As far as the next phase of mobile apps, many businesses have accepted Super App Development as their main vision for the future. Today, the abundance of similar services has prompted entrepreneurs to bundle everything into one platform. Many successful examples already exist; in this blog, you will learn about them in great detail.
Introduction
The number of smartphone and installation apps has witnessed a steep incline over the years. With internet connectivity reaching faster speed limits and UI/UX constantly evolving, modern-day smartphones have made people’s lives much more convenient.
Almost every country has businesses backed by apps doing most of their work regarding on-demand services. However, as the next phase evolves rapidly, it’s hard to determine whether people are ready to move ahead or happy with today’s technological advancements. Let’s understand in detail.
Absence Of Desktop And Rise Of Smartphones
When the first iPhone was released in 2007, Internet users in Asia accounted for less than 22% of the total population. Whereas, in the United States, the share of users was 70%.
Now, 5 years after the release of the iPhone, the number of Internet users in Asia has grown to 47%. The country’s population missed the desktop era and mastered the Internet through smartphones. In the West, the smartphone was perceived as a continuation of the desktop experience. Thus, in the Asian market, products were created for the first generation of mobile Internet users.
Significance Of Super Apps
Many new concepts and ideas have gone, mainly because of the restrictions faced by mobile app companies. However, one concept has stuck and has been the most propelling factor for many businesses to look for better profits and more loyal customers. The term “Super App” might sound too broad. Still, it is an efficient platform that allows businesses to offer multiple services in one place.
Furthermore, one or two services working on a similar front were manageable. However, as the years have progressed, the scalability of on-demand services has seen a massive influx of users worldwide. The range of services attracts most people, from booking taxis and bikes to selling properties and general items.
Here, Gojek serves as the best example, as they started their services on two-wheelers. However, due to the overwhelming response from the Malaysian community, they started food, grocery, parcel, and medicine deliveries as well – the largest players retained users’ attention. They became first-screen applications by adding new services. This was a notable achievement for a startup for others to follow in the same footsteps.
The South-Asian subcontinent has Super App companies like Grab, Careem, Kakao, WeChat, Alipay, and others. Eventually, the move became a global phenomenon, yet it saw a response from people in the West. The answer to this dilemma lies in the behavior pattern of the consumer.
Growth, Management, and Expansion All-At-Once
As mentioned earlier, along with the growth in the number of applications, users spend less time on the top applications. This means that involvement in them has also decreased. Moreover, people spend up to 3.1 hours daily on apps, up from 2.1 hours.
Forbes contributor and three-time CEO Betsy Atkins notes that American business models involve vertical growth and international expansion. Asian companies are expanding horizontally, building super apps, and competing with each other in local markets. There are several reasons why Super Apps emerged and became popular in Asian markets.
In Indonesia, where the digital wallet super app Gojek launched, there were 0.59 debit cards and 0.07 credit cards per person in 2019. Even those sections of the population who preferred cash began to use the wallet, especially Gojek drivers. Since the e-wallet can be topped up with cash from cashiers in the store, people have sincerely started adopting online transactions over cash payments. Furthermore, fintech companies also offered services to students, workers, and rural residents who were not of interest to banks.
Another reason is that most Asian users have smartphones with a small amount of memory. Therefore, they need help storing and running multiple applications. Moreover, Super apps have their own mobile payment systems. These embedded mobile payment systems and e-wallets have allowed many banking institutions to partner with businesses and develop various Super App use cases. Here, Super Apps are created so businesses can earn revenues easily. Additionally, these apps are a superb medium to attract more and more customers.
Unique Internet Ecosystem
The lack of advertising networks, the monopoly of online channel owners, and the lack of free organic traffic are why Asia-Pacific companies have few options for scaling their Internet business. Meanwhile, super apps are being developed in Russia because it is expensive for a business to maintain several applications. Therefore, separate budgets are needed for development and attracting users. At the same time, an open infrastructure that involves services from third parties allows the service to grow faster at lower costs.
Data and Privacy
In Western countries, it is accepted that only those parties who have agreed to their transfer can have access to data. The latest iOS and Android updates emphasize obtaining data transfer permissions from users. Similarly, single-feature applications fit into this concept perfectly. In the East, technology companies collect and use data with government approval, so they can be less concerned about their users’ data privacy.
Will Super Apps be popular in the West?
In the West, Uber has begun creating feature-rich applications. The company launched a transit service in several cities worldwide to track departures and find public transport stops.
At the end of October 2019, the company launched financial services for Uber Money drivers with the Uber Wallet. Uber partners with electric scooter rental companies, such as American Lime and French CityScoot, which can be found on the map and ordered in the Uber app. This is a unique solution for Uber, as they have yet to previously offer third-party services on their platform.
Google Maps can also transform into a super app. Through cards, you can call a taxi, order food through delivery services, reserve a table in a restaurant, find and book a hotel room, and buy tickets to visit attractions. Representatives of Western travel companies believe that the Google Maps application is already developing according to the Super App model. Still, the company itself does not announce such ambitions.
Young Western companies are acting more boldly. For instance, the Glovo Super app is seeing a massive jump in popularity in Spain. The same goes for Rappi in Italy.
Super App Development Explained
First, the resources and time accumulated to create a Super App from scratch will take a heavy financial toll. Therefore, an excellent overall Super App Development plan is to get a Super App Clone Solution from a professional white-label firm. Like Gojek Clone, Grab Clone, and Uber Clone, every service or multiple services you aim for in your business will likely be available. Therefore, it’s best to save time and see for yourself by testing demos and inquiring about every little detail from the sales team. If everything is done effectively, you can launch your Super App business in 1-2 weeks.
Conclusion
Internet market giants gradually merge their services instead of releasing new products on new platforms. Startups are already taking risks and launching multifunctional applications. Many large participants in the Internet market will begin to move in this direction. They will either integrate into the platforms of large companies or create ecosystems with their platforms at the center.
Ethan Lucas