Super App: The digital Swiss Army Knife
Not long ago, we would need a separate app for each service, cluttering our screens and causing frustration as we switched between them. But today, thanks to the rising of Super Apps, everything is starting to be incorporated into one intuitive platform. It is a smooth experience that saves time and effort, empowering us to do more with technology than we ever thought possible. As if our smartphones have become a gateway to a world of limitless possibilities.
As the name suggests, a Super App is an all-in-one platform that connects several mini-apps in an ecosystem of integrated user experience. We can call it the Swiss army knife of apps, combining various essential services under one umbrella – from ride-hailing and food delivery to financial services and social networking.
These apps are designed to meet people’s diverse everyday needs by eliminating the use of multiple standalone applications. Users can access various services, perform transactions, communicate, and engage with a wide range of functionalities within a single Super App, making their mobile experience and life more convenient and efficient.
From App to Super App
Becoming a Super App is not for all. These apps rise to a superpower by following a certain process and making sure they have future-proofing and scalable capabilities. And, that is where Digital Product Design does its wonders. A well-designed product not only meets the current needs of the users but also anticipates and adapts to future changes. By adopting a user-centric approach, maintaining consistency, iterating and making data-driven decisions, and so on. But we will tell you more about how design plays a crucial role in the success of Super Apps later.
It can start as a traditional but scalable App with one main function, such as payments. Then, usually, the next step is to integrate with financial services to expand its offerings, followed by partnering up and evolving with third-party providers. Finally, the app starts leveraging customer loyalty and data to acquire more users and expand its services.
Let’s break down the key characteristics of this technological breakthrough:
- Integration of multiple services: Super Apps combine diverse services such as communication, e-commerce, payments, and on-demand services, creating a one-stop shop for users’ digital needs.
- Unified user experience: These apps offer a seamless and consistent user experience, allowing users to access different services without leaving the app or logging into separate accounts.
- Personalisation and Customisation: Super Apps leverage user data to offer personalised recommendations, tailored content, and customised experiences, boosting user engagement and satisfaction.
- Cross-platform compatibility: Super Apps are designed to work across different devices and operating systems, ensuring a smooth and compatible experience for users regardless of their device preferences.
We’re facing a new paradigm in the mobile app industry. Super Apps, such as Careem, an everything application, Koos is collaborating with, offer users a comprehensive and integrated experience that goes beyond the capabilities of traditional mobile apps. By combining multiple services and features within a single platform, Super Apps are redefining the way users interact with their smartphones and shaping the future of digital services.
Gartner not only lists Super Apps as the top technology trend to watch in 2023 but also predicts half of the world’s population will be using multiple daily, as their great market potential will only skyrocket.
Super Apps are not just a trend
Why do we believe Super Apps have the potential to redefine the app industry and our lifestyles?
We collected different benefits that make them one of the growing trends among users and businesses alike here to stay and invest in:
The most convenient and seamless of User Experiences
No doubt that the biggest selling point of Super Apps is the convenience they offer. Instead of downloading and managing multiple apps for different services, we now can access a wide range of services within a single place.
This smooth experience simplifies our lives by saving us time and effort. Let’s take Careem, The Everything App, as an example. In the cultural and geographic context this Super App operates, it holds the potential for the entire Middle East region and population.
From ordering food, booking a ride, and managing finances, to social interactions, all can be found within a single app.
Saving costs for both users and businesses
Super Apps also mean saving costs. For users, it is about reducing data usage and storage space, as they only need to install one app instead of many. And, the benefit from competitive pricing and deals offered within the super app ecosystem.
For businesses, it translates into lower customer acquisition costs. By offering multiple services, they can cross-sell and up-sell to their existing user base, reducing the need for expensive marketing campaigns to attract new customers. Moreover, Super Apps can generate revenue from multiple sources, including commissions, subscriptions, and advertising across various services.
Boosted user engagement and retention
Last but not least, Super Apps can drive users to stay engaged and stick within the service ecosystem. The big range of services keeps users in the loop, as they can do everything from ordering food to booking a taxi, finding everything they need in one place. By encouraging users to stay within the app, it fosters high engagement levels and improved user retention rates.
Additionally, Super Apps leverage user data to offer personalised recommendations, tailored content, and customised experiences, enhancing satisfaction. They also have the potential to reach a broader audience by catering to a wide range of user needs and preferences.
The biggest players on the field
Several Super Apps have emerged as leader examples in the mobile app industry. Most of them began as ride-hailing apps but have rapidly adapted to the groundbreaking technology and transformed into Super Apps – reshaping the way people worldwide interact with their smartphones and the services available to them.
Let’s get to know some of them:
- WeChat: Known as China’s all-in-one app, WeChat has shifted from a simple messaging platform into a comprehensive digital commercial ecosystem. It offers a wide array of services, including social media, medical appointments, e-commerce, and more.
- Grab: As a Southeast Asia power, Grab started as a ride-hailing platform but has since expanded its offerings to include food delivery, digital payments, and even financial services. Its ability to cater to the diverse needs of its users has made it a dominant app in the region.
- Gojek: Originating from Indonesia, Gojek is a multi-service platform that has grown from a ride-hailing service to encompass food delivery, digital payments, logistics, and several other on-demand services.
- Careem: Launched 11 years ago as a ride-hailing service, manually handling each ride in true start-up fashion, Careem quickly evolved into a multi-service platform. Did not take long until it became the first tech unicorn in the Middle East and eventually being acquired by its former competitor, Uber. It offers a wide variety of services to simplify everyday life for its 50 million registered users. From booking a ride to buying concert tickets, and even getting laundry done, Careem provides a seamless and convenient user experience all within one app.
Today, Careem is a multi-service Super App active in over 10 countries to simplify and improve the lives of people all across the region.
To fulfil this mission, Careem is on track to speed up the Super App strategy by broadening its service range and reach. This means setting up a platform which is future-ready, scalable, and above all, providing a top-notch user experience. Koos took on this challenge and is now working side-by-side with the Careem team strategizing and implementing designs that ensure a user-friendly Super App while offering a wide array of services.
What is next in the future of user experiences?
These examples highlight how Super Apps have what it takes to transform the mobile experience and cater to the growing demanding diverse needs of users. From facilitating everyday tasks to creating new avenues for business growth, Super Apps have become powerful enablers in the digital era. Careem, is a great example of how design empowers innovation by building a user-centric Super App that provides exceptional experiences to people.
In the end, Super Apps are not just about technological advancement – it’s about enhancing the way we live, work, and connect in an increasingly digital world. As we look ahead, the future of Super Apps seems promising. If you are interested in exploring the Supper App’s potential for growth and expansion into new markets and its role in the digital economy, stay tuned!