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Mobile App News and Trends
Taylor Tunnison • October 8, 2021

With so much happening in the world, it can be tough to stay on top of current events. Many of us suffer from information overload which makes it difficult to see beyond our industries and expectations. Sadly, if you’re unfamiliar with the online space, whether consciously or not, you risk missing out on major developments. It’s important to be aware of digital news and trends given the vast influence of internet technologies today. The following are some key takeaways from recent mobile app news and trends.

Facebook Crashed Hard

No doubt you’ve heard about the social media giant’s most recent blunder. On Monday, all of Facebook’s services, including Oculus, WhatsApp, and Instagram, went offline for about six hours. According to an official statement issued that evening, the outage was the result of a routine maintenance error. Simply put, their company servers were briefly unable to connect to critical data centers for the duration. The mishap was apparently so widespread that some employees were even locked out of their offices while internal systems were down. This is important because Facebook boasts roughly 3 billion active monthly users, proving that even the biggest brands make mistakes.

Messaging Apps Explode

Other messaging platforms have gained more users as millions of people search for alternate communication channels. The popular cross-platform messaging app, Telegram, saw so many new users creating accounts that the app itself slowed down. On its main Twitter feed, Telegram said this was due to “the great migration from the green app to here.” It’s uncertain if those users will stick around or if this growth will be short-lived. The moral of the story? People want to connect with each other online, and they are willing to go to great lengths to do so.

Fireside is Kindled

A new social media app is now exiting its testing phase. Founded by renowned entrepreneur Mark Cuban, Fireside offers creators the ability to broadcast, record, promote, and analyze live audio and video from a single source. It’s an innovative attempt to combine various content experiences into a holistic platform. Video content and social media features such as Facebook Live and Instagram Stories have been especially popular in recent years as digital events have become mainstream. Fireside seeks to bridge the gap between digital producer and consumer by integrating seamlessly with established channels like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Only time can tell if this platform will succeed, but one thing is for certain: live video is definitely here to stay.

Major Trends

This year, popular apps were often those related to news, fitness, finance, business, and education. This is no surprise given that countless people have spent their free time checking for updates, learning something new, and maintaining their health and wellness. Some of the most popular apps include communication platforms like Zoom, Google Meets, and Microsoft Teams, all of which saw unparalleled growth recently. The trendy investing app, Robinhood, also blew up this year as more people became interested in stocks, options, and cryptocurrencies. Personal fitness apps like Strava, AllTrails, Mi Fit, and Samsung Health were also among the most downloaded during the past few years. The least popular apps were largely travel- and navigation-based since many countries have restricted movement and a majority of people have chosen to stay at home.



The world is quickly becoming virtual. Internet technologies have changed the way many people shop, learn, and communicate, for better or worse. It’s now essential to at least be aware of major trends and topics in order to stay ahead of the curve in the 21st century. If you have questions or concerns about the digital shift, or are interested in upgrading your online presence with a website or mobile app, we hope you’ll contact us for more information. These waters may seem rough, but our team has the tools and experience to help you navigate them successfully.

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