5 software trends that are shaping the future of design

Over the past decade, remarkable advancements in technology have transformed how we live, work, and play.

The creative industry, in particular, has seen significant transformation thanks to the innovative design software that’s available today. Many creative professionals and hobbyists have embraced new technological tools that enable them to create almost anything they can imagine.

From rendering 3D models in Blender to instantly generating digital paintings with AI, the digital world is home to countless tools for creativity.

Tech advancements like these have opened up new opportunities for creatives to express themselves, work faster, and collaborate with others worldwide.

Digital tools are rapidly evolving. But before we delve into the future of design software, let’s quickly recap its history.

The first image editing programs

Up until the late 20th century, graphic designers created everything manually. Layouts were drawn on paper and type was arranged by a typesetter.

Mistakes often meant starting all over again (thank goodness for Command-Z). However, by the 1970s—and the birth of modern computing—rapid advances in both hardware and software radically altered the industry.

In 1973, Superpaint was developed by Xerox PARC employee Richard Shoup and became the first major breakthrough in image editing software. With virtual paintbrushes, custom polygons, and a preset color palette, Superpaint was one of the first design software to use a graphic user interface.

Superpaint interface. Image source: Wikipedia

Apple’s Macintosh, introduced in 1984, became the vehicle for design programs such as MacPaint (1984), PageMaker (1985), Illustrator (1987), FreeHand (1988), and Photoshop (1990). These early design programs enabled designers and artists to use computers to create graphics digitally and intuitively.

The 2000s saw the introduction of the Adobe Creative Suite and the rise and fall of Flash. And of course, we can’t forget to mention the debut of Vectornator (now Linearity Curve) in 2017.

While the history of design software is already impressive, the future is sure to be even more groundbreaking. With more dramatic technological shifts than ever, we are embarking on a new chapter of design software history.

Software design trends

Artificial intelligence

One of the most significant design software trends is the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). AI and ML are increasingly being integrated into design software, allowing designers to create high quality content, automate tasks, and streamline their workflow.

AI first entered the realm of creative tools with raster-based models such as DALL E and MidJourney, and later Stable Diffusion. These tools allowed anyone to quickly generate impressive digital artworks and photos by writing specific prompts.

Raster AI tools continue to evolve, but vectors aren’t left behind. Figma recently introduced its Magician plugin that auto generates vector icons and more via prompts. And startup Galileo plans to roll out the ability to create full UI designs and vector graphics from written instructions.

AI is also revolutionizing the way marketing designers are working. For example, the AI-powered search function in Canva helps users quickly find the right template or asset for their project. Canva also includes features such as Magic Resize, which automatically resizes designs to fit different aspect ratios. And Background Remover uses machine learning to remove the background from images.

Microsoft Designer also uses AI to understand its users’ needs and create complex marketing posts from prompts. And even Microsoft Powerpoint is using AI to allow anyone to design slides automatically.

There’s no doubt that AI can help designers overcome any creative barrier and produce designs quickly and efficiently, and the same goes for Linearity Curve users. Our AI-powered tools like Auto Trace and Background Removal free up time for you to focus on the more creative aspects of your work. That’s not all though—Linearity products will have even more AI-powered tools in the near future, including Auto Layout, image generation, and more.

In the meantime, check out how to use Linearity Curve's AI tools for creating promotional assets in this tutorial.

Cloud computing

Another trend that’s expected to dominate the design software industry is the continued growth of cloud-based design software. Cloud-based software allows designers to access their designs from anywhere, collaborate with other designers in real-time, and work seamlessly across different devices. With cloud-based software, teams can work remotely and still have access to the same powerful tools and features as they would in an office environment.

All of your Linearity Curve documents are saved in your workspace, allowing you to access and work on them from any device.

Virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR)

While VR/AR technology technologies have primarily been used in enterprise and gaming industries so far, it's possible that we'll start seeing more widespread adoption by designers.

Apple is expected to launch a mixed reality headset, and plan to position it as 'co-presence' device that will allow for augmented reality videoconferencing and meetings. The wearable device to also rumored to allow the users to draw and edit images in 3D space, making it a promising tool for creative collaboration.

It's exciting to consider the potential of virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) technology becoming more accessible to creatives and other fields. We look forward to seeing what the future holds!

Personalization

Nowadays, people are increasingly reliant on digital services for their daily lives, and this is also true for many designers. However, it's about more than just the device or software they choose to use. Creatives can now personalize design programs with custom settings. Software personalization enables designers to take better control of their workflow and creates an overall better design experience. And this trend is expected to become even more advanced in the near future.

Linearity Curve offers many customizable features—from canvas settings to color palettes—that can be tailored to your exact needs. For instance, since the iPadOS 16 update, you can personalize the Action Bar by adding the operations you use the most. Plus, we have more product personalization plans for the future.

To learn more about personalizing Linearity Curve, check out our User Guide.

Continuous updates

As technology continues to advance, software developers must keep up with the changes. Software now evolves at a rapid pace, and apps need to be constantly updated. According to DevOps.com, around 31.7% of developers release updates every 1 to 4 weeks.

Shorter sprint cycles enable developers to implement improvements and test new features quickly. Continuous updates also benefit designers, providing more features to experiment with and fewer glitches that can disrupt their workflow.

To make sure our software stays relevant and meets your needs, our developers are constantly working on releasing new Linearity Curve updates roughly every two weeks.