cross-platform technologies, consider using native components for navigation as they have excellent, platform-specific accessibility support built-in. For example, in iOS, when the user has activated a large text size, tab bars also render enlarged, HUD-style versions of the icon and text at the center of the screen as the user scrubs across the tab bar. Users who rely on these features expect them to work in all apps, regardless of the tech stack used to create the app.

6. Deep OS Integration

Apps have evolved from being standalone experiences to being integrated with the operating system via so-called app extensions. This includes interactions through notifications, widgets, and voice assistants like Siri and Google Assistant. As operating systems become smarter, they suggest more integrated ways to interact with apps, reducing the need for users to open the app itself. With the rise of AI and chatbots within operating systems, apps will increasingly serve as platforms for these integrations rather than the main interaction point. Therefore, it is crucial for a great app to provide as many app extensions as possible.

7. Multiplatform Support

The latest trend is to create apps that work across multiple platforms. Modern tools like SwiftUI, Flutter, and Compose Multiplatform enable developers to create apps for mobile, tablet, desktop, TV, and watches, as well as web versions, from a single code base. A great app should tailor its content and controls to fit each platform, such as having more information and smaller buttons on desktop apps compared to mobile.

Conclusion

I believe that you can deliver a great app experience using almost any technology stack, as long as you support these essentials. There is only one question left: How much effort does it take?

What do you think of this list? Do you have any disagreements, or do you think something is missing? I’d love to hear your thoughts at feedback@vidugloeck.com. I am here to learn.