The rise of smartphones and the internet has forever changed the way we interact with technology and apps have been at the forefront of this revolution. In South Africa, the number of active social media users increased by 75% in the last eight years. The country’s favourite superapp, WhatsApp, is used by 95% of internet users.
All-in-one platforms such as this combine multiple functions and services, providing users with a seamless and efficient experience.From communication and entertainment to planning and productivity, superapps are becoming an increasingly integral part of daily life. Gartner predicts that by 2027, over half the global population will be using multiple superapps on a daily basis.
What are superapps?
By providing a comprehensive and customised digital experience, superapps have gained popularity in recent years. Unlike traditional apps that cater to a single function or service, superapps integrate multiple services and functionalities under one platform. This not only saves users time, but also offers a more personalised and convenient experience.
Superapps like WhatsApp, Nedbank Money, Uber and Superbalist are local examples of how a single platform can cater to a wide range of services like messaging, payments, transportation and e-commerce.
The concept of apps dates back to the early days of smartphones. It was largely thanks to Apple’s App Store that pushed the app industry to revolutionise in 2008. With the introduction of the App Store, developers had a centralised platform to distribute their apps to a global audience. This led to a surge in app development, with developers integrating more advanced functionality to improve user experience.
South Africa’s most popular superapp, WhatsApp, started out as a simple messaging tool. It has since expanded its offerings to include voice and video calls, file sharing and group chats. More recently, WhatsApp has also added features such as WhatsApp Business, which allows companies to communicate with customers, and WhatsApp Pay, which enables users to send and receive money.
What is the future of mobile apps?
With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and augmented reality, apps are set to become even more personalised and intelligent. Users can expect a more immersive and intuitive experience.
Through data analysis, apps can learn our patterns and behaviours, making personalised recommendations and adapting to provide real-time information and assistance. For businesses and individuals, the Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to play a significant role in the future of apps. Increasingly, these tools are used to control and monitor connected devices in our homes and workplaces.
Ensuring future success for superapps
Developing a superapp is no easy task. Despite their potential, superapps can fail for various reasons. This tends to happen when developers spread themselves too thin. While the concept of a superapp is to integrate multiple functionalities under one platform, it is essential that each service is of the highest quality.
If a superapp tries to provide too many services and fails to deliver quality in each of them, this can lead to a poor user experience. As such, superapp developers need to strike a balance between offering a variety of services and ensuring that each service is of high quality to provide an excellent customer journey.
Another reason why superapps can have limited success is scalability. As they grow, they may face challenges in managing their operations and maintaining the quality of services. This can lead to issues such as poor customer service and slow response to technical issues.
As superapps become more popular, they need to be able to handle the increased traffic and usage, which puts pressure on their IT capacity and can also result in technical problems. User experience is severely impacted by technical glitches which can affect customer loyalty.
For future success, app developers need to pay careful attention to cyber security. Superapps also face issues around data security and privacy, which can lead to a loss of user trust. As superapps integrate multiple services, they collect vast amounts of user data, which is a tasty target for hackers and cybercriminals.
If a superapp fails to provide adequate cyber security measures, it can put users’ personal and financial information at risk. Users may lose faith in the app and migrate to a rival. Superapps need to ensure that they prioritise data security and privacy to maintain user trust and provide a seamless customer journey.
Superapps are transforming the digital landscape
Superapps need to strike a balance between offering a comprehensive range of services while also excelling at each of them. They need to be agile and innovative in response to changing user needs and preferences, paying particular attention to the user experience.
Curating a personalised and immersive experience will send superapps ahead of the pack. Those that can maintain high levels of quality and scalability increase their chances of future success in the highly competitive app market.
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