As time goes on, our world becomes more and more digitalized. Smartphones have become an integral part of our lives. According to different data, the number of smartphone users is anywhere between 5.3 billion to 7.3 billion.
With 2023 now in full swing, developers are getting increasingly eager to create the next big thing, but not everyone has innovative mobile application ideas.
The world is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and many businesses are attuning to the changes it brought. Some embrace the new always-online full-remote mentality, while others reject it and return to traditional in-house work.
If your hands are itching to create, but you are short on ideas, our list of 33 ideas for mobile applications is here to help you. We outline the most desired applications, including those for people still recovering after the COVID-19 pandemic, apps for businesses, and more.
1. Top Five Mobile App Ideas After Pandemic
1.1. Healthcare apps
The app-development industryhas greatly emphasized how we track and care for our health after the pandemic. The healthcare industry has also significantly evolved, allowing for more advanced communications between doctors and patients with the help of digital tools. Healthcare app function ideas include: tracking health records, booking an appointment in a hospital, offering emergency medical advice, providing information on the most common diseases, etc.
1.2. Mental health products
Major lockdowns substantially affected the mental health of many people. Lack of social networking became the driving force for the development of excessive anxiety, loneliness, and depression. To help people cope with negative emotions, developers can explore mental health app ideasthat offer unique meditation techniques, introduce mood-improvement products, behavioral therapy tools, etc.
1.3. Fitness apps
Once the pandemic hit the world and thousands of gyms closed their doors, people found it challenging to stay active and fit. For many, apartments became their fitness studios, where they trained via digital workouts and classes. With so many people having tried home workouts, many decided to keep those routines in favor of costly gym memberships.
These apps can facilitate your training sessions and help you keep track of the current progress, calories spent, and more. Speaking of keeping your body and mental health up, Lunka.tech is a top-quality health and fitness app development company. Hit us up if you need help developing these apps.
1.4. Book apps
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people took up reading as a hobby. However, not everyone can (or wants to) buy physical books. This is where a book app may come in handy. Purchase a digital book and read it on your smartphone, tablet, or PC, whichever is more convenient.
Moreover, buying books can be rather expensive. Book-sharing apps will be useful for those who love to read but don't want to purchase a monthly library membership. They are especially beneficial for smaller communities as they help establish stronger connections with the neighbors by exchanging books, opinions, and ideas regarding a particular novel or story.
1.5. Streaming apps
COVID-19 pushed many enterprises out of business, but streaming apps were a major exception. The global video streaming revenue is expected to grow to $95.35 billion in 2023, with projected growth to $137 billion in 2027. This is a big pie, and right now is a great time to take a slice.
2. Trendy App Ideas For 2023
2.1. Work-from-home apps
The 'work-from-home' agenda has been around for quite a while already, and it's highly unlikely that it will leave our lives anytime soon. This is why tools that help users organize and manage remote workplaces are still in great demand even after the pandemic is officially over. The trend for developing apps for work management, time tracking, communication, and collaboration within teams is still going strong.
2.2. Delivery apps
Food delivery was among those few niches that, instead of experiencing precipitous decline, actually got a significant boost during the pandemic—grocery ordering wasn’t considered a first necessity yet quickly became vital. Many people have gotten used to ordering food online and don't want to switch back to brick-and-mortar stores. A bit of a shameless plug, but if you are looking for a custom food delivery app development company, Lunka.tech is the top partnership choice.
2.3. E-learning apps
The pandemic has reshaped the traditional education system and taken all learning activities online. K12 facilities and higher education institutions were forced to look for new ways and tools for delivering education to their students. This, in turn, has stimulated demand for virtual classroom software, solutions for online exams, proctoring, digital tutoring platforms, and e-learning apps.
2.4. Virtual traveling projects
To compensate for the inability to travel internationally and domestically during COVID-19, people started to look for traveling possibilities online, which has led to many groundbreaking digital projects. From apps that offer 360° video tours of favorite places to highly immersive travel adventures in VR. All these products have helped users experience the world during self-isolation or quarantine.
2.5. Consulting and telemedicine apps
Another COVID-inspired mobile app idea is to create a consulting application. This includes some innovative medical app ideas, like a telemedicine app. People were limited during the lockdowns with their face-to-face communications and most consulting services became unavailable offline. This is where apps came into play and connected users with lawyers, psychologists, doctors, and other specialists. By the way, Lunka.tech has tremendous experience in providing consulting and telemedicine app development services.
3. Mobile App Ideas to Keep an Eye On in 2023
3.1. Dating apps
More and more people prefer to look for their soulmates online since doing it offline became a challenge for many (long before the pandemic started, actually). On the contrary, making friends and meeting soulmates online is much easier and faster. Thanks to this social change, online dating has been steadily growing, with over 300 million people using them by the end of 2022. By 2026, this number is projected to rise to over 500 million people.
3.2. Event planning apps
With COVID-19 now a thing of the past (mostly), events are back on the menu. So, here is a mobile application idea for you. Create an app to help organizers plan events, making the whole management process much easier. Control the number of guests, track all stages of the event, manage promotions and discounts, etc.
3.3. Restaurant apps
Speaking of menus, restaurant apps are a great way to make the life of restaurant owners and patrons easier. The owners can easily control the foot traffic, and the restaurant goers can reserve a table quickly and without additional hassle from the staff. We are no strangers to offering restaurant app development services, so feel free to contact us.
3.4. E-commerce apps
Online shopping has become common in the past several years. You can show all the products your company has to offer on a single website without worrying about stands, lighting, space management, and everything in between.
To reproduce the in-store experience as closely as possible, retailers began to integrate AI/VR solutions that allow customers to visit digital showrooms, book virtual shop tours, and even get live presentations for the products of their interest. For example, companies like Cadillac, Ikea, and Poopsie's are already utilizing similar solutions. You can be one of them if you order ecommerce application development services from Lunka.tech.
3.5. Video-calling apps
The quality of communication has recently become a real stumbling block for many companies. For one, not all teams were ready for the fully-remote collaboration that COVID-19 required. They also lacked the relevant tools to facilitate virtual communication effectively. Tools like Skype, FaceTime, etc., are too generic and do not always work well for business communications.
Even Zoom ended up not being the best fit for some industries. That being said, developing video apps that are fine-tuned for the needs of a specific niche is a major trend and one of the viable mobile app ideas.
4. Best Mobile App Ideas for Business
4.1. Gaming apps
According to Mistplay, the mobile gaming market continues to grow, with new markets opening at the start of 2023. The current top genre is the hyper-casual games, although they see a slight decline compared to the growing mid-core and hard-core games. The increase in downloads creates more possibilities for developers in terms of monetization and user retention.
4.2. AI Chatbots and Robots
Creating human-like shopping experiences is the next huge trend in the e-commerce industry. Conversational AI chatbots and advanced robots that can manage user requests in real-time can become a competitive advantage for companies, leaving them more time to improve underused areas of their businesses.
4.3. Logistics products
The consumer boom in e-commerce and online grocery shopping during the pandemic has prompted many companies to revise their logistics infrastructure. To process an increased number of orders, business owners had to introduce improvements, adjust supply chains, and eliminate ineffective procedures. Here, apps can help managers track shipping, manage fleets and inventory and organize the entire workflow.
4.4. Time-management apps
With many of us still working remotely, many businesses have noticed that the ability to effectively manage time has become one of the most frustrating challenges for people around the globe. Bedrooms, kitchens, and other rooms that became workspaces and offices have wiped out the time management patterns we all got used to. This is where productivity apps can help get us back on track with our daily routines.
4.5. Home service apps
Using a dedicated app to find an electrician, maid, or plumber is much more convenient than trying to do it via Google or other platforms. On the one hand, mobile applications bring households closer to service providers, shortening the time needed for hire to happen. On the other hand, they also help rejuvenate the home services market, which witnessed a negative impact due to the widespread lockdowns.
5. Prospective Industries for Your Mobile Application
5.1. HR apps
If you are looking for new mobile application ideas for businesses, look no further than HR apps. They are irreplaceable assistants for HR functions, including, but not limited to, recruitment, onboarding, time and attendance management, performance management, and much more. Lunka.tech is an expert at providing HR software development services, so hit us up if you need help.
5.2. Marketplace apps
Connecting buyers and sellers will be necessary as long as they exist. If you are looking for ideas for a mobile application, here are a few starting points to consider during marketplace app development: product listings, filters, search and discovery options, options for payment, ratings and reviews, customer support, and delivery options.
5.3. Beauty apps
A beauty app has tons of possible mobile app development ideas. You can start with something easy, like beauty and salon app development. Or you can try something as ambitious as offering recommendations for make-up or skincare routines using AI and machine learning. You can also make it an informational app that tells users about the latest trends in make-up fashion or product reviews.
5.4. Car service apps
Just like the previous entry, car apps encompass a wider variety of possible ideas for a mobile app. You can create applications for car-hailing, car rental, or car-sharing services, apps for scheduling or tracking maintenance, companion apps for modern cars, and more.
In the current economy, used cars are in big demand. However, not all car sellers are honest. This is why you might consider used car inspection application development to help users find good and bad sellers.
There has been a positive shift in the narrative toward electric vehicles, so keep an eye on that trend. There are some opportunities to be found there, like creating an app that helps you find EV charging stations or places qualified to service EVs.
5.5. Fintech apps
With everyone going #smart and #cashless, it is no wonder that you would want ideas to make an application in the fintech sector. All the cool kids are using their smartphones to pay for stuff, so why not help them? A fintech app can include online banking and payment applications, investment apps, budgeting tools, peer-to-peer lending, and more.
6. Choose the Right Technologies for Your Application
The technology you choose will be the lifeblood of your app, so making the right decision is vital for its success. In our experience, React Native has been the most effective technology for achieving the widest audience without sacrificing the app’s quality.
React Native is a versatile tech that allows you to develop cross-platform applications using the same codebase. This dramatically reduces the development time and ensures excellent compatibility with all devices.
This open-source framework uses native elements of both iOS and Android to create applications that function and feel just like a native, single-platform app would.
Moreover, it has a massive community behind it, so you can always stand on the shoulders of the titans to help you find solutions to your problems. Or, if you don’t want the hassle of doing it yourself, you can contact Lunka.tech to use our custom React Native app development services.
Whatever you decide to do, here are a few React Native app ideas for you to consider.
6.1 Expense tracker
We’ve all been there: one day, you happily receive your monthly salary, and the next day you are questioning your life choices, sitting next to twenty new sets of dice, the latest Gucci purse, and a life-sized plushie of your favorite Marvel hero. If you do not want this to be you (again?), then an expense-tracking app should be your next development priority.
6.2. Recipe app
If you love cooking or know someone who does, a recipe app is a fantastic choice for development. Fill up your database with all the world’s cuisines so you (or your amazing friend) have ideas for what to cook for the next meal. And if you are feeling particularly adventurous, add a “Random” button to let the app pick your next meal.
6.3. News app
Unlike the news, news apps are an evergreen mobile application idea. The world keeps spinning, and the news keeps on coming. Whether you are making an app for a single news outlet or creating a news aggregator, it is always a good idea.
6.4. Friends around me app
A novel idea for mobile apps is a “friends around me” app. These help you connect with new people or keep in touch with old friends near you. They use GPS to identify you and your (potential) friends and allow you to chat or even plan events and gatherings.
6.5. Radio/music app
Music surrounds us anywhere we go, so why not bring your own music? Create an application that allows you to do just that. Music streaming subscriptions are the last subs to get canceled, according to Goldman Sachs research. Make an application that allows users to listen to their favorite songs, gives them recommendations, and lets them save music to their devices. Boom! Profit.
6.6. Note-taking app
It is easy to overlook the simplest things in life. Taking notes has been a thing since writing was invented, and it has evolved with us. Now it is easy to pick up your smartphone and take notes thanks to modern note-taking apps. You can even write down mobile app development ideas for a project! There is always space for competition and innovation, even in something this simple.
6.7. Eco-friendly lifestyle app
The 21st century has seen the rise of ecoactivism and sustainable living. People, especially the young, are enthusiastic about saving their planet, so there is a massive demand for tools that help them do that. The world needs more apps informing people about reducing waste, conserving water, and living sustainably.
6.8. IoT app
We live in a world where everything is smart: your phone, your fridge, and your whole house. Many of these things are made possible thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT), and there is a great demand for apps that help you manage all your smart gadgets in one place.
7. Consider Lunka.tech As Your Mobile App Development Partner
At Lunka.tech, we have vast experience developing mobile solutions from scratch as well as assisting our clients in redesigning or improving their existing products. One of the recent projects developed by our team was an app that merged the functionalities of a healthcare product and online booking software.
The client from Manchester approached us with a request to develop a product that would let users find and book tickets for their sporting events in the UK. The app would also get event attendance guidelines and interact with the necessary medical documents (vaccination certificates and PCR tests) stored in the form of QR codes inside the application.
We chose to use React.js, React Native, and Node.js for the project’s tech stack. By working in close 24/7 cooperation with the client, we managed to achieve all the goals that were initially set. The app was GDPR-compliant and safe, and the client highly praised our work.
If you want to be a happy owner of an impressive application, consider contacting Lunka.tech for outstanding custom mobile app development services.
8. Final Thoughts
The year 2023 is poised to bring a new wave of mobile apps geared toward our ever-evolving needs. From healthcare and telemedicine apps that save lives to fintech apps that make them easier and social apps that make them more colorful. This creates many opportunities for development teams to take their best mobile app ideas and turn them into reality.
We hope that you found this collection of ideas helpful. If you want to get more or are simply looking for a reputable partner, get in touch with Lunka.tech. You'll get a free consultation and a step-by-step development strategy tailored to your digital product!
FAQ
How long will it take to create my app?
It all depends on your goals and project requirements. Obviously, developing a basic MVP will take less time than a fully-fledged product. Generally, though, creating a mobile application may take between three and nine months. The timeline will vary depending on how many resources each stage of the production process takes.
Do you provide app maintenance services?
Sure. Aside from the application development services, we can also offer further maintenance and support for your product once it's released. Please contact our managers for more information in that regard.
I'm not sure that my app idea is viable enough. Can you help?
When starting to work on a new project, we sit down with the client to discuss their needs, vision, and project requirements. We also analyze how the initial concept fits into the target market or audience and assess its viability in the long term. So, yes, we can help fine-tune your concept if you want it.
What are some good app ideas for 2023?
Some app ideas that need to be made in 2023 include streaming, music, and work-from-home apps. The market in the first two industries seems like it is going stale, and there is a dire need for competition to shake it up. The work-from-home app is still relatively new, and there are still spots left for strong competitors.
How did the app-development industry change after the pandemic?
Gaming, streaming, social, video chatting, and remote working apps were the top mobile app development industries during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the biggest surge was during the lockdown, there is still a strong upward trend in these industries, so if there is ever a time to break into these markets — it is now.