Mobile development in what direction to develop?

Question

Career in IT

Hello! I am developing applications for android. There is a good experience in this area (freelance, official experience). I do cross-platform development with ReactNative. I do not claim that I am a high-class specialist in mobdev, but I do my job with high quality. I also study the flutter framework for the sake of interest. And then one day, while optimizing and polishing another application, I thought, in what direction can I develop further? Which of the modern IT trends are the most relevant within the framework of mobdev and what roads exist for this? For myself, I have identified several branches of development in mobdev.
1. Deepening into the native (I think this is more relevant for android, although I could be wrong), that is, studying the NDK, optimizing various native processes, participating in the development of native frameworks. It seems to me that this will always be relevant for android and knowledge of the NDK will be a huge plus (by the way, I worked a little with the NDK, but did not go deep)
2. Develop not as a developer for one platform or a cross-platform developer, but as a good specialist in both platforms. I mean, if you are doing Android development, then go deep into IOS and learn some kind of cross framework and vice versa. So that any mobile application using native features (geolocation, various sensors, cameras, sensors and other things relevant specifically for native development) can be implemented without using ready-made cross-platform libraries (which, at least under reactNative, are of extremely dubious quality), but as UI to use a cross-platform framework.
3. Studying the backend. To become a full stack mobile developer
4. Studying data science. Big data, neural networks, machine learning are very relevant now. But basically it's all used in the backend, as far as I know. But there are still interesting projects where the same neural networks or machine learning are deployed on mobile phones. Take the same lens.
5. VR, AR I think there are no comments here. Just thinking about these things makes you think of many possible applications. I also think this topic is very relevant. Especially within the framework of mobdev
6. IoT, here I also think without comment. The application of IoT concept technologies is not limited to smart homes. Maybe in Russia this is not so developed, but many IoT projects are really exciting) But again, what role will mobile development play here and what will it involve?
I'll explain a little. I am not asking where should I go, what is the most relevant now, what is paid more for, so please do not answer "do what you like", I can reach this thought myself. I'm interested in the experience of developers who faced a similar issue. Where would you go (would you go) and how would you justify (would) your choice? What are the hot trends in mobile right now? Still, I might be missing something. The opinion of those who are engaged in mobdev and use knowledge in IoT and DataScince is also interesting, what are the scopes for this in mobile development? Or all the same, in mobile phones, this issue is extremely rare and only as a web client? Let's discuss)

Answer 1

The answer is quite simple. It's better to do what you like best. I'm on gamedev, yes, it's not more than 100k/month, but I'm working too productively collecting an awesome portfolio, which can further move me far.
If I were any other developer, it was unlikely that it would turn out so productively, all because of the lack of desire as such. And you, do not forget, first of all, a creative person, and for artists ... well, you yourself understand how important desire is.

Answer 2

By the will of fate, I am now digging a backend in Java. Not that I would be directly delighted with this action, but it seems to me that this is quite a good development. In the end, it will be possible to implement some kind of application idea on your own.
UPD. Increasingly, in vacancies I come across a requirement (or wishes) to understand both mobile platforms natively! Maybe I'm wrong and I just come across such vacancies :)