Mobile app UI design is the first impression of an app. It keeps the users connected to the brand, simplifies user journey in the app, increasing the overall ROI of the app. When the mobile app design guidelines are customer-centric, followed by engaging content, there is nothing stopping for an app to be a household name.

Netflix, for example, has one of the best UI designs for both web and apps for Android and iOS. It offers a fluid layout, color-coded content complimenting the brand, seamless navigation, and real-time bug fixes.

The inspiration for the app’s UI design cannot be limited to how the app looks. The app’s information architecture must integrate successfully with UI design guidelines that label, structure and organize the app’s content in an accessible and sustainable manner.

To help app designers improve their app's overall design by pick the best UI design for their app, we’ve given a breakdown of an app’s anatomy- user onboarding, landing page, detail page, checkout and feedback along with the latest UI design trends that will skyrocket in 2020, in the dedicated areas.

1. Latest Mobile UI Design Trends in User Onboarding

Having a complex onboarding process in the mobile app UI design can often spike the abandonment rate, so, keep it as intuitive as possible.

For instance, a single login or sign-up screen might work great for entertainment or social media apps, but for utility-based apps like Slack that simplifies collaboration, user onboarding requires a demonstration of the benefits that the product provides. In Slack’s case, the header draws user attention to the core of what the product offers, which is to help users be less busy.

Next, the mobile design trend must include a follow-up copy that elaborates on what the product is about. Following this, there should be a simple yet interactive sign-up process (see how the app design speaks to the onboarding anxiety of the user).

The founder testimonial as part of the user interface trend is a great addition, as it offers the app onboarding process the biggest credibility, along with other testimonials and product updates in the twitter feed linked to ‘what people are saying.’

All of this runs parallel to the latest UI design trend of storytelling that informs and guides the user at every step of the way, as to what utility does an app offers to them.

2. Latest UI Trends in Landing Page

Once the user is on the app, a well-optimized landing page is what turns potential visitors into customers, leading them to a particular end result. The mobile app UI design in 2020 will prioritize the following elements when designing the landing page UI design styles of an app.

Tabs with bolder and simpler icons, as seen in iOS Human Interface Guidelines as well as Google's Material Design (called Bottom Navigation), precede all other in-app content, helping users get better clarity on how to navigate in the app.

Cards outline the main idea of a product, especially for eCommerce websites and social networking sites. A card-based interface is what makes the app consistent as they clarify what a certain tab/CTA would do for a user.

Buttons with concise microcopy and action related colors must be placed in the lower-third section of the screen. Misplaced buttons not only run against the intuitive usage of an app but also disrupt the content hierarchy of the app.

Dark Mode, as adopted by both Google and Apple is probably the top user interface design trend that app designers need to watch out for. Dark Mode in app design not only reduces battery strain and light emitted by the device screen but also compliments the app usage in dark environments.

3. Latest UI Trends in Detail Page

The best app UI design in 2020 will aim at conveying the main idea of an app in the shortest time frame possible. This includes covering the unnoticed details like white space and gradients to bigger user interface design elements like conversational UIs, 3D graphics, and even integrating trending technologies like AR.

That’s why we’ve covered all the key focus areas; app designers will need to work on to integrate the most fruitful mobile UI design trends in the app’s detail page.

White Space, i.e., line height, spacing, padding, etc., is as effective in a layout as the content itself, making it indispensable in the list of the latest UI trends. Couple this with bright gradients and app designers have remarkable depth and dimension to their app’s UI.

Advanced animations will be used as a key mobile app UI design style to convey the story about the product, confirm actions, describe state changes, and add rhythm to interactions. It involves leveraging both independent animated elements like displaying treadmill characteristics and gestural transitions.

Conversational UIs—interfaces that leverage human conversation will be indispensable in new UI Design Trends of 2020. And, this goes beyond using AI or chatbots but mimicking a humanized interaction to build that personal connect of an app with the user.

3D Graphics inspired by real-world objects, both gamify the app and lend the futuristic vibe that users love in any popular app. The 3D rendered images as an inspiration in the app’s UI design aren’t limited to eCommerce websites or even web for that matter but can be applied to app mascots, screen interactions, landing page, onboarding screen or anywhere the designer deems fit in an app.

Augmented Reality in app design is one of those latest trends in design, that app creators simply can’t afford to ignore. Both Apple with ARKit and Google with ARCore are already pushing in the direction, primarily to lend a given app that coveted human-centric design that will be raging in 2020.

4. Latest UI Trends in Feedback and Checkout

Panning our attention to the e-commerce apps, mobile checkout flow is what eventually converts to revenue and ROI. But the former is a greater commitment than simply adding items to the cart and that’s why the only way to avoid cart abandonment rates is by integrating feedback and checkout- friendly trends in design.

The app design must reduce cognitive load, the ability to update quantity, change color or remove products in the cart itself, without going back to the product details page, is a game-changer in the latest UI design trends for eCommerce apps.

Some of the ways to do that is by integrating address assistance and highlight error messaging (possibly with thick red borders around form fields, iconography, italics and bold text), along with CTA assistance if they make a mistake will be a norm in the 2020 eCommerce market.

Guest checkout will be yet another new design trend, adopted by app owners to reduce cart abandonment. Similarly, to make the process even more user-friendly, the ‘pay first-register later’ method is expected to make an appearance in app design trends of 2020.

Summing Up

A user-centered app UI design that keeps user needs, preferences, and problems is the foundation stone for any successful app. Maybe, you’re an aspiring app owner or an existing one looking to redesign your low-performing app.

Either way, to achieve this user-friendly design and implement the UI design trends best suited to the app. It’s crucial to understand the target audience well- if possible, by conducting surveys or interviews to chalk potential user behavior and then only, you will be able to curate the best mobile user interface designs.

Yet, at the same time, using too much of graphics or animations, dumbing down the user with needless info, or over-implementing the mobile design trends mentioned above may do more harm than good.

Users today switches between two to three devices on an average day, yet there are some apps that are constant on all. Why? Because these dedicated apps have mastered the art of minimalism and it’s time for you to follow the new UI design ideas.

General FAQ

What are the Design Trends of 2020? Design Trends of 2020 will factor areas such as storytelling elements in the app, animations, 3D graphics, gradients, placement of navigation bars, whitespace, and placement of AR in UI development.

Where Can I Design a Mobile App? Our research bucket has leading mobile app development companies across the globe to suit the best of app clients. But to pick the best for you, your hiring needs should be clear- whether you want offshore app development companies or onshore. Whether you want app developers for iOS or Android.



What Does UX Design Mean? User Experience design is the entire process of building the design for the functionalities and the branding of the app. Often interchangeably used with User Interface Design or Usability, UX design focuses on not the usability of the app, but also the efficiency and fun element of the app.

