Top-9 Mobile App Design Trends to Lead the Market in 2023

The mobile app development industry has been growing strongly in the past year and will continue to grow in 2023. Technological developments, consumer demand, and many other factors have an impact on current tendencies. Today, it is essential to be aware of the latest global app design trends in the mobile industry, and this is the key aspect of success. Are you ready for technological changes in mobile app development this year and next year?

Besides making your app stylish and eye-catching, designers are responsible for creating the interface, visual elements and navigation that align with your target audience’s needs and preferences. Mobile apps are expected to reach $935 billion in revenue by 2023, so it’s vital to keep up with app design trends to stay competitive and meet changing customer demands. 

In this article, we have handpicked the hottest app design trends, expanded on the key reasons to follow them, and found out what has changed since 2021. Don’t hesitate to select some that will become a perfect match for your application!

Why You Should Focus on Mobile Apps in 2023

Mobile app design today is a great start to developing a profitable business. Apps are competing with adaptive websites because they have many advantages.    

The major advantage is the ease of use. After all, apps allow you to get all the necessary information faster and have better user interaction rates. In addition, it is possible to add push notifications, which is also very convenient for daily use. The design of a mobile app is in most cases more human-readable than the design of a website.    

The app also allows customers to create personal accounts, which greatly simplifies the process of using services that are needed all the time. Also, the app device provides an opportunity to keep all the information in one place. An important plus is the ability to use the application in offline mode, which saves when there is no way to connect to the Internet.  But the high popularity of the mobile applications design and their variety does not mean that all of them are of the same quality. Therefore, in order for your offer to become popular, it is necessary to work properly on its creation. It is very important to know all the rules of the modern tendencies of designing such applications. Below we will break down the basic ones.  

A Brief Dive into the Backstory

The interface of a mobile app is a set of functional tools that allow the user to solve their task. Most people judge an application by the visual appeal of the interface, so the design of the program should be given increased attention. This is the UI design, or user interface design.

Building something unique and innovative requires profound knowledge and capable implementation of a step-by-step process. The first thing you need to create a mobile app that will gain popularity is app design. To develop a successful mobile app these days, it is important to understand and learn the layout and features used to create the best mobile app design.

When designing your app, there are many things to consider, such as determining who the users will be, what strategies competitors are using to promote their mobile apps, and so on. Missing any of these factors at the design stage can create problems. But don’t worry, because this article contains all the necessary information, steps, tips and recommendations so that the best mobile app design is created at the end. We understand that it’s not always possible to keep up with all the industry trends. There are always new guidelines, animated content, videos, new approaches to illustrations, and many other concepts that you need to take the time to explore and test first. So, let’s proceed to the trend that will rule the industry this year!

Why Should You Follow the Latest Mobile App Design Trends?

If a mobile product doesn’t match the latest design trends, it won’t probably appeal to users. Making an app modern and beautiful is not easy, given that app design trends never stay the same and something new is always emerging.

Innovative and user-friendly design can make your app even more profitable and recognizable. Here are the main reasons to keep track of the trends that will shape the app development niche this year:

• Attract users

Design is one of the essential factors that affect users’ decision-making process. Will they open your app again or uninstall it after a few minutes? Will users recommend this app to friends or leave a negative review on your website or social media pages? Outdated design can lead to an unclear UI, poor first impression and product display issues.

• Lead your industry

Your target audience is more likely to choose an app with an intuitive, responsive and attention-grabbing design. Aligning your unique corporate style with innovative app design trends, you will outpace your rivals and keep users loyal. 

• Persuade users of the app’s functionality 

You can’t make the first impression twice, so let your design speak for your product’s functionality and user experience. Even if you hired the most seasoned developers to build a feature-rich app but didn’t invest in trendy design, your prospects will skip it and go for a more attractive alternative. App design is relevant for any business, from a large manufacturing company to a soaring video game startup.

App Design Features You Can’t Live Without This Year

Now that you are aware of the core reasons to keep an eye on mobile app design trends, let’s identify the most promising ones that will shape the industry this year:

• Limitless Imagery

E-commerce and retail apps can stop showcasing their products within a hackneyed sequence of squares. Instead, businesses can implement limitless imagery to make items blend in the background and float freely on the screen. You can also enable users to interact with your goods by zooming in and rotating them for extra details. 

For a more immersive experience, pair limitless imagery with AR technology to let customers check out how your products would look in their homes before making a purchase. Using this trend, you will make your solution’s style more unified and provide customers with a more consistent and effective UX. 

• Asymmetry for Menus and Galleries

Using asymmetry in app design, you will draw the audience’s attention to the specific elements and boost your brand’s identity. For instance, if you need to sell a particular product faster, you can make it more attention-grabbing for customers using asymmetrical fonts and shapes on a page. 

To make your solution stand out, we recommend you avoid the firm and polished patterns of regular apps and opt for more non-conforming graphics, sizes and illustrations instead. 

• Borders Around App’s Elements

Borders are a fantastic tool to separate your app’s elements like icons and windows, make information look organized, and build a hierarchical structure to simplify the navigation for users. 

You can experiment with border styles to make them fit your brand identity — from dashed or dotted lines to straight or rounded joints. Such visuals also resemble trendy 90s UI design, so you can use nostalgia to arouse optimistic emotions.

• Abstract Geometry and Animations

In 2021, mobile application design trends were all about minimalism and simplicity. This year, the trend has evolved toward new elements like abstract geometric shapes, predominantly spherical and circular ones. These patterns provide users with a more friendly and smooth experience so that you can use such shapes for imagery, backgrounds and borders.

Besides abstract patterns, you can benefit from animation to influence users’ perception of your app. Whether you require experimental typography to make your product recognizable or prefer attention-grabbing images to simplify the navigation, your imagination is the limit!

• Unusual Text Alignment

This year, specialists tend to break stereotyped traditions while designing copy layouts for applications. Experimenting with spacing and font and creating vertically or diagonally aligned texts, designers ensure users enjoy a more immersive and memorable experience. 

Remember that it’s crucial to avoid implementing unusual text alignment for the sake of uniqueness. Your mobile UX design should align with your brand identity, messaging and values to better connect with your audience.

• Multi-Directional Navigation

Make a user journey more engaging and intuitive with multi-directional navigation. Instead of mindless up and down scrolling through static menus, equip your app with dynamic horizontal sliders.

This trend is perfect for streaming services and apps with multiple products. Fitting your content on a single page will reduce the time users spend waiting on it to load.

• Brutalist App Design

As you can see, 2023 is all about encouraging unconventionality and breaking stereotypes, so this trend is no exception to this rule. Brutalism involves monochrome color palettes, sparse imagery, flat design, sharp edges, bold typography, and photos. 

Sometimes it may seem ‌gloomy, so it’s crucial to ensure this technique is adequately executed and delivers the right message to your audience. Brutalism will suit creative, eccentric brands and individuals. 

• Layered Sheer Screens

Consider adopting this trend if you have to separate design elements from the background, create a page hierarchy, and make your solution look vivid and supple. 

To implement this technique, designers use drop shadows on icons and text boxes, helping them stand out from the background image. This method is often used while creating subtitles to enhance readability.

• Multiple Services Apps (Super Apps)

This trend from Asia is likely to become a global superstar in 2023. Such solutions include a range of services within a single application. Super solutions usually offer customers a reliable platform for shopping, banking, cab services, communication and gaming. 

Designers use vibrant colors and icons to make super apps look understandable and user-friendly. Combining this trend with multi-directional navigation, you can provide users with a straightforward experience without overwhelming them with too many products and services at once. 

Mobile App Design Trends Comparison: What Has Changed Since 2022?

Trends change all the time. But the best solutions remain because, with a few changes, they can be reused in the future. The most effective solutions are the ones that work for both your business and your users. The first half of 2021 was quite effective in terms of filtering out unpopular and poor-quality concepts. Let’s see what we have left, what continues to be increasingly popular, and what trends will persist in the near future.

Let’s find out what has changed since 2021 to understand which trends will stay and which will fade this year.

As you can see, trends are still focused on simplicity and style, but in 2023 it’s crucial to break stereotypes and mix usability with vibrant colors, unusual text alignment and lavish illustrations. The dark mode is a classic and elegant solution that will never go out of style. The super apps trend is likely to grow rapidly to provide users with various services within a single platform. 

Wrapping Up

There are millions of new app design apps on the market every day, making it increasingly difficult for e-businesses to keep their customers’ attention and retain it. To make their apps more interesting and truly compelling marketing tools, businesses need to constantly update them by adding the most prominent technical innovations. This is why e-businesses need to follow the latest UI / UX design trends and think about how to implement them with no pain and maximum profit.

LITSLINK follows the latest mobile app design trends to emphasize the strength of your idea and ensure your user experience is as seamless and optimized as possible. Our seasoned team of design experts is ready for your next successful project!