The first mobile apps appeared on what we now call smartphones as early as 1996, when the Nokia 9000 Communicator was released. It had e-mail, fax, Web browsing, word processing, and spreadsheet capabilities and, eventually included video games such as Snake. In 2002, Handspring released the Treo line of handheld computing/telecommunications devices. Users could download or sync third-party applications for use with the device, but it took another six years for mobile apps as we know them today to emerge.
Apple launched the original iPhone on January 9, 2007. It did not initially focus on app development for this mobile device, rather stressing the telecommunication aspects of the iPhone. Demand grew for mobile apps for the iPhone, and in October of that year, Apple announced that it would release a software development kit for mobile app developers who were interested in creating apps for iPhones. The Apple App store opened on July 10, 2008, and apps sold briskly.
Today, mobile apps are extremely popular. There were approximately 2.9 million apps available at the Google Play Store in December 2019, up from the 1 million apps available in July 2013, according to Statista.com. The numbers of apps available in the Apple Store grew from 800 in July 2008 to 1.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2019. The continuing popularity of mobile devices and demand for new apps has created many career opportunities for mobile software developers.
- 3-D Printing Specialists
- Accountants
- Agile Coaches or Trainers
- Animators
- Art Directors
- Artificial Intelligence Specialists
- Audit and Assurance Accountants
- Auditors
- Augmented Reality Developers
- Automation Engineers
- Autonomous Vehicle Safety and Test Drivers
- Back-End Developers
- Big Data Developers
- Billing Clerks
- Blockchain Developers
- Bloggers
- Bookkeeping and Accounting Clerks
- Brand Ambassadors
- Business Continuity Planners
- Business Development Managers and Directors
- Business Intelligence Analysts
- Business Managers
- Cartoonists
- Chief Customer Officers
- Chief Executive Officers
- Chief Financial Officers
- Chief Information Officers
- Chief Information Security Officers
- Chief Robotics Officer
- Cloud Engineers
- Columnists
- Compliance Managers
- Computer and Video Game Designers
- Computer Network Administrators
- Computer Programmers
- Computer Support Specialists
- Computer Systems Programmer/Analysts
- Computer Trainers
- Content Management Specialists
- Credit Analysts
- Cryptocurrency Specialists
- Customer Service Representatives
- Customer Success Managers
- Cybersecurity Architects
- Data Entry Clerks
- Data Processing Technicians
- Database Specialists
- Deepfake Professionals
- Digital Advertising Workers
- Digital Agents
- Digital Designers
- Digital Marketing Workers
- Digital Workplace Experience Engineers
- Driverless Car Engineers
- Editorial Assistants
- Editorial Research Assistants
- Editors
- Embedded Systems Engineers
- Enterprise Architects
- ETL Developers
- Financial Analysts
- Financial Consultants
- Financial Institution Officers and Managers
- Financial Institution Tellers, Clerks, and Related Workers
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators, and Analysts
- Full Stack Developers/Engineers
- Geospatial Analytics Specialists
- Graphic Designers
- Graphics Programmers
- Health Informaticists
- Help Desk Representatives
- Information Assurance Analysts
- Information Security Analysts
- Internet Consultants
- Internet Content Curators
- Internet Developers
- Internet Executives
- Internet Marketing and Advertising Consultants
- Internet of Things Developers
- Internet Quality Assurance Specialists
- Internet Security Specialists
- Internet Store Managers and Entrepreneurs
- Internet Transaction Specialists
- JavaScript Developers
- Live Streamers
- Machine Learning Engineers
- Magazine Editors
- Market Research Analysts
- Media Planners and Buyers
- Media Relations Specialists
- Model View Controller Developers
- Network Operations Center Engineers
- Network Operations Center Technicians
- Newspaper Editors
- Office Administrators
- Online Gambling Specialists
- Online Journalists
- Online Producers
- Online Reputation Managers
- Personal Privacy Advisors
- Podcasters
- Product Development Directors
- Product Management Directors
- Product Managers
- Product Owners
- Sales Representatives
- Salesforce Developers
- Scrum Masters
- Search Engine Optimization Specialists
- Site Reliability Engineers
- Smart Building Systems Designers
- Social Media Influencers
- Social Media Workers
- Software Application Developers
- Software Designers
- Software Engineers
- Software Quality Assurance Testers
- Systems Setup Specialists
- Technical Support Specialists
- Technical Writers and Editors
- Technology Ethicists
- Unity Developers
- User Experience Designers
- Video Game Art Directors
- Video Game Producers
- Visual Interaction Designers
- Webmasters
- Writers