Know Why Super Apps Are on Emerging Rise

We all live in a technologically advanced world where software applications have become essential to life. If this software malfunctions, it isn’t incorrect to say that our daily lives could completely halt.

As technology spreads worldwide, existing tech hubs have developed an upgraded platform called the ‘Super App.’ Although the term was coined by Mike Lazaridis (Founder of Blackberry) in 2010, its impact in the real world has recently increased.

Lazaridis outlined it as a “closed ecosystem of two or more apps” that people can use to meet the demand for integrated services without switching between multiple software apps. In this mobile-first era, it can be described as a seamless experience. 

Why Super Apps?

A recent survey found that 67% of all consumers (173 million people) need a super app to manage their digital functions. Such customers prefer a single platform that performs multiple functions, eliminating the need for many individual apps and online websites.

According to Gartner, a super app is comparable to a Swiss army knife that can be used whenever necessary and covers various components. Super apps resonate worldwide as the smartphone generation advances the mobile-first experience. This factor directly expands the window in which super apps can demonstrate their ‘ease of use’ to a wide range of digital consumers.

Gartner also forecasts that by 2027, close to 50% of the global population will depend on numerous super apps as part of their everyday lifestyle. As a result, you will receive a perfectly balanced experience across messaging, payments, and workflow tasks on a single platform. 

Reasons Why Super Apps Gaining Popularity

Below are some prime reasons super apps are accelerating their foothold in the global digital consumer market.

Convenience as a Factor

The convenience factor, which is consistently ranked as a top priority for people, is mainly responsible for the success of super apps. Furthermore, the problem of storage is also solved because one software app can perform multiple tasks rather than having to download numerous apps.

Better Consumer Loyalty

The usability of a specific app is only determined when the user needs a particular service offered. However, if you use the app frequently, whether for placing a food order or purchasing goods, the usability factor improves, and the likelihood of uninstalling it decreases. As a result, a super app that does everything without switching between apps has a high usage rate that directly translates into better consumer loyalty.

Data Protection

Super apps lessen the chance that user data will be compromised and offer the convenience of a single platform login. Every time a new app is downloaded, the user must input personal information, increasing the risk of data access by hackers. For instance, ten of these apps would require ten different logins. However, if just one super app can replace all ten of those, the personal data is restricted on that one platform. 

Examples of Popular Super Apps 

Hugo

Hugo began operating in Central America in 2017 as a food delivery and micro logistics business. Hugo quickly increased the quality of its services to satisfy customers over three years, expanding to six countries in Central America. The company currently provides a wide range of services, such as food delivery, ride-hailing, payment, grocery delivery, and on-demand services.

Rapi

Rappi was founded in 2015 and has expanded to over 250 cities in nine regions, including Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina. This super app currently has over ten million active users per month. Rappi has grown into a billion-dollar company that rapidly delivers food, medicines, and clothing. Over time, the company’s business verticals have expanded to include various financial services and travel and hotel stays. 

Grab

The business got its start in Malaysia as a taxi service. The brand name was changed in 2013 to be known as Grab finally. The company provides services to over 187 billion users across eight different countries via a single application. You can use Grab to access everything from food delivery to courier services, ridesharing, payments, and hotel reservations.

Maintaining the Quality of Super Apps

Currently, the development of a super app is restricted to a specific technological niche. To increase value delivery, businesses must leverage advanced technology proficiency. Simply put, a super app must meet a user’s daily needs while balancing ease of use and seamless performance. The UI/UX are essential factors that must be considered for a digital consumer to return to your super app regularly.

Global industries, as are their needs for a unified app to cater to a growing consumer population, are evolving. Moreover, the adoption of super apps carries a ‘flawless’ label, necessitating quality assurance. Therefore, it calls for the need for Quality Engineering (QE) practices must be implemented in addition to a strong development team.

Each super app should be evaluated based on functionality, speed, and system performance to enhance user experience. The best fit for improving user experience in the form of better retention and value is a good mix of intelligent process automation and RPA (Robotic process automation) practices.

Final Say…

Concentrating on the various features and components when creating a super app is essential to function as a collection of unique min-apps. Maintaining user experience and data protection is necessary for the success of such a collaborative platform. The best way is to work with a technology provider with upgraded expertise in the tools and methodologies used to develop a super app. Software testing and quality assurance procedures are only possible with a proficient team of software engineers.