DEV Community: Matt Svetlak

7 Productivity App Trends In 2026

Matt Svetlak — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 09:43:16 +0000

There are a few weeks left before the new year, and this is a great time for planning next steps and setting ambitious goals. One of the first steps in this process is to research trends that have been visible in 2025 and are 100% guaranteed to continue to impact in 2026. Productivity is a key value for people worldwide because everyone wants to work more effectively and optimize their time at work as well as in their personal lives.
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7 Productivity App Trends In 2026

Matt Svetlak — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 09:05:06 +0000

Today, we have many tools that can help us be more productive and automate repetitive tasks, which is why mobile apps for boosting productivity are popular and have a place on every mobile phone. We took a look at how productivity apps are changing and what people want from them. At iScanner, we watch trends, and I want to share our predictions for how productivity apps will change in 2026.

The use of AI becomes the basis for any productivity application

Over the last three years, AI has touched every aspect of our lives. Here’s what ChatOn found after researching AI chatbot use: about 22% of Americans use them multiple times per day, 14% once a day, and 36% a few times per week. These research results show that we’re getting used to interacting with AI in our daily lives and use it for help with a wide range of tasks, from generating client emails to making shopping lists. That’s why mobile app developers implement AI in productivity apps—to enrich product features and automate tasks at a higher level, even without explicitly mentioning AI.

This year, Anthropic’s Claude chatbot released a new functionality that lets users generate fully functional Excel spreadsheets, Word docs, PowerPoint slides, and PDFs from prompts. This feature runs code behind the scenes and makes downloadable files in minutes. At the same time, Google continues to actively integrate AI into its core products, from search and Gmail to smart recommendations on YouTube.

Context-aware automation is the new standard for mobile applications

To improve the user experience, productivity apps analyze users’ data, enabling them to customize workflows and automate repetitive tasks. Collecting time, geolocation, connected devices, behavior, calendars, and routines to automatically trigger actions. Thanks to that, apps have transformed from a "manual utility" to a "proactive assistant."

These innovations have had a double effect. On the one hand, users spend less time performing tasks, yet are more productive. On the other hand, automation reduces cognitive load because actions are performed with less effort. For companies, this means increased frequency of use, deeper scenarios, stickiness, and upselling. Typical use cases include: automatic home/work modes, smart file management, notification adaptation, and energy profiles. This year’s leading productivity app, Tasker, uses AI to automate setting up routines and widgets, making the process less manual. Moreover, AI in Tasker is conversational, allowing users to give the AI instructions using voice prompts for initial asks as well as refinement.

Personalization is reaching a new level

Users of productivity apps value the feeling of control over work and personal tasks, which is why personalization is such an important part of the user experience in this niche. Apps adapt their interfaces, modules, notifications, prompt frequency, and element layouts based on user interactions. Some examples of this are automatic productivity modes, personalized dashboards, smart feature recommendations, and the ability to hide unused features.

This goes beyond themes—it's dynamic configuration based on user habits. This type of personalization is called ultra-personalization and helps users feel less frustrated.
One of the brightest examples of an app with ultra-personalization is Notion. The app and web extension allow users to select custom colors for the sidebar, top bar, and background, creating an environment that’s truly customized. Also, users can choose any font installed on their device to use with Notion, ensuring faster loading and endless typographic possibilities. Users can even set headings to match the body text for a cohesive design.

Cross-platform continuity is a necessity

Hybrid and remote jobs require users to work on different devices and under varying conditions. Mobile apps adapt to this requirement and with cross-platform access. Work is synced across smartphones, PCs, tablets, cars, and smart watches, so users can pick up where they left off without missing a beat. Apps accomplish this cross-platform access by copying and pasting between devices, utilizing shared storage buffers, synchronous notifications, and providing remote access to mobile functions.

As an example, consider the cross-platform capabilities of iScanner, an award-winning app for scanning and editing documents. Users can scan invoices or agreements with their phones in the office, continue to work and edit the scanned document on their laptop over a bite at the cafe, and sign the same documents on their tablet once they’re home for the evening. All documents are saved in the cloud and are available to work on at any time. Users can also turn off file syncing and work with documents on only one device.

Users prefer to use voice to manage apps

Sometimes productivity looks like a person with 7 hands, and people often need to do several things at once. Not everyone is good at task switching, but the process is easier when users can use their voices for managing apps and keep their hands free for other tasks. Mobile app developers understand this reality and implement voice-first UX. Speech becomes the primary or equal mode of interaction, without activation words and understanding intentions rather than commands. This is important for use when driving, playing sports, for accessibility, and when multitasking.

In November 2025, OpenAI announced a big update to its Voice mode. It’s no longer a separate interface; users can now access ChatGPT Voice right inside their chat. That means users will be able to converse with the chatbot and view its responses, including things like shared images, as they talk. This makes communication with chatbots feel more natural.

Apps are paying more attention to accessibility

App management by voice is related to another trend that broadens human possibilities. We’ve watched as apps have developed special features to improve the accessibility of their products. People with eye health problems or with limited mobility can use phones for daily routine tasks if developers incorporate special modes or features. We expect this trend to continue because 16% of the world’s population suffers from serious disabilities, according to the World Health Organisation.

But accessibility is not just for people with disabilities, but also for older people who face different issues using technology. A good example of accessibility upgrades is Uber. This year, it launched Senior accounts and Simple mode, designed to make the Uber app more accessible and intuitive for older adults. It offers a simplified interface with larger text and reduced complexity, allowing full account control with a more accessible design.

Privacy is a hot topic for all mobile applications

Frequent user data leaks and a general distrust of large corporations have led to users becoming more concerned about data security and privacy. Because of this, applications are actively implementing additional security measures, like local data, minimal permissions, end-to-end encryption, and transparent policies. This gives users a sense of control and security, especially when working with passwords, files, their camera, and mail.

The rapidly growing app Forma, a PDF editor with AI capabilities, offers users the option to protect their documents by adding a PIN to folders and PDFs and setting decoy passwords that show unimportant files whenever necessary.

Many users search for private alternatives to well-known apps. For example, the note-taking app Joplin has become popular due to its being open-source, and its code is publicly available for anyone to inspect. The developer community has verified that Joplin doesn’t collect data or add suspicious features.

There are many more productivity app trends we could discuss, but I wanted to highlight the most important ones from my point of view. These trends will impact the niche in 2026 and may continue to impact the way we use mobile apps for even longer. As you can see, not only does AI determine the development of productivity apps, but it also offers benefits like personalization and safety, ideas that are worth your attention.

7 productivity app trends in 2026 https://future.forem.com/matt_iscanner/7-productivity-app-trends-in-2026-59a7

Matt Svetlak — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:57:59 +0000

7 productivity app trends in 2026

Matt Svetlak ・ Dec 17

#ai #productivity #mobile #software

7 productivity app trends in 2026

Matt Svetlak — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:32:19 +0000

The use of AI becomes the basis for any productivity application

Context-aware automation is the new standard for mobile applications

Personalization is reaching a new level

Cross-platform continuity is a necessity

Users prefer to use voice to manage apps

Apps are paying more attention to accessibility

Privacy is a hot topic for all mobile applications

6 recommendations on how to use GEO for your brand

Matt Svetlak — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 09:11:39 +0000

Brands make a lot of effort to be visible. Over the last couple of decades, one of the most useful tools for building visibility was SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), and brands spent big budgets to develop their websites and get backlinks. Now, AI is changing the rules. The percentage of people who search for information with the help of AI chatbots is expected to grow rapidly, from 6% in 2024 to 14% by 2028, according to Deloitte. This means that brands should adapt their strategies and start to use GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation). How to incorporate GEO pillars in your brand strategy, and what to start reading below.

GEO is a relatively new topic and has several names, including Large Language Model Optimization (LLMO), Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), and AI Search Optimization (AISO). These terms essentially refer to the practice of optimizing your content and media presence to appear in responses generated by AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and ChatOn. Their AI-generated answers to users’ questions are based on content across the web, and this means that the visibility of your brand depends on the quality of your brand mentions.

Collaborate with earned media

When AIs craft their responses, they collect information from various resources. The most trusted resources include well-known media outlets, such as the Associated Press or the New York Post, as well as Wikipedia and niche industry-specific resources. This means that your brand should be mentioned in the media, and it’s a significant task for your PR Manager or you as an owner, if you're responsible for communications in your business. To get mentions in lists of best products, journalist reviews, round-ups of expert opinions, and guides will help make your brand more visible to AI.

Get placed in authoritative lists

AI chatbots draw on their study of multiple authoritative sources, such as highly ranked catalogs of top products or services in Google, particularly within the industry. This means that if you rank highly in lists on platforms such as Clutch, G2, or other industry resources, you appear trustworthy to AI.

Also, AI engines use high-ranked pages in Google, and so it’s important to manage how your brand looks on the first pages on Google Search.

Create quality owned content

Your own website is a powerful tool for influencing your visibility for AI. Chatbots analyze your owned content and form an opinion about your brand. Make sure that the content of your site is well-structured, has headers, bullet points, short summaries, and how-to recommendations. The more fact-based and clear your content is, the more AI chatbots will regard it as a reliable source of answers.

In addition, a high ranking for your own site on Google also has an impact. This means that your SEO efforts will continue to make sense in the AI era.

Take part in industry awards

One more way to improve your credibility for AI models is to participate in various industry awards. Being a winner or being shortlisted for a prestigious award is a good point for chatbots to trust your brand. Additionally, you can highlight your achievements in your press releases, blog posts, or social media. For instance, we get iScanner into various industry awards every year, and sometimes we achieve first place. It’s a big point of pride for the team, an important fact for users, and a sign of trust for AI models. Recently, iScanner has earned praise for winning the Webby Award and Best Mobile Apps Award.

Motivate users to write reviews

According to a survey by the First Page Sage Agency, online reviews impact AI chatbots' responses from 13 to 31%. This means that your reputation on TrustPilot or Capterra has a big impact not only on users who look through these platforms before making a purchase, but also on AI Models. As a brand, you can motivate people to write reviews by notifications or bonuses.

Monitor what AI chatbots say about your brand

Your brand reputation for AI models isn’t static. You should monitor what AI chatbots say about your brand and test hypotheses on how to improve some aspects if needed. One way of monitoring is to ask chatbots open-ended questions about your brand. Also, it’s useful to check your competitors to understand where they’re being mentioned.

GEO continues to develop with the growth of AI, and that's why it's all the more important to equip yourself with the right skills and tools to favor your business. Keeping up with everything can be challenging, but it's important to start adapting your brand strategy now and making your brand more visible to AI models, step by step.

Unlocking Success: The Power of Gamification Through Badges and Achievements

Matt Svetlak — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 10:26:02 +0000

The digital world is becoming more competitive day by day. No wonder it's harder than ever for companies to keep their users engaged and interested in their offerings. However, they don’t give up and keep looking for new approaches to stay on track and stand out.

One solution some of them take (or should at least try) is gamification, which mainly focuses on integrating game features into non-game activities. You might have seen badges or achievements when using different apps or platforms. And there is nothing surprising about it! They are considered one of the most effective ways to gamify any digital experience, as they make daily tasks more entertaining, drive participation, and create a sense of accomplishment.

So, let's have a look at how exactly badges and achievements are making a difference across the digital landscape.

Fitness Apps: Rewards for Progress

Fitness apps should not only offer professional and effective training programs (though it's a must) but also make users feel motivated and their achievements recognized. Users are more likely to come back to the app if you give them enough support and encouragement! Many fitness apps, like Fitbit and MyFitnessPal, do that perfectly! They use badges to reward users and keep them interested in achieving even greater heights. For example, if users know they can earn a badge for walking a certain number of steps per day, they are more likely to take that walk. Or if the app rewards users with a badge for going to the gym 3 times a week, chances that they will do that workout are much higher. The reason is that such recognition of users’ achievements makes them proud of themselves and inspires them to move toward their goals with even more determination.

Learning Platforms: Knowledge Celebration

Badges and achievements are widely used by educational platforms to reward learners for their progress. For example, Duolingo and Khan Academy offer badges for reaching certain milestones in language proficiency or completing daily challenges. This way, they both receive a motivation boost and get encouraged to set more ambitious goals and keep learning further.

Productivity Tools: Efficiency Boost

Productivity tools resort to badges to motivate users to complete tasks and projects more efficiently. For example, in Trello, they can earn badges for creating, organizing, and completing cards or boards, making work feel more like a game. Similarly, Asana offers achievements like "Project Champion" or "Task Master" to encourage users to stay focused and deliver better results. This approach turns the most boring tasks into rewarding experiences, fostering productivity and teamwork.

Utilities: Environmental Awareness Improved

Mobile apps that help with routine tasks, like sending faxes or scanning, mostly focus on work-related issues, so it’s hard to imagine what can make them truly engaging. But there is one definite thing: using these apps instead of traditional fax machines and printers reduces paper consumption. So, the use of game elements in such apps can highlight users’ role in saving the planet, making them feel proud of their activities. For example, the iScanner app lets users earn eco-badges and see how many trees they’ve saved by sharing e-docs instead of their printed versions.

Hobby Tools: Enthusiasm Growth

It may seem that those spending time and money on their hobbies don’t need extra encouragement. But the main goal of hobby-related apps is to increase users’ excitement and motivate them to dive deeper and deeper into their favorite activity. And badges help reach this goal easily! For example, the Plantum app gives new plant enthusiasts achievements for identifying plants or plant diseases. A user can earn a badge of “Naturalist”, “Researcher”, “Healer”, and “Botanist”. This creates an atmosphere of educational adventure and inspires users to continue their journey of learning about nature.

All in all, badges and achievements have already proven to be part of a highly effective gamification strategy for engaging users and driving participation in non-game contexts. This way, they help create enjoyable experiences that inspire users to achieve their goals while fostering a strong sense of community. And who knows what the future holds? Gamification keeps evolving, so we can expect even more creative applications of its techniques shortly.