Like the year before it, 2020 will bring a lot of new growth vectors for  UI/UX design. First of all, we mean the long-awaited 5th generation wireless network (5G). The introduction of 5G should turn the entire industry upside down. And primarily, it concerns smartphone users. 

Of course, 5G will not come out of thin air. There have been a lot of ongoing developments and preliminary work in recent years. Although only a small number of smartphones can feel the benefits of the fifth generation communications so far, this and other technologies are already forcing specialists to adapt to new trends. Let’s list the trends that are likely to be followed by any UI/UX agency this year.

Speed is the goal

We're going to start with the trend that 5G technology brings. Large industry players promise that users will be able to download huge amounts of data rapidly. For example, it will be possible to download all series of the Marvel movies in a matter of minutes, how do you like it? 

Communication and data-transmitting speed will grow multifold. What does this mean for UI/UX design? This means that any delay in the page load or response of a particular feature is now unacceptable.

Another trend stems from this — forget about boot screens and loaders. Last year, the trend toward creating original loaders was observed. Designers employed them in order to make the user's expectation less annoying. Now, give up on this. 5G technology will provide instant page loading. Therefore, smartphone and application developers should be prepared for this. Some experts say that Apple has already started making their first moves in the 5G direction.  

No more static — only motion  

The 5G speed will completely change the approach to creating web design. No more static backgrounds, only dynamic elements will be introduced. Earlier, the prevalence of static elements was explained by the inability of devices to quickly load and operate dynamic effects. Now, if 5G becomes a ubiquitous phenomenon, this problem will be eliminated.

Designers should take this as a new challenge. From now on, users will expect astonishing animations powered by the advanced WebGL and TwinMax technologies.

Dark themes

Triggered by Apple's Mojave last year, this trend is relevant in 2020 as well. Dark themes and dark modes remain in demand, and you can only imagine how popular this feature has become with the introduction of a dark theme on Instagram.

The widespread adoption of dark themes has several advantages. First of all, dark colors do less damage to eyesight as they are considered more pleasing. In addition, smartphones with OLED displays can save up to 30% of battery life using a dark mode or dark themes.

However, this method is not universal. In the bright daylight, dark colors make the content unreadable. Therefore, developers who are confident that their application or their website will be viewed mainly in the daytime should discard dark colors. The ideal solution would be to automatically switch between dark and light modes, but this only works for applications.

Split screens

What used to be archaism may become a new trend today. Split screens accompanied by a stylish and fresh look have purely practical advantages. The classic centering of information blocks looks monolithic. However, today there’s a real battle for space on the screen. The use of various tools and the abundance of elements force developers to create long pages. As a result, users have to scroll down for tens of seconds to find something they really need.

Splitting screens is a good way out of this situation. And if you approach the implementation of such a solution with due professionalism and style, then you will be able to deliver a very unusual and memorable design. We believe that the separation of screens will become one of the trends in 2020.

Human spelling

This trend is not something new, but designers have been slow in introducing it. Early voice-based apps were developed in 2018, but didn’t become a widespread solution.

Still, the human spelling approach creates a more individual impression of interacting with a website or an app. This is really important because the text is the basis of content, where the user concentrates most of their attention.

Empty spaces

Remember we mentioned the battle for space on the user's screen? Here is another method. Surround the desired design element with empty space, and it will receive all the attention from the user. Yes, this way you sacrifice the rest of content, however, this is still a good method if you need to control the attention of users. 

Actually, this is a very interesting and comprehensive trend. And it is more difficult to implement than it sounds. There are many elements to consider — macro and micro space, a clear distance between lines of text and even separate letters. If you are interested, you can find more details on how to use empty space here.

In conclusion: trust the designers’ gut feeling

Technological progress is a really cool thing that affects all sectors. And design is no exception. Still, you should remember that design is a creative work. Technological hype is important, and there is nothing wrong with quickly jumping on the hype train. However, a true designer is able to create something unique and memorable. 

If you are an entrepreneur or a product owner, trust your designers. If you are a designer, trust your gut feeling and develop your skills. Yes, it will not always lead you to success. But it is also impossible to create quality products blindly following trends, some of which are very volatile.