How 5G and Cloud-Based Will Shape the Future of Global Applications

Addevice
6 min readApr 27, 2021
5G and Cloud-Based

The prospects of 5G and cloud-based applications were bright even before Covid-19. The pandemic only accelerated the transformation into a 5G and cloud-based application realm. We witness unprecedented growth in internet usage in addition to the expansion of remote work on a massive scale. The data processing and application development will be impacted by these processes. Here is how 5G and cloud-based will shape the future of global applications.

Technologies for digital transformation in 2021

Let’s look at how technologies will shape the digital transformation in 2021. There are two trends that clearly shape the digital realm and these are Artificial Intelligence technologies and the Internet of Things.

Some 90% of new enterprises are eager to apply AI technology in their businesses by 2025, according to IDC. According to Research and Markets, AR/VR technology shall have rapid growth until 2025.

IDC also predicts that by 2025, nearly two-thirds of companies will be software producers with over 90% of apps deployed in cloud-native, 80% of code externally sourced. IDC also says that there will be 1.6 times more developers as compared to the current number.

Another trend will be the consolidation of 5 public cloud mega-platforms with 75% of the Iaas+Paas market share. IDC says SaaS vendors will become ‘’platforms’’ drastically.

Developers Need to Keep to 100 Millisecond Rule

It’s not a secret that latency is going to matter more and more. What is latency in computing? It’s the delay before a transfer of data begins following an instruction for its transfer. So, how long should it take for the data to transfer? Research says you should do that in less than several hundred milliseconds. This brings us to the 100 Millisecond Rule.

The term was coined by the Department of Defense. They found the time a user hits a keyboard until the time when a letter appears on the screen is 100 milliseconds. When you exceed 100 milliseconds, you cause a delay that is perceptible to a human being.

So, what is the lesson for the application developers? If 100 milliseconds is the time that action is conceived as instantaneous, they need to keep to 100 Millisecond Rule. Providing a user experience with low latency makes a difference. Studies show that it fosters retention and, finally, increases the conversion rate.

5G and Cloud-Based Applications Will Boost Local Experience

It’s unbelievable how much a person of the 21st century spends on the internet. You can see people on TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram on the transport and even on roads. But that’s not the whole story. Our home devices are already connected to the internet. IoT devices are widely gaining popularity. An average housewife takes care of her grilling chicken even when in a supermarket. 35 percent of consumers enhance their home connectivity with range extenders and Wi-Fi mesh networks already.

Does this tell you anything about the application development? We will witness a new infrastructure that will deliver local experiences to global audiences. We will see a new global platform with new capabilities.

5G — a Historic Leap in Network Latency

We talked about the 100 Millisecond Rule. But 5G does more than that. Let’s talk about 1 millisecond(1ms) with 5G. Just compare with 4G that was 200 milliseconds. What implications will it have for apps and networks? We believe soon we will have the next generation of applications that will create real-time experiences with incredibly low latencies.

Many remember the times when we made a shift from dial-up to DSL. But now it’s time for new opportunities with 5G. It’s time for multi-user interactive applications and platforms. This will have a tremendous impact on the way people make money and spend their time. As Spencer Kimball says, this is a historic leap in network latency.

Developers Have to Deal With New Consumption Patterns

As we already mentioned, there will be 1.6 times more developers as compared to the current number. We expect to see multi-billion companies as the experience of Netflix and Uber is inspiring.

We say that new consumption patterns will empower developers. What does this mean in real life? First, we will see a proliferation of IoT devices. Next, companies will rush to provide managed services software and infrastructure-as-a-service. And this trend is already ongoing.

Just consider one simple forecast. The number of IoT devices will total 41 billion by 2027. By 2023, 70% of automobiles will be connected to the internet.

These will have implications for application development and the developers. We will witness an expansion and massive growth in the app development market with prospects for new software with new capabilities.

Cloud Backup Apps of 2021

Most companies feel secure and on budget when they turn to cloud-based applications. However, this is not the case. Even with cloud apps, you need to have your cloud backup apps. To avoid unpleasant situations with data loss, you should apply one of the cloud backup apps that will copy your personal files to offsite cloud storage.

Why do that? Suppose there is a theft or fire or flood. You will be in danger of losing both your computer and its backup drive. To avoid massive loss of data, you need to turn to cloud backup apps. They protect your data with industry-standard encryption.

Here are some of the cloud backup services that you may want to use:

IDrive

+ Free disk-shipping data-transfer option

+ Uploads are fast

+ Back up mobile devices available

+ Rich syncing option

- No unlimited storage option.

Backblaze

+ Cheap, fast, easy, and simple

+Unlimited storage

- No multiple-computer plans

- Mobile apps could be better.

Acronis

+ Feature set is unique

+ Small system-performance impact

+ Modern, intuitive user interface

- Complicated pricing

- You may not use all features.

CrashPlan

+ Unlimited storage

+ Fast upload & download

+ Security option

- Expensive

- Requires a lot of resources during backups.

SpiderOak One

+ Backs up unlimited devices

+ Strong sharing and syncing features

+ Secure

- Steep learning curve

- Cramped, confusing user interface.

Carbonite Safe

+ Unlimited storage

+ Intuitive backup-flagging system

- Some features cost extra

- Slow upload speeds

- Mobile apps are no longer available.

What is the Future of Application Development?

Having said all this, let’s think about the future of application development. We are clear now that the public demands real-life experiences with low latency. And the 5G and cloud make that possible today. But there is one but. The application development is not going to be dominated by Facebooks and Googles only. Individual developers and small groups are going to have their say.

We expect to see super innovative apps and new cases that we have not dreamt of. The IoT market, virtual reality will create an environment that solutions out of the box will emerge. And these will shape the application development creating a promising future for new and innovative apps.

Conclusion

The prospects of application development are bright with 5G and cloud-based apps. There is no doubt about it. But don’t expect to see giant companies like Zoom or Facebook in the market only. Expect to see the unexpected. With prospects of virtual reality and cloud capabilities, new apps will come out that will shape the market in a new way.

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