According to research by Statista, there are now more than 4 million apps to choose from, and that’s only counting the Google Play and Apple App stores. It’s far more choice than any one person has time to sit and sift through. But there’s a challenger in town; welcome to the new generation of Super App.
What is a Super App?
A Super App basically combines the capabilities of lots of other apps into one big umbrella app. Some have likened them to the Swiss army knife of the app world, and a great analogy it is too, but we like to think of them as the Mary Poppins bag of the digital realm.
When apps first emerged, they were single use interfaces which only really enabled the user to do one thing within it. Many of the most popular apps still are single use – like Twitter which is currently just built for social activity. The Super App service is augmented to add in other features and additional services, making it a kind of one-stop-shop which ticks numerous boxes for the user, all in one place.
In order to reach super status, a Super App generally has a combination of all (or at least two) of the following:
- Delivery
- Commerce
- Logistics
- Payment
- Social
WeChat is a good example of a Super App, and is one of the most pioneering Super Apps on the market right now. It merges a whole host of different features including media sharing, instant messaging, taxi booking, payment handling, video calls, social media and commerce. Phew.
It means that a WeChat user can video call a friend to see if they’d like to go to the cinema that night, book the tickets, order a taxi, message their friend to let them know they’re on their way, and then post about it on social media. All from the same app.
Why are Super Apps so…super?
You probably have a good idea of why Super Apps are set to take over the world by now, but let’s just have a quick look at some of the benefits this type of digital service brings to the table.
Improved UX
User experience is more fluid and appealing, with device users no longer needing to swap between apps to complete various tasks.
More opportunity for smaller brands
Those businesses who can’t afford to develop an app of their own will soon have the potential to piggyback more established applications, offering to solve a part of the Super App’s needs.
Optimising user time
Having everything in the same place is much more convenient, and saves time and effort – valuable for businesses and device users alike.
Data storage
Using one Super App as opposed to 2, 3, 4, even 5 different ones means you’re sharing your personal data around fewer locations. This, hopefully, means good news for data security.
Better use of device storage
Clean up your desktops, home screens and storage usage with amalgamated Super Apps. Hurrah!
Are you a Super App convert? Is this something you could see your business getting involved in? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or share them with us over on Twitter or Facebook.
