What are the biggest mobile app trends in 2026?
These are the trends that matter now, with what each means for an Australian business or founder. This guide replaces our old 2021 trends post.
| Trend | What changed | What to do about it |
|---|---|---|
| AI apps | AI app downloads grew 148% in 2025. Time in AI apps was projected to more than double in H1 2026 | Add AI where it saves users effort. Don’t bolt it on |
| Paying for utility | Non-game apps passed games in IAP revenue. AI spending leans to premium, utility subscriptions | Design a clear paid plan and test it early |
| On-device AI | Apple’s Foundation Models framework runs AI on the phone, offline and free of inference cost | Use it for small, private tasks. Use cloud models for the hard ones |
| Liquid Glass | iOS 26 introduced a new look. Apple tells developers to adopt it | Use system bars and controls so the app updates itself |
| Australian rules and fees | Under-16 social media law, App Store age gates for 18+ apps, Federal Court orders on Apple (from 1 Mar 2027, subject to appeal), and lower Google Play fees from 30 Sep 2026 | Check if your app is covered. Plan for age signals. Re-check store fees |
Is AI the biggest mobile app trend?
Yes, it is one of the two fastest-growing categories. Sensor Tower’s State of Mobile 2026 report found AI app downloads grew 148% in 2025, second only to short-form drama apps at 278%. Its State of AI 2026 report, from June 2026, projects global time in generative AI apps will rise from 17.2 billion hours in H1 2025 to 36 billion in H1 2026. It also expects AI app in-app purchase revenue to pass US$4 billion in H1 2026.
It’s also concentrated. Sensor Tower says ChatGPT, DeepSeek and Google Gemini took nearly 90% of time in AI assistant apps in Q1 2026. A new general-purpose chatbot is a hard sell. A focused app that does one job well for one group of people is a better bet.
What makes a good AI feature in an app?
- It does a job the user already wants done, such as reading a photo, a receipt or a document.
- It saves time on the first use, not only after a tutorial.
- It has a fallback. Models fail or slow down, so the app shouldn’t.
- It has a cost per use you know. Log it per feature.
Our own app, Pantry Pic, finds ingredients from one photo. It uses models from Google, OpenAI and Anthropic, picks one for each task and has a fallback if a provider is slow or down. It runs for under A$100 a month. Our AI app cost guide shows what it takes to build one, and the AI app development page covers how we work.
Are people paying for apps in 2026?
Yes. Sensor Tower reports that in 2025, in-app purchase revenue on non-game apps passed games for the first time, growing 21%. Total in-app purchase revenue was US$167 billion, up 10%. Games are still a big share of time spent.
For AI, the June 2026 report says spending is shifting to premium, utility-driven subscriptions. The lesson for a new app: free-only is a risk. Decide what is free, what is paid and what the paid plan unlocks before you build.
Store fees count here. Apple and Google both take a share. Google cut its Australian fees and widened billing choice from 30 September 2026. See our maintenance cost guide for the fee changes and GST rules, and the development cost guide for build prices.
What is on-device AI, and why does it matter?
On-device AI means the model runs on the phone, not on a server. Apple’s Foundation Models framework gives apps direct access to the on-device model behind Apple Intelligence. Apple says it offers inference that is free of cost, works offline and is built with privacy.
That makes small jobs cheap: summarising, tagging, short suggestions. It only works on devices that support Apple Intelligence, so an app must check availability and have a fallback. Heavy jobs, such as reading a fridge photo, still use cloud models.
What is Liquid Glass, and do I need to redesign?
Liquid Glass is the design language Apple introduced with iOS 26. Apple’s guidance is to use the system bars, toolbars and tab bars, which pick up the new look by themselves. Custom backgrounds on bars work against it.
You don’t have to redesign everything. An app built with standard controls gets most of the change when it is rebuilt with the new Xcode. An app with a lot of custom navigation needs more work. A React Native app gets the new look only where it uses native bars and controls, so ask your developer which parts are native. Apple has also raised its Xcode minimum for submissions: Xcode 26 became required from 28 April 2026.
Pantry Pic’s version 3, in October 2026, added a redesign for the latest iOS, Live Activities and receipt scanning.
What rules should Australian app owners watch?
Australia’s minimum age law for social media platforms started on 10 December 2025. Apple’s developer guidance says affected developers must deactivate under-16 accounts and monitor sign-ups, and points to the Declared Age Range API. In February 2026, Apple said the App Store would block 18+ app downloads in Australia, Brazil and Singapore unless the user is confirmed as an adult.
On 12 August 2025, the Federal Court found Apple and Google misused market power in Australia through their limits on app distribution and in-app payments. Google has since cut its Australian fees and widened billing choice from 30 September 2026. On 22 October 2026 the court ordered Apple to let Australian account holders get apps from outside the App Store, including alternative app stores, with no fees for access to those channels. Apple can still scan and notarize those apps. The orders are due to take effect at noon on 1 March 2027, with a possible extension to 3 May 2027. Apple has said it disagrees with key findings and plans to seek a stay and appeal, so the final rules may change.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check your app with a lawyer if it handles children, health, money or personal information.
Which old trends are now standard?
Some trends from a few years ago are now just part of building an app. In 2026 these are expected, not exciting:
- Working on both iPhone and Android, often from one codebase. See our React Native development page.
- Push notifications, widgets and a clean dark mode.
- A privacy policy and plain-English data use.
How do I choose which trends to follow?
- Write down the problem your user has. Not the trend you like.
- Ask if a trend makes that problem easier to solve. If not, skip it.
- Start small. Build one AI feature or one new design update, not five.
- Check the cost per user, per month, before you launch.
- Review again in six months. Platform rules change every year.
Want a view on your idea? Use our free estimate form, or read how long it takes to build an app first. Once you launch, plan for how to market your app and app store optimisation.
Common questions
What are the top mobile app trends for 2026?
AI apps, a shift to paid utility subscriptions, on-device AI, Apple’s Liquid Glass design, and new Australian rules on age checks and app stores. AI is one of the two fastest-growing categories: Sensor Tower measured 148% growth in AI app downloads in 2025, behind short-form drama apps at 278%.
Is it still worth building a mobile app in 2026?
Yes, if it solves a clear problem for a defined group. Sensor Tower reports US$167 billion in global in-app purchase revenue in 2025, up 10%. Sensor Tower also found ChatGPT, DeepSeek and Gemini took nearly 90% of AI assistant time in Q1 2026, so a focused app is a safer bet than a general one.
Do I need to add AI to my app?
No. Add it only when it saves your users effort, such as reading a photo or a document. Plan for failures, log what each feature costs, and have a fallback.
What is Apple’s Liquid Glass?
It is the design language introduced with iOS 26. Apple’s advice is to use the system bars and controls so your app picks it up, and not to add custom backgrounds to bars.
What is on-device AI?
It is AI that runs on the phone instead of a server. Apple’s Foundation Models framework lets apps use the on-device model behind Apple Intelligence, which Apple says is free of inference cost and works offline.
Does Australia’s social media age law affect my app?
Only if your app is a social media platform that the law covers. Affected developers must keep under-16s from holding accounts. Apple points to its Declared Age Range API. Take legal advice if you are unsure.
Will app store fees change in Australia?
They already have on Google Play. From 30 September 2026 Google lowered its service fees for Australian users and widened billing choice. In August 2025 the Federal Court found that Apple and Google misused their market power over payments and distribution. On 22 October 2026 the court ordered Apple to allow alternative app stores and distribution for Australian account holders, from 1 March 2027 unless extended. Apple plans to seek a stay and appeal, so don’t plan around lower Apple fees yet.
Is cross-platform development still a good choice?
For most apps, yes. React Native with Expo builds iOS and Android apps from one codebase. Pantry Pic is built this way, with camera-based AI and subscriptions on both platforms.
Sources
- Sensor Tower: State of Mobile 2026 press release (21 Jan 2026)
- Sensor Tower: State of AI 2026 (16 Jun 2026)
- Apple Newsroom: Foundation Models framework
- Apple: Adopting Liquid Glass
- Apple: Upcoming requirements (Xcode 26 from 28 April 2026)
- Apple Developer: New requirements for social media apps in Australia
- MacRumors: Apple blocks 18+ app downloads in Australia, Brazil and Singapore without age assurance
- Google Play: Australian fee changes from 30 September 2026
- MacDailyNews: Australian court orders Apple to open iPhone to rival app stores (23 Oct 2026)
- SBS News: Federal Court finds Apple and Google engaged in anti-competitive conduct