17 interesting iOS app development ideas that will inspire you

With more than 4.83 million apps in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, it’s getting more difficult to make your app stand out.

But don’t lose hope.

Because even with millions of apps, there are still untapped, potentially lucrative niches that you can get into. All it takes is finding the right one.

To help you out, here are 17 iOS ideas that you can consider.

Interior design app

Interior design is a field that lends well to a mobile app solution.

As a tool, it can help people design and visualize a space better without getting the services of a professional interior designer.

And even if the user works with one, the app can let them demonstrate what the result would look like, so they could communicate it better to their designer.

Some apps like Housecraft even utilize augmented reality (AR) technology to overlay interior design elements over the actual room.

Source: iDownloadBlog

The best interior design apps also integrate e-commerce functionality. For instance, you can let users order the furniture that they’re sampling, just like IKEA Place does it.

Virtual fashion assistant app

A virtual fashion assistant is an app that could help a user create the perfect wardrobe.

It works by scanning and categorizing all the clothes in the user’s closet, which it can use to suggest what the users should wear daily.

Some apps use artificial intelligence (AI) to recommend outfits based on the weather, special occasions, or past preferences.

Source: Acloset

Better still is a virtual fashion assistant app that could connect to e-commerce sites and local stores in the area—essentially making it a shopping assistant as well.

This gives the app a wider range of clothes to choose from, which the user can easily buy and have delivered to their home with just a few taps.

Pet care app

Caring for your pets isn’t always easy, especially if you’re a first-time owner. That’s why an app that shows you what to do can be a good opportunity.

One example is 11Pets, an app that lets users store important information about their pet, such as medical records, vaccination schedules, and vital statistics.

Another good pet care app is Pet First Aid, developed by the American Red Cross. It’s a comprehensive repository of veterinary information and pet care tips.

While not intended as a replacement for a veterinarian, it’s nevertheless a great help during emergencies.

Source: Pet First Aid

Other good sub-niches that your pet care app can tackle include pet diets, grooming, and training (for teaching dogs tricks, for example).

Pet sitting app

Pet sitting is a service where busy people leave their pets with someone else to care for them. It’s similar to a babysitter or daycare center.

While the concept isn’t new, it’s been getting digitized lately. Now, people can access pet-sitting services through a mobile app, similar to how Uber streamlined hailing a ride.

One great example is Rover, a platform that connects pet owners with trusted sitters in their area.

Source: Rover

The service isn’t as widespread worldwide yet, but that could be an opportunity to break into with your own pet-sitting app.

Eco-friendly lifestyle app

According to the Global Sustainability Study, 85% of people have shifted to sustainable purchases in 2021. Eco-friendly apps might be a good way to capitalize on this trend.

Consider Olio. It’s a marketplace where people who want to throw old things away can find someone who’d happily take it. The app helps people think more sustainably and economically.

Source: Olio

Veganism is another great eco-friendly niche, with a potential market of 88 million people.

One of their biggest challenges is finding restaurants serving vegan food, which an app is more than capable of solving.

The fact is that there are plenty more eco-friendly niches that a potential app can tackle.

Food donation app

Over 30% of food produced every year is lost as waste. It’s a harrowing statistic that food donation apps can reduce.

For example, such an app can connect restaurants to local charities or relief operations. They can then give them their excess food instead of throwing it as waste.

Not only does this reduce pollution, but it could also tackle malnutrition on a societal level.

An example of such an app is Food Rescue Hero, which uses a network of volunteers to transport surplus food.

Source: Food Rescue Hero

Admittedly, food donation might not be the most profitable app idea.

But if you love the idea of leaving your mark on solving the world’s biggest socio-economic and ecological issue, then the food donation niche is for you.

Meal preparation app

Preparing meals can be a daunting task. That’s because it involves many steps, from finding a recipe to buying the ingredients.

Meal preparation apps can alleviate this by streamlining many of the tasks involved. For example, they can suggest recipes based on the ingredients the user has on hand.

Some can even automatically order ingredients online based on a chosen recipe.

Meal preparation apps are especially useful if users have specific goals like losing weight or controlling blood sugar levels.

Platejoy is a great example of this:

Source: PlateJoy

The bottom line is that meal preparation apps are more than virtual cookbooks. They can enrich the experience, helping turn amateur cooks into able chefs.

Supermarket checkout app

Amazon Go ushered in a new era of full automation in retail shopping. Customers can now get items from the grocery store and leave without having to check it out.

That’s done automatically in the background.

Source: The Times UK

App developers can take inspiration from this and create apps that could facilitate checking out in regular supermarkets.

One example is Wizcart. The way it works is that users scan an item in the grocery, then place them in a bagging area.

They can then use the app to pay for the items in advance, thus eliminating the need to line up at checkout.

Barter app

Bartering is perhaps the oldest form of transaction on the planet. It involves exchanging an item for another item instead of cash.

Apps can digitize bartering and bring it to the modern era.

For instance, the HaveNeed app functions as a marketplace that connects people who want to exchange their items for something more useful.

Source: HaveNeed

Besides physical items, users can exchange products for services, such as building a website in exchange for a rare collectible.

It also allows giving items for free, making it a great donation app.

Gift delivery app

Forgot your spouse’s birthday and need a gift fast? It’s a common problem that gift delivery apps can solve.

The premise is no different from an e-commerce app where you buy items and have them delivered.

The difference is that a delivery app can have the item sent straight to the recipient. Such apps also have gift-centric options like wrapping and anonymous sending.

Source: FNP

Furthermore, gift delivery apps usually offer products traditionally given as gifts, such as flowers, cakes, and cards. They also offer extra services such as rush delivery.

Virtual tour app

The pandemic has forced everyone to do everything online, from holding meetings to attending school. As it turns out, that also included house viewing.

Virtual tour apps allow prospective homeowners to view a house from the comfort of their homes.

It’s also beneficial for realtors and sellers, as they can have more eyeballs on their properties 24/7 without spending more time touring.

Creating virtual tours used to require expensive equipment or 3D rendering. But apps can now do it with a few simple panoramic photos.

Source: TeliportMe

Virtual tours aren’t limited to just the real estate industry. They can also be used by museums, travel agencies, and tourism agencies.

Voice translation app

With travel back on everyone’s goals this year, voice translation apps are gaining popularity.

Google Translate is perhaps the most well-known in this niche.

Source: Google

However, Google Translate isn’t always accurate—a UCLA study showed that it could dip as low as 55%.

So an opportunity in this niche is to create an app with better accuracy. Many methods already use AI to achieve this, which will undoubtedly feature in future translation apps.

Friend finder app

A shocking number of people find it hard to make friends and meet new people. Some might be socially awkward, while others just don’t know what to say.

But if you establish that you have something in common with that person, suddenly, making a connection seems easier. That’s what a friend finder app can do.

For example, the Meetup app can alert the user to special interest groups or events near them, where they can meet like-minded people.

Source: Oprah Daily

Bumble For Friends is another example. It’s sort of like its parent app, Bumble, or its competitor, Tinder, minus the feelings.

This one is purely for finding platonic friends and it’s geared towards women.

While numerous apps are already in the niche, we think there is still room for a few more. All you need is a unique gimmick or friend-making method.

Parking space finder app

Americans waste around 17 hours a year waiting in parking lots. That’s a big loss in productive time that a parking space finder can help people recover.

Most of these apps work by allowing people to reserve a parking spot in advance. That way, they can simply go to the venue and park immediately.

Source: Spot Hero

Alternatively, some apps will find the nearest spot without reserving it, such as Parkopedia.

These are comparatively easier to set up as you don’t need to partner with a parking lot operator or worry about payments.

Mathematical problem solver app

As a kid, I bet you wished there was a magic tool that could solve all the algebra homework your math teacher assigned to you.

Well, thanks to technology, you can have just that.

A mathematical problem-solver app uses a smartphone camera to detect and solve any written equation. Photomath is the leading platform in this niche.

Source: Photomath

Mathematical problem-solver apps are usually used as teaching tools.

They will often illustrate the steps they took to solve an equation, allowing the users to do similar problems on their own in the future.

Alternatively, these can also be used in fields that involve solving complex equations, such as engineering and finance.

Mobile anti-theft app

Losing your phone can be a stressful experience.

Often, a big chunk of our life is stored in our smartphones—credit card details, work files, communication—and replacing that is time-consuming and tedious.

iOS devices have a built-in Find My iPhone app that can help users track their phone when it gets lost or stolen. However, it has limited capabilities that a seasoned thief can easily bypass.

Mobile anti-theft apps solve this dilemma by filling in some of the gaps.

For example, Prey provides more advanced features like geolocation, device view, and remote alarm. It can even take a photo of the thief and send it to their email.

Source: Prey

Other anti-theft apps provide more advanced capabilities, such as the ability to remotely check other apps such as Viber, Facebook, and WhatsApp.

Criminal alert app

Crime can happen unexpectedly, no matter how safe you think your neighborhood is. Criminal alert apps can help users feel safer by alerting them of any crime near them.

One example of this is the Citizen app:

Source: Citizen

Citizen relies on a network of agents and users to notify users of any crime in real time.

And if the crime is in progress, the app also has a feature that can dispatch agents to the user’s location.

Need help implementing these ideas?

We hope we’ve inspired you with an idea or two for your next app.

Now, if you’re serious, the next step is to make that vision into reality. And for that, you’ll need a reliable mobile app agency like DECODE.

We’ve developed over a dozen successful apps in various niches, from the Internet of Things (IoT) to healthcare.

And with our experienced team of over 70+ professionals, we can tackle any app idea you might have.

Interested? Schedule a free consultation with us today, and let’s talk!