Current Trends

Although I have already looked at current trends within design, colour and functionality it is important that I also look at technological devices that designers and developers are using. This is so that I am able to develop a product that will fit into the current trend and have an opportunity to be in competition with other pre-existing apps. The research into technological devices will allow me to brainstorm how my finished product could be implanted into these devices. Although I will develop a rough idea of what it could do, the finalized future work will be presented in my last presentation for this project. 

I have listed the Main technological trends that I have come accrues multiple of times during the process of investigation information, these have been listed below:

Augmented Reality

• Google Glasses

During this year there has been a hype and long wait for Google's augmentative reality glasses to be released surprisingly there was not much competition in terms of other technological companies developing their own until now. It seems that Samsung has been planning and designing the early stages of their own augmented glasses. 

Samsung Patent Version:

Messengers

Most applications nowadays tend to focus on the ability to message people without using up their text allowance on phones instead they use 3G or a Wi-Fi connection. This is another form of trend currently occurring; it is likely that users will have multiple forms of messenger communication systems that rely on an internet connection. Below I have listed popular messenger apps used by most smartphone owners:

• Whatsapp

• Facebook Messenger

• iMessenger

Photo Editor

Photo editors are another popular app where users can take and image/video and edit it using horrible looking filters that pixelate and grain images but yet people love them. They allow the ability to share on various forms of websites.

• Instagram

Note Pad/Organisers

I never thought I would come across a large amount of notepad and organiser apps but in fact there is a very large range to choose from and some are impressively good. 

Below I have listed various applications that have been ranked The Best New Apps by The Verge:

• Omni Focus 2

Omni Focus 2 is designed for Apple's newest iOS 7, the application allows users to organise data, add tasks, events, keep track of their weekly progresses with the week’s agenda plan overview and use of pings for reminders. The app itself has the ability for locations to be set therefore reminders can be triggered if the individual is within the area where the task needs to be complete. 

i.e. user needs bread, they type it in their to do list, once they are near or in a supermarket the ping is set off reminding them they need bread. 

• Drafts 3.0 for iOS

Drafts is literally what the word means the app allows users to draft information onto devices, this sounded very simple and boring when I was first reading the article. I then came across some information on how this application can be used with quite a number of others; it allows users to integrate the drafts that they have created. Some types of programs that support this app and allows direct connect are:

- Evernote (we know this app is top ranked from my previous research)

- Dropbox 

- Fantastical

There is a longer list of application that supports Draft 3.0 although I chose to mention these 3 as their functionality is different to one another. The main support of integration and the ability to connect directly is with Evernote where templates and tag information can be set up making the overall draft look much more appealing. I feel that although this app is ranked one of the best it is only due to its ability to integrate with other more multimodal devices. 

Sources

The Verge. 2013. Best New Apps: Drafts 3.0 for iOS. [online] Available at: http://mobile.theverge.com/apps/2013/5/1/4287742/best-new-apps-drafts-for-ios/in/3715559 [Accessed: 17 Oct 2013].

Newton, C. 2013. Best New Apps: OmniFocus 2. [online] Available at: http://mobile.theverge.com/2013/9/20/4751892/best-new-apps-omnifocus-2/in/3715559 [Accessed: 17 Oct 2013].

Cole, S. 2013. Google Glasses: Self-Realization. [image online] Available at: http://www.gsmnation.com/blog/2013/02/02/google-glasses-self-realization/ [Accessed: 17 Oct 2013].

Heister, N. 2012. Is WhatsApp Free?. [image online] Available at: http://www.androidpit.com/is-whatsapp-free [Accessed: 17 Oct 2013].

Unknown. n.d. Matty-Lapinskas-Instagram-collage1. [image online] Available at: http://siliconangle.com/files/2013/05/Matty-Lapinskas-Instagram-collage1.jpg [Accessed: 17 Oct 2013].

Arstechnica. 2013. Samsung Spectacles: Google Glass competitor spotted in design patent. [online] Available at: http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/10/samsung-spectacles-google-glass-competitor-spotted-in-design-patent/ [Accessed: 17 Oct 2013].

Ritchie, R. 2011. iOS 5 features: Swipe away keyboard in Messages. [image online] Available at: http://www.imore.com/ios-5-features-swipe-keyboard-messages [Accessed: 19 Oct 2013].

Bea, F. 2013. Facebook adds in-app SMS messaging and makes design changes in latest Android app update. [online] Available at: http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/facebook-adds-in-app-sms-messaging/ [Accessed: 19 Oct 2013].

Williams, A. 2013. Patent registered for Samsung Glasses. [image online] Available at: http://www.electronicsweekly.com/eyes-on-android/general/patent-registered-for-samsung-glasses-2013-10/ [Accessed: 28 Oct 2013].