2019 marked a turning point for how we use mobile apps. From the universal rollout of dark mode to rising frustration with subscription models, several trends reshaped the way people interact with their phones. For anyone travelling abroad, these shifts matter more than you might think.
Dark Mode Goes Mainstream
Apple and Google both pushed dark mode as a system-wide feature in 2019, and app developers rushed to follow. The appeal was obvious: easier on the eyes in low light, better battery life on OLED screens, and a sleeker look that felt modern. Within months, everything from messaging apps to map services offered a dark interface option.
For travellers, dark mode proved particularly useful. Checking directions on a night bus or reviewing booking confirmations in a dim hotel room became far less intrusive. Battery savings mattered too, especially when you're out all day without easy access to charging. The trend wasn't just aesthetic – it had genuine practical benefits for people relying heavily on their phones away from home.
The Rise of Super Apps (and Why They Didn't Catch On Here)
Asian markets spent 2019 refining the "super app" concept – single platforms that combined messaging, payments, transport booking, food delivery and more. WeChat and Grab became examples everyone cited, handling dozens of tasks that would require separate apps in Europe or North America. The appeal was convenience: one login, one interface, everything centralised.
Western markets tried to replicate this with mixed results. Facebook attempted it. Uber expanded into food and freight. Yet most people in the UK still preferred dedicated apps for different tasks. The super app vision assumed everyone wanted consolidation, but many travellers value the opposite – lightweight, purpose-built apps that do one thing well. When you're abroad and need mobile data quickly, you don't want a bloated platform that tries to do everything. You want something focused that solves your specific problem and doesn't drain your battery or data allowance with features you'll never use.
Subscription Fatigue Sets In
By 2019, it seemed every app wanted a monthly fee. News apps, weather apps, productivity tools – services that were once free or one-off purchases shifted to recurring charges. Users grew weary. Research showed people were subscribing to multiple services without realising the total cost, then facing the tedious process of cancelling trials before charges kicked in.
This subscription exhaustion changed how people evaluated apps, particularly when travelling. Why commit to a monthly VPN or data plan when you only need connectivity for a week in Barcelona? The appeal of pay-as-you-go models became clearer. At rentnconnect, we saw this first-hand. Our customers wanted flexibility – buy data from as little as a day through the rentnconnect app, use what they need, then stop. No recurring charges to remember, no contracts, no surprise bills after they've returned home. The trend towards subscriptions created demand for the opposite: short-term, transparent options where you pay for exactly what you use.
Progressive Web Apps Make a Quiet Comeback
While not grabbing headlines, progressive web apps (PWAs) gained ground in 2019 as an alternative to native apps. PWAs work through your browser but behave like installed apps – they load quickly, work offline to some extent, and don't require app store downloads. For businesses, they meant one codebase instead of separate iOS and Android development. For users, they meant less storage space consumed.
Travellers benefited particularly from this trend. Discovering a useful service abroad no longer meant finding Wi-Fi to download a large app. A PWA could load over a modest mobile connection and function immediately. That said, truly data-intensive tasks still worked better with native apps. Managing an eSIM or topping up mobile data, for instance, benefits from a dedicated app with proper system integration. The rentnconnect app on iOS and Android lets you set up your eSIM, monitor usage and add more data when needed – tasks that require the deeper access a native app provides. PWAs had their place, but for core travel connectivity, a proper app remained the better tool.