Coming up with a great mobile app idea can seem like an impossible task. However, generating new mobile app ideas is not as difficult as it may seem now.
You might be surprised to learn that the best mobile app ideas are typically crafted and honed through thoughtful consideration and ideation.
Of course, there are times when someone catches lighting in a bottle and a fully formed innovative app idea just pops into their head.
However, if you’re waiting for a great mobile app idea to come to you, you will be waiting for a long time. The best way to develop great mobile app ideas is to actively think about your business, industry, and competitors and ideate.
This post will explain a winning process for developing mobile app ideas through ideation. Furthermore, we will share some great ideas for mobile apps that your organization might not have considered yet.
Developing Quality Mobile App Ideas Through Ideation
There are several different ways to generate mobile app ideas. If you’re looking for an app idea that will please users and provide value to your organization, consider the following approaches to developing mobile app ideas:
- Improve an existing mobile app
- Identify innovative mobile application trends
- Talk to your target audience
- Localize a global product
- Solve a problem
- Look for industries lacking innovation
Improve an Existing Mobile App
The best app ideas do not have to be completely original. Just because a mobile app exists doesn’t mean it is the most optimal solution. There is a real opportunity to look at existing mobile apps and think about ways to improve them.
Several famous, creative app ideas seek to improve mobile apps that existed before them. For example, think about Vrbo, which aims to improve the app idea pioneered by Airbnb, or the social networking app TikTok.
While TikTok might seem like a wholly original app idea, it is far from the first social networking app and combines features found on other mobile apps like Snapchat, Instagram, and the defunct Vine.
Look at successful mobile apps and identify what they do well and where they fall short. Are there ways you can improve upon these app ideas? Are there ways to combine features from several existing mobile app ideas to make a new app idea?
Such a mobile app could provide a unique customer experience and offer users alternatives to industry standards. For example, there are several famous examples of the food delivery app, and each one offers users a slightly different experience.
Identify Innovative Mobile Application Trends
A great way to come up with mobile app ideas is to look at the cutting-edge technologies driving mobile app development. The top mobile app ideas leverage the latest technologies and mobile devices.
For example, think of Augmented Reality. Pokemon Go is one of the most successful and popular mobile games ever developed, and the crux of this app idea is the utilization of Augmented Reality technology.
There are several ways you could execute an Augmented Reality app besides gaming. For example, you could build a pregnancy helper mobile app that utilizes AR technology to show new parents what to expect during each stage of the pregnancy.
You could build a supermarket checkout app that uses AR to help users find specific store items and take advantage of coupons and other sales. Or, you could build an interior design app that allows users to visualize specific designs in their existing spaces.
These are just a few app ideas based on one technology. Take a good look at the latest technologies being used and think of how your app idea could use them. The best app ideas take advantage of the latest tech advancements.
Talk To Your Target Audience
A great way to develop brilliant app ideas is to speak with your existing customers and target audience. Find out what mobile applications they are using, why they like them, and what aspects of the mobile app they believe can be improved.
There is nothing more valuable than direct user feedback. After all, the end user is vital to the ultimate success of your mobile app, so why not find out exactly what they like and what they are looking for in mobile applications?
For example, imagine you want to create a language-learning app. By getting a sense of what your users are looking for, you might discover that features of a language translation app would also be valuable to include in the mobile app you are building.
Furthermore, you may find through user research that including testing materials, like a virtual exam study app, would also benefit users attempting to learn a language using your mobile app.
The truth is you never know what direct user research will yield. However, mobile app developers should carefully consider what the end user wants if they want to build a successful product.
Localize a Global Product
A good way to develop app ideas is to look for globally successful mobile applications that can be localized in your area. Then, look at these successful apps and see if there are opportunities to tailor them to your local market.
For example, if you want to create a grocery delivery app, you might look at successful examples such as Instacart. You don’t clone such apps directly, but look at what aspects of the mobile app are successful and emulate them.
Localizing a global product can provide a more personalized experience for users and foster unique partnerships with other businesses in the community to give users a more enriching and local experience.
Imagine telemedicine apps like Teladoc or Doctor on Demand. Now think about how much better they would be for users if they were localized to a specific market or location. The best mobile app ideas don’t have to be global in scale.
Sometimes it is more beneficial to take a local approach to mobile app development. Local offerings can give your app an edge with consumers.
Solve a Problem
The best mobile app ideas solve a common problem users have. The best way to start thinking about potentially solvable problems is to look at your own experiences. What issues do you have? Which solutions do you wish existed to address them?
For example, maybe you wish to donate food before it is wasted but have difficulty finding resources that share relevant information. In this situation, you might explore building a food donation app.
You are likely not the only person trying to donate food, but before you dive into food donation app development, you need to think about the problem and the solution you will provide. In this example, your solution might help connect interested users with food pantries.
Perhaps, your app could be paired with an inventory tracking app and help businesses donate leftover food inventory. There are several ways to address a problem. When you think you have found a good problem to address, try to look at it from as many perspectives as possible. User research can help in this endeavor also.
Look for Industries Lacking Innovation
A great way to develop app ideas is to identify popular industries lacking recent innovations. Then, once you have identified a potential industry, think about how it could be improved.
How will your application fit into the industry and improve things? Where are there deficiencies in current industry offerings? These are important questions to ask when trying to generate app ideas.
Ideas for Mobile Apps
There are nearly infinite possibilities when it comes to mobile app development. However, here are some intriguing app ideas you may not have considered.
Video Editing App
People love making home movies of their friends, family, and pets. A video editing app can be a great way to deliver a pleasing product to users.
Free WiFi Finder App
We have all been there at one point or another, searching for a WiFi connection to complete an important task or browse the Internet. An app that helps users find nearby public WiFi hotspots would be a valuable tool for many people.
Criminal Alert App
Getting the latest alerts on crime and dangerous areas could benefit people, especially those living in large metropolitan areas. This app could also provide amber alerts, dangerous weather updates, etc.
Motivation App
Finding motivation can be a struggle some days. An app that helps motivate users with quotes, meditations, and workouts could be helpful to many people.
Shipment Tracker App
With all of the online shopping, a unified shipment tracker app would be useful for users who get many packages.
Goods Exchange App
A barter exchange app can help people trade items and services with one another. A goods exchange app could be particularly useful in tight-knit communities and places with a large potential user base.
Deal Alert App
People are always looking for savings. Therefore, an app that alerts users on the latest deals in all the shopping malls and nearby stores would be very useful to consumers.
Subscription Organization App
Today, people have so many subscriptions that it can be hard to track them all and know what they are paying monthly. A subscription organization app could help people gain more visibility over their subscriptions and finances.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to developing mobile apps, almost anything is possible. If you want to learn more about ideating and developing good mobile app ideas, reach out to an experienced mobile app development partner like Koombea.
