Mobile-first, FinTech, next-level e-commerce and the best of localisation – these are 8 prominent emerging trends & opportunities in app development in South Africa
Need to invest in tech to drive your South African business forward?
The moment is now: Apps have become essential for businesses aiming to boost customer engagement, optimise operations, foster growth, and open up new revenue opportunities.
As technology evolves and trends shift, having a top-tier tech advisor as your partner and advisor can make all the difference.
These are the trends and opportunities to unlock when investing in tech enablement and app development in South Africa…
With smartphone penetration reaching new heights across the country (over 902% according to SA government news), mobile-first app development is more critical than ever.
South Africans are accessing more services and products through their mobile devices, making it essential for developers to create seamless, intuitive mobile experiences.
This trend is particularly evident in sectors such as e-commerce, banking, and healthcare, where mobile apps are now the primary touchpoint for users. The shift to mobile-first design offers developers an opportunity to create user-centric, lightweight apps that meet the needs of a rapidly growing audience.
See how much creating a new app costs in South Africa, 9 crucial steps to developing a successful mobile app in Africa and discover 10 principles for building more intuitive e-commerce applications.
Fintech is one of the most vibrant sectors in South Africa, with mobile apps playing a pivotal role in transforming financial services. From digital wallets and mobile payment platforms to personal finance management tools, fintech apps are improving financial inclusion and access to banking services.
The need for secure, fast, and user-friendly apps is growing as more South Africans adopt mobile banking solutions. Developers have an opportunity to explore innovations such as blockchain, digital currencies, and decentralised finance (DeFi) to further revolutionise the FinTech space.
See how to use blockchain in banking, build scalable banking partnerships and FinTech collaborations, why you need design thinking in finance, the top FinTech and banking UI trends and loads more helpful FinTech insights on our blog.
South Africa’s e-commerce sector is booming, with more consumers opting for online shopping over brick-and-mortar retail. As a result, there’s a significant demand for e-commerce apps that offer seamless, personalised shopping experiences.
Retailers are investing in app development to create platforms that integrate online and offline shopping, enhance customer engagement, and provide efficient payment and delivery solutions.
The future of app development in this sector lies in creating scalable platforms that can cater to the growing number of mobile shoppers across South Africa.
See why you need retail tech integration in-store, successful and failed MVP examples in retail, the omnichannel technologies you need to win in e-commerce, how to get venture funding in retail, crucial app features for personalisation, unique differentiation strategies, 10 principles for building more intuitive e-commerce applications and loads more on e-commerce excellence in our blog.
The notion of a super app is a little misunderstood. The term doesn’t describe how good an individual app is, but rather how some apps are so successful, that they near-dominate in terms of market penetration, to the point where it almost makes more sense for you to develop solutions inside that app than build your own.
For example, in South Africa, WhatsApp has a 94% penetration rate – way more than email or any other platform for that matter. So, one way to look at it is to ask: should I really invest time and money into building something new, or should I rather build my solution to run on the WhatsApp platform?
There are benefits and advantages to each approach. That’s why it’s vital to have a digital consultant like Specno to help you navigate tech-enablement and digital transformation in South Africa.
South Africa is famously just a little behind many first-world countries when it comes to rolling out new tech. The rollout of 5G technology in South Africa (around 44% in 2024 for most big telecom leaders like MTN and Vodacom) promises to revolutionise app development by providing faster, more reliable connectivity.
With significantly reduced latency and higher data speeds, 5G opens up new possibilities for real-time applications in sectors like gaming, telemedicine, and remote work. Developers can leverage 5G to create apps that offer enhanced user experiences, such as real-time streaming, seamless augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) applications.
The future of app development will be defined by how well developers can integrate 5G technology into their solutions.
See the future trends of mobile app development and the guide to advanced software scaling in a competitive market.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are transforming the way apps interact with users. From personalised recommendations to predictive analytics, AI-powered apps can deliver more relevant, customised experiences to users.
In South Africa, AI is being used in various sectors, including e-commerce, healthcare, and education. App developers have a growing opportunity to incorporate AI and ML capabilities to improve user engagement, automate processes, and provide smarter solutions that anticipate user needs.
See the guide to data-driven development, how to use AI and big data to anticipate customer needs and how to use machine learning for personalisation.
Low-code and no-code development platforms are democratising app creation, allowing non-developers to build and deploy apps with minimal coding knowledge. These platforms enable faster time-to-market, making them ideal for small businesses and entrepreneurs looking to develop cost-effective solutions.
In South Africa, the adoption of these platforms is rising as companies seek ways to reduce development costs while still delivering high-quality apps. Developers should explore these platforms to deliver more efficient, scalable solutions for businesses of all sizes.
See the benefits of low-code development, as well as how long it takes to build an app this way and how to save up to 80% of app development costs with low-code.
South Africa is a culturally diverse nation, with multiple languages and varying user preferences. Creating localised content and user experiences is crucial for apps to succeed in this market.
Developers must focus on designing apps that are not only visually appealing but also culturally relevant, with language support and features that cater to the unique needs of South African users. Localised UX can play a critical role in boosting user engagement and app adoption, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
See the ultimate guide to hiring local app developers in South Africa, our portfolio of South African clients and the business benefits of great UX/UI.
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