October 2019

In today’s time, there is not a single service that can’t be availed via a mobile app. Anything you want is literally, “at the tip of your fingers”. There are over five billion mobile users in the world, with global internet penetration standing at 57%.
Source: https://www.businessofapps.com/data/app-statistics/
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Did you know: As of the first quarter of 2019, these app users could choose to download between 2.6 million Android, and 2.2 million iOS apps. And they certainly are choosing: App Annie sets the total number of app downloads in 2018 at 194 billion; up from 178 billion in 2017.  

The Apple App Store and the Google Play Store dominate this landscape: as such, they are two of the most importance marketplaces in the world, truly global in scope.
Let’s take a look at 50 mobile app statistics, and what we can look forward to in the year 2020.
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General Mobile App User Statistics:

• Total time spent on mobile devices per day: 215 minutes, or three hours and 35 minutes. It’s expected to reach three hours and 49 minutes by 2020.
• Time spent on mobile websites? 13 minutes a day, according to eMarketer. By 2020, that will likely drop to 12 minutes daily.
• Expected mobile ad spending in the future: Over $160 million worldwide in 2019, and more than $186 million in 2020.

​Source: https://www.inmobi.com/blog/2019/05/21/52-in-app-advertising-statistics-you-should-know

• There are over 10 Million voice-enabled units in circulation between Alexa and Google Home with over 20% of mobile queries being voice searches in 2018, growing to 10% by 2020.Source: https://quoracreative.com/article/mobile-marketing-statistics
• As consumers spend over 5 hours a day on smartphones, and the number of mobile devices is anticipated to reach 16.8 billion by 2023.

Source: https://www.iflexion.com/blog/mobile-banking-trends

• There will be roughly 7 billion mobile users worldwide, by 2020.
• Annual mobile app downloads in 2022 are projected to reach 258 billion. That’s a 45% increase from 178 billion downloads in 2017.
• App store consumer spending is projected to increase by 92% to $157 billion worldwide in 2022.
• In 2019, the average US adult spent three hours and 43 minutes a day on a mobile device.
• Mobile app users in the United States have over 100 apps installed on their smartphones.

Source: https://www.appannie.com/en/insights/market-data/app-annie-2017-2022-forecast/

• The average mobile user checks their smartphone 63 times a day.
• Source: https://www.bankmycell.com/blog/smartphone-addiction/
• 87% of users will check their phones at least one hour before sleep, and 69 % of those users will check their phones within 5 minutes before sleep.

Source: https://www.bankmycell.com/blog/smartphone-addiction/

• Generation Z (ages 16-24) spends 20% more time and engages with their most-used apps 30% more often than the rest of the population.

Source: https://www.appannie.com/en/insights/market-data/gen-z-redefining-mobile-world-order/

• Mobile apps account for 57% of all digital media usage.

Source: https://www.comscore.com/Insights/Presentations-and-Whitepapers/2017/The-2017-US-Mobile-App-Report

•  By 2020, 30% of all B2B companies will employ artificial intelligence (AI) to augment at least one of their primary sales processes.

Source: https://www.mediabuzz.com.sg/research-analysis-and-trends-feb2018/by-2020-one-third-of-all-b2b-companies-will-have-employed-ai-to-augment-their-primary-sales-processes-gartner-said

• By 2020, Facebook predicts that more people are predicted to have mobile phones than running water or electricity at home. An estimated 3 billion people will gain access to mobile phones by 2020.

Source: https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-2020/

• 83% of enterprise workloads will be in the cloud by 2020.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/louiscolumbus/2018/01/07/83-of-enterprise-workloads-will-be-in-the-cloud-by-2020/#5b7666a96261

• The global mobile workforce is expected to reach 1.87 billion workers (over 42 percent of the global workforce) by 2022.

Source: https://www.ibm.com/topics/mobile-workforce

Voice-based Apps

• 50% of all online searches will be voice-based by 2020.
• 30% of all web browsing sessions will be done without a screen by 2020.
• 55% of households are expected to own smart speaker devices by 2022.
• Global voice commerce is expected to be worth $40B by 2022.
• Voice commerce is expected to jump to $40B by 2022.

Source: https://99firms.com/blog/voice-search-statistics/#gref

Banking Mobile Apps

• eMarketer expects that by 2022, almost 78% of the US millennial population will become digital banking users.
• By 2021, credit cards, debit cards, and mobile wallets are projected to surpass cash at all point of sales.
• By 2020, the expected fraud losses incurred on credit, debit, and pre-paid cards could surpass $12 billion.

Source: https://www.iflexion.com/blog/mobile-banking-trends

• By 2020, 90% of smartphone users will have made a mobile payment.
• By 2022, mobile transactions are projected to grow by 121%, eventually composing 88% of all banking transactions.
• The combined market share of Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and Google Pay in mobile payment will be 56% by 2021 in the U.S.
•  U.S. in-store mobile payments will rise steadily at a 40% compound annual growth rate to hit $128 billion in 2021.

Source: https://carsurance.net/blog/fintech-statistics/

Fintech Blockchain Statistics

• Fully 77% of financial services incumbents responding to a recent survey expect to adopt blockchain as part of an in-production system or process by 2020.
• Global revenue from enterprise blockchain applications is expected to rise from $2.5 billion to $19.9 billion by 2025.

Source: https://carsurance.net/blog/fintech-statistics/

Artificial Intelligence in Fintech Statistics  

• Successful banking-related chatbot interactions will grow 3,150% between 2019 and 2023.
• Robo-advisors are expected to manage $2 trillion in assets by 2020.

Source: https://carsurance.net/blog/fintech-statistics/

Extended Reality Statistics

• The extended reality market amounted to $27 billion in 2018 and is expected to expand dramatically in the coming years, with forecasts for 2022 surpassing $209 billion.
•  By 2020, 100 million consumers will shop in AR both online and in retail stores.

Source: https://carsurance.net/blog/fintech-statistics/

Food/Restaurant Apps Statistics

• By 2021, more than 20% of US smartphone users will use a food delivery app.
• By 2020, food delivery app usage will surpass 44 million people in the US, reaching nearly 60 million by 2023.

Source: https://www.emarketer.com/content/us-food-delivery-app-usage-will-approach-40-million-users-in-2019

• Orders placed via smartphone and mobile apps will become a $38 billion industry and make up nearly 11 percent of all quick-service restaurant sales by 2020, according to Business Insider Intelligence reports.

Source: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/outside-insights/mobile-ordering-races-38-billion-future

Gaming Apps on Mobile Growth Statistics

• The mobile gaming industry has proven it’s on track to increase market share, with the global industry projected to reach $106 billion by 2021.
•  By 2021, mobile gaming (which includes tablets) is expected to account for over half (59%) of the entire gaming market.
•  The total number of U.S. mobile gamers is predicted to rise to 213 million by 2020.
•  The world’s mobile gaming population is expected to rise from 2.2 billion in 2018 to over 2.7 billion by 2021. China is one of the countries where mobile gaming is most popular, with 459 million total mobile gamers—the equivalent to the U.S and Japan’s populations combined.

Source: https://mediakix.com/blog/mobile-gaming-industry-statistics-market-revenue/
 
Advertising Statistics

• Global mobile app revenue is projected to generate $582 billion U.S. dollars through paid downloads and in-app advertising in 2020.

Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/269025/worldwide-mobile-app-revenue-forecast/

• By the end of 2020, it’s projected that Instagram’s ad revenue will make up 30% of Facebook’s total ad revenue.

Source: https://www.smallbizgenius.net/by-the-numbers/social-media-marketing-statistics/

Video Statistics

• 82% of internet traffic will come from video by 2020.

Source: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/12-video-statistics-to-guide-your-2020-online-marketing-strategy-infograph/562271/

• The number of users viewing video content on a mobile device in the United States is projected to reach 179 million in 2020.

Source: https://www.statista.com/topics/1137/online-video/

Social Media Apps Statistics

• Facebook predicts that by 2020, 80% of smartphone users are projected to be using a mobile messaging app.

Source: https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-2020/

• By 2021 mobile users are predicted to spend roughly 47 minutes daily on social network apps.

Source: https://www.emarketer.com/content/daily-forecast-time-spent-with-social-network-apps-in-the-us-continues-to-outpace-messaging-apps

• The volume of brand-sponsored influencer content on Instagram is projected to amount to 6.12 million posts in 2020.

Source: https://www.smallbizgenius.net/by-the-numbers/social-media-marketing-statistics/

In Conclusion
The year 2020 is going to be a beginning in the revolution of the mobile app industry. Remember, mobile marketing is not an easy task – with hundreds of apps being rolled out every week, it is imperative that you need a plan to break into the market by developing a mobile strategy that best suits your company’s or product’s business objective.
Breaking into the mobile market is an iterative process that requires in-depth research, extensive planning, and unbeatable dedication. If you need a helping hand to design and launch your app and take a piece out of the cake in 2020, get in touch with the App Scoop mobile app development Vancouver ​ Team: https://app-scoop.com/contact-us.html

Blockchain has been disrupting the tech and financial market since the past 5 years. Blockchain was originally created to support the Bitcoin but soon the tech community has started using this technology for other purposes.
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Blockchain is the brainchild of a person or a group of people known by the name of Satoshi Nakamoto. In 2017, the global Blockchain technology market is predicted to reach 339.5 million U.S. dollars in size and is forecast to grow to 2.3 billion U.S. dollars by 2021.
Reference Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/647231/worldwide-Blockchain-technology-market-size/   

An article in Forbes states, “One of the most notable changes was the increase in vibrant conversation around Blockchain, which is being introduced to broaden the market’s transparency, track ownership and provenance, and provide an infrastructure for the tokenization of fractional artwork sales.” But the question is, why is the Blockchain technology being leveraged above all the other technological upsurge?
Reference Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/zoharelhanani/2018/12/17/how-Blockchain-changed-the-art-world-in-2018/#480288a23074
 
Blockchain’s Key Feature: Secured Database

Blockchain has its database in more than one location, with hundreds, thousands, even potentially millions of duplicated records around the world, all updated every 15 minutes and unchangeable, immutable. 
Furthermore, this technology is considered to be a secure system because cryptology is used to ensure that nobody can intermingle with the timestamps or blocks. If somebody does so, there is digital evidence in the system. This makes it ideal for handling data structure and to keep track of records of anything that is valuable, such as financial transactions.
Hence, Blockchain technology is being widely adopted by sectors who need a secured database for financial transactions. Let’s take a look at how Blockchain is being used in the Auction Industry.

Blockchain: Auction Industry: Real Estate

As we know, that real estate forms a big part of the Auction Industry. It touches the lives of just about everyone, but we also know that real estate transactions can be complicated for the parties involved; buyer, seller and sometimes the agent.
An article in Biz Journals states:

“Blockchain is now being used to list and sell properties as I wrote about here at Business Journals for a recent “Packer’s House” in Greenbay, Wisconsin. Now it is being used for a first-ever real estate auction in Rome Italy for the renowned Palazzetto Hotel.
This is listed and being serviced by Propy, a real estate firm in the San Francisco Bay Area. In a recent interview I spoke with the CEO, Natalia Karayaneva, and CTO, Alex Voloshyn, about the ramifications of this for buyers, sellers, and for real estate professionals.”
Reference Source: https://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/how-to/technology/2018/07/how-Blockchain-can-change-real-estate-transactions.html

Real estate in the Auction Industry is one of the perfect examples that could benefit from adopting Blockchain. For the buyer, seller and the agent, it can:

• Save money (taxes, service fees, etc.)
• Increase security in transactions
• Make the processing time faster than ever

A significant benefit of Blockchain in real estate, out of the above, is an immediate reduction in service fees. You need to involve a professional (ideally, who would charge a good fee) for a real estate transaction. But what if we said that Blockchain can make a smart contract that would take care of the following:

• Prepare a detailed, thorough, extensive contract that would lay out what is needed to be done, and when
• List the nitty-gritty in important details and didn’t allow funds to transfer until specific requirements were met
• No interference in exchange of funds due a third-party or ‘a bad actor’ once they have been verified as completed

Great, right!? This technology is changing the workings of the real estate world, especially people who
have won the auction on a house.

Blockchain: Auction Industry: Art

Another sector that is popular in the Auction Industry is the art world. According to an article in Forbes:

“The art world witnessed an extraordinary auction on November 13th at the Christie’s Auction House in New York. Not only the collection of the late Barney A. Ebsworth raised over $300 million, setting the new world auction records for Edward Hopper and Willem de Kooning, but also for the first-time-ever, the results of the major auction sale were recorded using Blockchain technology. To do so, Christie’s has collaborated with Artory, the leading independent Blockchain-based registry for the art market built on Ethereum Blockchain.”

​Reference Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/elenazavelev/2018/11/26/is-Blockchain-the-right-solution-for-the-auction-houses/#70b4d2a31bf8

Artory’s Registry, built on the public Blockchain, creates a system for vetting, memorializing and protecting transactional data, while simultaneously allowing the artwork’s owner to stay completely anonymous. One of the striking features of Artory’s Registry is that the company uses third-party vetted service providers, such as auction houses, to supply the data for their registry, creating a reputational guarantee that the information is correct.

Weeks before the auction Richard Entrup, CIO at Christie’s, commented in a press release: “Our pilot collaboration with Artory…reflects growing interest within our industry to explore the benefits of secure digital registry via Blockchain technology.”
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Reference Source: https://news.artnet.com/market/christies-artory-blockchain-pilot-1370788

The art world wasn’t very open to a decentralized database technology, but as we are approaching a new era of online transactions, Blockchain would benefit the younger collectors who want to partner with notable brands and establish relations with living artists.

Another reason of the art world excepting Blockchain is because of the success of Bitcoin cryptocurrency. Jason Bailey, the founder of Artnome and an advisor to Portion suggests that, “the lack of good data has led to a major problem with forgery and misattribution”, and the fact that Christie’s used “Blockchain for the Ebsworth collection is an early step towards data transparency and improved provenance.” Bailey also suggests that “the art market currently fails to support most working artists in any meaningful way.”

Reference Source: https://coinspectator.com/news/1084395/is-blockchain-the-right-solution-for-the-auction-houses

​Future of Blockchain in the Auction Industry

Now, that the world is opening up to a decentralized database for secured transactions, we are to see if all auction houses will now add Blockchain tools to record auction data routinely.
Real estate professionals at Propy state their opinions on how it will affect the industry in an interview recorded: https://steemit.com/blockchain/@terrybrock/blockchain-first-ever-auction-in-real-estate-what-it-means-to-you

The art industry’s growing interest in blockchain was made evident by its presence in the media. There was a noticeable increase in art and blockchain-related news, and a number of conferences were dedicated to the subject. 2018’s Ethereal Summit, a global conference about blockchain technology, placed emphasis on the art world, even concluding the event with a live auction.

Reference Source: https://www.etherealsummit.com/

A lot will depend on the extent to which the big art market players, will adopt this technology in their operations and we are yet to observe how long it will take. If you need more information on Blockchain, you can get in touch with the App Scoop mobile application development Vancouver team: https://app-scoop.com/contact-us.html

How many times have you been not able to obtain information or receive help from an app because of network issues or no network? We have become so dependent on our smart devices that when they don’t work, we feel helpless; like time has come to a halt and we are back in the 90s. In order for the user to retain your app, it should also work offline. Apps with GPS navigation, medical facilities/information and banking apps should be programmed in a way that they can also work offline.

Some of the advantages of offline working apps include:

• No internet connection
• Quick information download
• Not draining the phone’s battery

Let’s take a look at how to create an app that can be built for offline use.

Deciding on Offline Features
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Let’s begin by listing down the steps that will help the company/organization to decide on offline features for the app:

• Firstly, it is important to have your app plan in place which includes listing down the core purpose of the app, analyzing the workflow of the app and jotting down the features that need to incorporated to build the app.
• The next step would be to prioritize the features (must-haves, good to have, etc.) for the app.
• After deciding the features that are the most essential for the app, the same needs to be communicated to the developer so that they are able to understand the business goals and plan a well-tailored solution.

The Eisenhower Decision Matrix can be used to help you see more intrinsically on what features are important and which are not. 

In order to fill the matrix:

• List the features that need to be available offline in your app
• Based on user vote and research, determine how important each feature is for them while using your app
• Decide the difficulty level of incorporating each feature
• Fill the matrix with the collected information and prioritize

For instance, if your app offers taxi service, there will be multiple features in it, such as map, costing, location of the driver, location of the customer, customer contact number, etc. Hence, the next step will be to decide which of these features need to be available offline and how difficult would it be to incorporate them offline.

Key Technologies that Allow the App to Work in Offline Mode

Mobile apps can be built with two core capabilities:

1. Local storage/database
2. Data synchronization 

 
Local Storage/Database
When the app works offline, the data will need to be stored on the client’s device, so that it can be used when its offline. Offline data storage can be done using different methods (and different for different platforms). Let’s go through them.

Local Caching and Cookies
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• If web technologies are used to build a mobile app, the browser application uses cache and cookies. In order to make the data available offline to the user, the developer will need to program a cache manifest, i.e. a simple list of essential files. In this manner, the browser can use pages that have already been downloaded rather than displaying an error to retrieve the page when there is no longer a network connection.

 

• The other approach is to retain browser cookies. This is one of the most basic approach but is very limited because cookies only tend to store 4KB of data. A disadvantage of using this method is that cookies are re-sent to the server with each HTTP request, which results in a waste of a lot of bandwidth to re-send the all offline data even when it is not needed. Storing data in cookies is only recommended only for simple storage.

 
Tools for storing data in the web browser:

• “IndexedDB is a low-level API for client-side storage of significant amounts of structured data, including files/blobs. This API uses indexes to enable high-performance searches of this data. While Web Storage is useful for storing smaller amounts of data, it is less useful for storing larger amounts of structured data.”

Reference Source: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/IndexedDB_API
 

• The service worker is like a shared worker in that it runs in its own global script context (usually in its own thread). It isn’t tied to a particular page and has no DOM access. Also, it can run without any page at all, can terminate when it isn’t in use, and run again when needed (i.e., it’s event-driven) and has a defined upgrade model.

Reference Source: https://github.com/w3c/ServiceWorker/blob/master/explainer.md
 
Shared Preferences 
For platforms such as Android and iOS, there is a certain mechanism that allows storing of user’s preferences (pieces of information saved persistently and used to configure the app) which allows the app to work in offline mode.
 

• Android platform provides SharedPreferences, APIs that can be used to save a relatively small collection of primitive data in key-values pairs. To simply put it, a SharedPreferences object is a reference to the file that contains key-value pairs and APIs provide simple methods to read and write preferences.

In this case, you have a key that can only be the string type, and the appropriate value for that key. In turn, the value can be one of the following types: boolean, float, int, long, or string.
 
Each of the SharedPreferences files is managed by the Android platform and is internally stored as an .xml file in a private directory. An app can have multiple SharedPreferences files and, ideally, they are used to store app preferences.
 

• iOS Platform uses the NSUserDefaults class in order to save and update user’s preferences. The NSUserDefaults class provides a programmatic interface that permits an app to customize its behavior to match a user’s preferences.

 
For instance, users can save a profile image offline or add a feature that saves documents automatically. These preferences are recorded by the app in what is known as the iOS “defaults system.” In this way, information is cached, which helps avoid the opening of the user’s defaults database each time you need a default value.
 
The iOS defaults system is available within all of the code in your mobile app, any saved to the defaults system data will persist through app sessions. What this means for the user is that after the app closes or reboots, the saved data will still be retained.
 
Reference Source: https://dzone.com/articles/how-to-make-mobile-app-work-offline
 
Local (Internal/External) Storage 
An Internal/External Data Storage method is used specifically for those situations that need to store data to the device filesystem which doesn’t require relational database capabilities. Furthermore,

• It allows very fast storage of data.
• It is easy to use.
• All of the data that was stored using the Internal Storage method is thoroughly private to your app, and after your app is uninstalled, the data is deleted from the device.

 
SQLite Database

Majority of mobile platforms, such as Android, iOS, and Windows Phone, provide support for apps to use SQLite databases for data storage, although database managing is specific for each platform. SQLite is an open source database system which works great on mobile devices as its storage offers an app the speed and power of a full featured relational database. SQLite uses a single file to store all the data to make management of data simple. It is an easy and simple to use alternative for queuing or caching information.
 
Reference Source: To read more, https://dzone.com/articles/how-to-make-mobile-app-work-offline
 
Data Synchronization 
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Performing some action in offline mode and then synchronizing it with a central repository is one of the core features of an offline app. Generally, an app has both client-side storage and server-side storage, and the app manages the flow of data between the server and the client. The offline mode feature allows the user to edit information on the server-side and, at the same time, on the mobile side. 

With this approach, the synchronization logic should ensure that after successful synchronization, data will be up-to-date on the mobile and server side at the same time. This can be achieved by adding certain “audit” fields to each object that should be synchronized between mobile and server, and vice versa. These fields can be like these: ‘last_updated_on’, ‘created_on’, and if the data isn’t physically removed: ‘deleted_on’.
Reconnecting too often might drain the battery, hence, slots need to be defined that are good for downloading data. It is necessary to determine different synchronization cycles for different data according to the needs of the business. It is better when small data packages require high-frequency updates.

Summarizing
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In today’s time, the user expects offline services from apps and hence, it can no longer be ignored. The mobile app’s user experience will improve leaps and bounds, if majority of offline scenarios are implemented. If you wish to incorporate an offline mode for your app, but need help or clarification, you can get in touch with the App Scoop mobile app development team and developers : https://app-scoop.com/contact-us.html
 

In this fast-paced tech world, the convenience of the user or customer is held in high regard. Hence, we’ve seen a number of e-commerce companies and apps that are dominating a space in the market. This disruption in the market has changed caused by e-commerce has had a direct impact on the freight industry. The shipments have become smaller but the number of shipments has grown immensely. 

The majority of shipments aren’t enough for a Full Truck Load (FTL) and hence, more retailers are relying on less than truckload or Less Than Load (LTL) shipments to deliver the purchased product by the customer to their location. As per statistics, LTL vehicles only carry 1000 pounds worth of freight through a tedious route.
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Reference Source: https://www.supplychain247.com/article/what_is_ltl_shipping_and_why_is_it_important_to_corporate_america

The growing demand for LTL shipment has brought about a demand in technology that helps optimize and automate transportation processes through the whole supply chain – i.e. fleet management, report generation and communication between all three parties. Some of the major LTL carriers include FedEx, DHL and XPO Logistics.
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Importance of Technology in the LTL Industry
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In order to operate the LTL industry smoothly, technology comes in as a big help! Let’s take a look at the few advantages it offers. 

​Algorithmic Pooling

Imagine how LTL efficiency will increase if the goods on a truckload need to travel in the same direction. A company, Flock Freight, earlier known as AuptiX, uses machine learning and automation which helps in algorithmic pooling. This technology smartly combines shipments from several customers who are on the same route (finds the best route) and unloads it into one truck.
Also, as per Flock Freight, it says that the shipment doesn’t leave until it’s delivery time which gives it time to add more products (if any) during the waiting period. This type of approach reduces the risk of damage by 21.2% compared to traditional LTL methods.
Reference Source: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190808005115/en/AuptiX-Modernizes-LTL-Shipping-Industry-Algorithmic-Pooling 

Mobile Applications

​There freight apps that LTL sectors will benefit from – for example, Uber Freight and GoShare.
Uber Freight is an app that connects the drivers with shipping companies that have goods to move. During the two-month pilot, truck drivers left more than 10,000 reviews about the companies that use them to transport freight. It allows the truckers to choose the kind of cargo that they want to deliver and view the reviews and comments from other truck drivers about how the particular company is when it comes to communication, payment, etc.

Reference Source: https://www.businessinsider.in/Uber-Freight-is-helping-combat-a-1-3-billion-problem-that-the-trucking-industry-has-ignored-for-years/articleshow/67776734.cms

​On the other hand, GoShare connects clients and drivers who are ready to transport the cargo. The clients can pay the drivers for their services through the app. They can also track the movement of the cargo in the app.
Apps that deal with LTL, can also notify the customers by updating them with real-time notifications, time definite requests, for instance calling the customer before delivering the goods. It can also give them visibility by allowing them to verify when certain shipment milestones are met and when a person needs to sign the confirm receipt. 
Reference Source: https://www.rockfarm.com/clarity-ltl-notifications/

Artificial Intelligence-Based Pricing

Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers great potential for LTL shipments. XPO is the second largest provider of LTL transportation in North America. Mario Harik, chief information officer of XPO Logistics, said, “Our technology is spurring growth across all the services we offer. We’ve pinpointed four high-impact areas where we can lead the LTL industry in transforming traditional approaches to serving customers. Two of these innovations – dynamic route optimization and linehaul bypass – are already in pilot. Given our capacity for innovation, our opportunity for creating value in LTL is nearly limitless.”
Reference Source: https://news.xpo.com/en-us/news/1841/xpo-logistics-announces-four-new-technology-initiatives-for-ltl-optimization/
XPO has AI-driven pricing tools that help predict elasticity. AI companies are looking to understand historical data and emerging trends which will help them respond to customers faster and they are also looking to develop algorithms to forecast future marketplace conditions.

Robotic Process Automation

Companies are looking to incorporate cost-effective ways to categorizing incoming files. Manual labour takes a lot of time; hence, they are focusing on technologies that can streamline data. Polaris Transportation, a Canadian LTL company, focusses on cross border freight. It recently started using robotic process automation to streamline entering details about new orders.
The robotic process automation tool can handle about 85 percent of the customs process and the paperwork that comes with it, it also pulls system data from incoming emails. It saves workers 2-3 hours in a day.
Reference Source: https://www.ccjdigital.com/polaris-transportation-using-bots-to-automate-cross-border-freight/

Predictive Analysis

Improving pricing methods is another milestone that LTL wishes to achieve. XPO recently started using predictive analysis – it tracks how workers perform and then compares the output with the desired performance targets.

​Incorporating the Right Features and Functionalities
Let’s take a look at few features and functionalities that would benefit LTL companies.

​Transportation Management System

A Transportation Management System (TMS) with shipment planning functionality can facilitate logistics by automatically turning orders into shipments and determining the most suitable truck for their transportation.
A TMS system should have a shipment database that must include:

• Information on planned and actual shipments
• Orders
• Shipping details of products
• Individual products in those orders

Fleet Management

GPS technology should be incorporated in each product, so that the customer gets a real time view of when and how the package is going to be delivered. The company that ships their product will also be able to monitor the truck and shipment locations in real time, changes in shipment size and destination and the driver’s performance. Based on this information, they will be able to penalise the right people in case of any complaints.

Reporting and Analytics Functionality

The TMS system should have a reporting and analytics functionality:

• A dashboard should provide consolidated information about shipment statuses for managers
• General actionable reports should include carrier scorecards, distributional patterns, financial analytics and shipment trends which would improve the level of service.

RFID Technology

RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology can be used to manage logistics and inventory problems faced by LTL companies. RFID tag scanners automate the verification of sorting and pooling within a terminal which reduces delays, as it enables faster creation of waybills and delivery notes, ensuring smooth sorting of shipments.
To use RFID technology, an LTL carrier’s terminals need to have RFID readers and software installed and also implement tagging capabilities to tag new shipments and follow them through the LTL network.

Convenient Working Conditions

A feature-rich driver app would help retain the good staff in the company. The app should include:

• Advanced search and filtering which would enable carriers to search for and accept shipment requests in the nearby area.
• Route optimization that would direct the drivers the most optimal routes in a few taps – this would save you time and petrol costs.
• To eliminate time on tedious writing, implement a convenient check-in feature that automatically creates a QR code with a gate pass.
• When the package is delivered to the client, an e-signature would be the proof of delivery; drivers just ask the client to verify receipt by signing for shipments right on the driver’s mobile device. This allows recipients to sign faster, increasing drivers’ productivity and simplifying the delivery process.
• A driver dashboard should provide all details of a driver’s delivery history in one place, which include earnings and miles driven – consider integrating with management tools for accounting, payroll, payments, and time for transportation tracking.

Wrapping It Up

It is recommended that each freight company create their own app instead of using the off-the-shelf solutions. Sure, it saves time, but it does not work effectively.
For instance, a poor UX can make the application to complex for the user, which in turn requires experts to train the staff on how to use the app. Also, TMS vendors offer apps that have a standard functionality and your company would need to customize the app – purchasing the app and customizing it would come up to the same cost as making a new one.
Forward thinking businesses are giving these modern technologies a try so that they can benefit from the LTL business. If you wish to learn more about incorporating a system to help your LTL business, email the App Scoop Vancouver mobile app developers : https://app-scoop.com/contact-us.html