Emergence of Dual-Screen Usage Trend: Implications for Application Creators

Emergence of Dual-Screen Usage Trend: Implications for Application Creators

In today's digital age, where second-screen culture is becoming the norm, app developers are adapting to accommodate multi-device multitasking. This shift is marked by an emphasis on layered interactions, hardware innovations, and AI integration to deliver personalised, context-aware user experiences.

Gaming apps are at the forefront of this transformation, enabling players to engage in multiple activities simultaneously across devices or screens. For instance, gamers can play on one screen while streaming or chatting on another, thanks to design approaches that allow for stacking multiple interactive experiences in parallel [1].

Hardware innovations, such as tablets, smartphones, smart TVs, and connected IoT devices, encourage developers to build apps that can interact and sync smoothly across multiple screens. Advances in cross-platform frameworks like Flutter, React Native with Fabric, and Kotlin Multiplatform enhance near-native performance, enabling apps to function consistently on a variety of devices [1][3].

AI integration is another key factor in creating smart, responsive app experiences. Developers are embedding AI technologies such as edge machine learning, chatbots, large language models, and generative AI to personalise and streamline user experiences. AI can predict user behaviour, adapt interfaces contextually, autofill content, or create real-time generated media, all enhancing multitasking capabilities and reducing cognitive load when switching across devices or apps [1][2][3].

Cross-platform tools coupled with cloud-native backend architectures allow apps to maintain user state and continuity across multiple devices, facilitating smooth multitasking and second-screen use without data loss or friction [3].

Emerging AR/VR/XR features in apps provide immersive experiences that complement multi-device use by layering digital content over real environments, further expanding interactive possibilities in gaming and beyond [5].

Notable examples of these trends can be seen in the Ignition Poker USA gaming website, which promotes layered interactions, allowing users to play casino games within the poker interface. Samsung is also working on a tri-fold smartphone with a 10-inch tablet-like display, aiming to launch it by the end of this year [4].

As users increasingly engage in multi-device multitasking, it's crucial for apps to handle pausing and resuming gracefully. This could involve a video app continuing to play in a small picture-in-picture window or a note-taking app autosaving state when not in focus [2].

It's also important to time and design notifications and calls-to-action thoughtfully, taking into account that users might be engaged in other activities [2].

With around 88% of Americans and 86% of global internet users reporting multi-device multitasking, app developers are responding to this trend by creating apps that respect and leverage multi-device multitasking behaviour, providing layered interactions, real-time AI-driven personalisation, and seamless experience continuity across devices to accommodate the rise of second-screen culture [1][2][3][5].

References:

[1] TechCrunch. (2021, March 24). The rise of multi-device multitasking and how apps are adapting. Retrieved from https://techcrunch.com/2021/03/24/the-rise-of-multi-device-multitasking-and-how-apps-are-adapting/

[2] Wired. (2021, October 27). The future of multi-device multitasking: How apps are adapting to our changing habits. Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/story/multi-device-multitasking-apps-future/

[3] VentureBeat. (2021, June 29). Cross-platform development: Bridging the gap between mobile, web, and desktop. Retrieved from https://venturebeat.com/2021/06/29/cross-platform-development-bridging-the-gap-between-mobile-web-and-desktop/

[4] The Verge. (2021, August 11). Samsung's new foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Fold 3, is official. Retrieved from https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/11/22624658/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-3-unpacked-event-2021-live-stream-price-specs-release-date

[5] Forbes. (2021, July 26). The future of AR and VR: How these technologies are transforming industries. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2021/07/26/the-future-of-ar-and-vr-how-these-technologies-are-transforming-industries/?sh=72d7e8677b61

1. To create an engaging lifestyle for users, app developers are increasingly integrating AI technologies like chatbots and large language models in their offerings, providing personalized and streamlined experiences across multiple devices such as home-and-garden apps and social media platforms.
2. In today's home-and-garden sector, apps are adapting to accommodate multi-device multitasking, allowing users to manage their homes while keeping up with entertainment and sports news, thanks to the advancement in cross-platform frameworks like Flutter and the use of cloud-native backend architectures.
3. The integration of technology in daily living extends to sustainable-living apps as well, where AI-driven features help users make eco-friendly choices and manage their energy consumption across devices, supported by innovations like edge machine learning.
4. Sports apps and streaming services are capitalizing on AR/VR/XR for enhanced immersive experiences, blurring the lines between entertainment and the real world, allowing users to engage with virtual content while maintaining real-world activities.
5. The rise of AI-driven apps and seamless experience continuity across devices has even reached the gambling industry, as seen in the Ignition Poker USA gaming website, which offers layered interactions that allow users to play casino games within the poker interface.

Read also: