Why is the demand for pet tech solutions on the rise?

The market for pet tech solutions is booming today. Not so long ago, it was a real challenge to find a simple dog tracker, even on the largest app marketplaces (though it’s obvious that cats and dogs are the most popular pets around the world). But now you can download applications catering not only to dog owners but also fans of turtles, guinea pigs and even ferrets.

In 2020, the volume of the pet tech market reached $5.7 billion. And this figure is expected to grow to $20 billion by 2027. Its growth is boosted by a number of factors, such as:

• A more conscious approach to caring for pets;
• Treating pets as family members, paying higher attention to their health, mood and wellbeing (9 out of 10 dog owners say that their dogs are a part of their families);
• Increasing investment in pets generally (for example, 36% of Americans are said to give birthday presents to their dogs, and 27% of pet owners in the US have organized professional photo shoots for their pets);
• Growing tech literacy and wide use of smartphones (in 2020, the global smartphone penetration rate reached 78.05%).

Together, these factors have led to rising demand for advanced tech solutions and inspired many startups to focus on pet app development. Funds invested in pet apps are growing, along with competition in the market. As a result, users have access to an increasing number of innovative applications.

In this article, we’ll share our perspective on industry trends and the types of solutions that boast high popularity among pet owners

According to recent statistical data, 56% of pet owners in the US use tech solutions for their pets. Among the most popular types of apps on the market today, we should mention:

• healthcare and nutrition apps (24%);
• monitoring cameras (22%);
• pet servicing applications (22%);
• smart toys for pets (20%).

Pet owners say tech solutions help them feel they are doing their best to ensure the wellbeing and security of their pets.

Based on our experience, we can name the following tech trends in building solutions for pets and their owners.

• IoT solutions. IoT technology helps ensure the connection between separate smart devices, which in the pet market means a wide choice of smart trackers for dogs, smart feeders and toys. More information about this trend in pet app development is presented in our previously published article about IoT-powered pet solutions.
• GPS tracking. This trend can be described as part of the Internet of Things, however, given the popularity of GPS tools in pet care app development, it deserves to be highlighted.GPS is used not only for tracking the location of a pet but also for monitoring its activities and even mood or interests (seeing how much time pets spend in this or that location can help their owners better understand their needs).
• AI/ML. AI is actively used in pet telemedicine for helping users better manage the health of their pets. AI-powered chatbots are integrated into many tech solutions offered by vet clinics.Moreover, AI/ML tools can be coupled with monitoring cameras for analyzing the behavior of pets and detecting unusual patterns for early disease diagnosis

We’ve prepared a list of the most popular pet app types. Have a look at them, and maybe they will inspire you to create your own unique product.

1. Pet training apps. Such solutions can provide users with lots of useful tips and methods to teach their pets good behavior and a variety of tricks. Some apps also offer the possibility of contacting a certified dog trainer, asking questions, booking an online consultation or even scheduling a lesson via video call.You can also add features and functionality, such as a calendar for planning training sessions, reminders, and options for communicating with other pet owners.
2. Health apps for pets. One of the most popular solutions of this type is a medical record-keeping app. Users can add any information related to their pets’ health, such as the name of the medication a pet is allergic to, or the date of the last visit to the veterinary clinic and test results. Thanks to videoconferencing features, veterinarians can conduct consultations and provide recommendations at a distance. Moreover, apps can be enriched with functionality for making appointments, keeping health records, and more.
3. Food and other product delivery apps. Here, everything is the same as in classic delivery apps but with a focus on a specific group of products. Apps of this type detect the users’ location, offer outlets nearby, and provide the ability to place an order and track the progress of the delivery.
4. Calming music apps. Today you can download an application with sets of music specially created for calming pets. Music lists are usually created in close cooperation with veterinary experts who know the peculiarities of pets’ psychology.
5. Tracking apps. As we’ve already mentioned, one of the trendy pet app types is trackers that follow the pet’s walking activity. Powered by GPS technology and connected to smart wearables (such as smart collars), these applications will also detect the location of a lost pet or notify the owner if the pet is close to a prohibited area (smart fence functionality).
6. Educational apps. Such applications are targeted directly at pet owners. They are usually not very complicated from a technical point of view and contain a lot of material regarding pet behavior, physical and mental health, etc.
7. Video monitoring apps. The best way to make sure that all is well with your pet even when you are far from home is to install a video streaming app that will receive an image from the camera and show it on the display of your smartphone. This generally doesn’t require installing special cameras. A simple webcam can be transformed into a surveillance camera. But it’s also possible to install additional cameras in various rooms or outside and connect them all to your mobile application.
8. Pet translators. Apps of this type boast great popularity among pet owners. Such applications aim to analyze pet sounds and transform them into the human language (and vice versa). Some apps claim to recognize the facial expressions of dogs and other pets. However, these translators are recommended for use only as entertainment.
9. Social networking apps. Social networks are hardly a new trend, but their success among pet lovers has led to a growing demand for their development.

In our portfolio, you can find a  wide range of successfully launched software solutions of various types.

Among them is Dog Tracker Nano, a revolutionary IoT tracking app for smart dog collars. This solution is able to track all movements of the dog, record its activities and send the location in real-time to the owner via SMS or email. The smart collar has a small GPS tracking unit that interacts with the app. The application is currently available for both iOS and Android devices.

Bauwow is another app built by our developers. This application helps dog owners establish contact with others, find good locations for walking with pets, and access various pet-friendly places and services. Today the app represents itself as a unique social networking platform for dogs and their owners. Users can create profiles for their dogs, share photos and make friends.

With our expertise in working with pet tech solutions, we have an excellent understanding of the market needs and demands. Using the latest tech tools, we build innovative products that bring real value to their owners and users. To learn more about how Cogniteq can help you build the software you need, please fill in this form, and our specialists will contact you as soon as possible.