“There’s an app for that.” Who hasn’t heard this phrase? It was made popular by Apple, one of the top two mobile operating systems used by millions of people around the world. Thanks to Apple and Google, we have apps for everything. Paying for things, calling taxis, watching movies, shopping, reading, and anything else you can imagine… there is probably an app for that.
Once companies started realizing that mobile apps were the next great thing, everyone wanted an app for their company. For nearly a decade, the popularity of apps has continued to grow at a very rapid pace. But some people are beginning to ask whether or not there is a future for apps.
Are apps really all that great?
There is no doubt that apps make our lives easy and more convenient. We don’t have to do everything in the tiny little web browser on our phones. They also make our lives more convenient in many ways. But are they really all that great?
There is no doubt that apps make our lives easy and more convenient. We don’t have to do everything in the tiny little web browser on our phones. They also make our lives more convenient in many ways. But are they really all that great?
Think about it this way, if I want to call a taxi, I have an app for that. If I want to buy movie tickets, there is an app for that. If I want to edit photos, there is an app for that. But most apps serve one primary purpose. Every time I want to do something different on my phone, I have to go out to the app store, download the app, sometimes even having to choose from a dozen or more apps that all do the same thing, then install it before I can even use it.
With so many different apps, storage space on phones is limited because you need 30 different apps just to do everything that you need or want to do.
What’s wrong with apps?
Believe it or not, the likelihood of apps existing and remaining popular for an extended period of time is highly unlikely. Even though it seems like they make things more convenient, they really aren’t as good as we would like to believe.
Not to mention the problem that app developers face with the existence of multiple operating systems. With iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, and even a few others that are floating around in OS limbo, making apps that can be used by everyone with a smartphone is nearly impossible.
Since each operating system is programmed using a different language code, often times an app coded for Android has to be completely re-written to be used on another OS. At the very least, it requires a lot of tweaking and it is really just a big hassle. Not to mention, if a mobile OS is updated, the app software needs to be updated as well, making maintenance of every app a huge hassle as well. Some of the major problems with apps today are listed as below:
- Apps take too much space of smartphones leaving little for other purposes
- Most apps are only for specific purposes which begs the need for a lot of apps for various purposes
- It is more difficult and expensive to create a smartphone app
- Upgradation and maintenance of mobile apps is difficult
- Apps on different developing platforms require diverse technical skills
- Users are more likely to uninstall mobile apps for using for sometime
- It requires great sums of capital to keep the mobile app smoothly running
What are we going to do?
Generally speaking, apps are problematic for just about everyone involved. But we can’t just stop using apps. How do we fix all of these problems?
Actually, companies are already in the process of finding ways around the idea of single-use apps. One of the most likely solutions to the many app problems that is already slowly being implemented today is something called “Super Applications.” A super app is basically an app that combines the functions of multiple apps.
A really good example of a super app is WeChat. With the ability to make voice and video calls, call taxis, pay bills, order movie tickets, use the virtual wallet feature and more, this app basically eliminates the need for a dozen apps by allowing you to use the features of 12 or more apps all in one, saving time and precious phone space for the app user and developing time and dollars for the app creators.
How long will we have single-use apps?
It is impossible to say how long apps will continue to exist and be used regularly. But it is safe to say that to the popularity of apps is declining and will continue to decline while better, simpler, and more convenient options are explored.
It is impossible to say how long apps will continue to exist and be used regularly. But it is safe to say that to the popularity of apps is declining and will continue to decline while better, simpler, and more convenient options are explored.
As these other options like super apps continue to be improved upon, we will begin to see the use of the types of apps we see today decline drastically. Before long, apps will be as obsolete as floppy disks, CDs, and Blue-ray.
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