Times are changing, and user demands too. In this context, super apps emerge as the new answer to it.
Mobile applications changed the way we do things in everyday life. However, users always ask for the same: apps must provide us with what we need quickly and easily.
Apps appeared to be a great solution to making payments, shopping, and entertainment, among others. But, over time, users have a new request: why are we forced to download and keep our mobile phones clogged with applications?
Super apps are a new way of operating in the digital ecosystem that minimizes the number of applications necessary to do what you want.
Today we tell you how super apps work and why they are essential to success in business.
From Apps to Super Apps
Super apps were born in Asia, and they are expanding throughout the world. Mainly in Latin America, they are growing very strongly. One of its reasons is that 64% of the population in this region currently has access to mobile connectivity, and the projection is 422 million users in 2025.
Super apps arise due to an evolution in user demand regarding applications: they must be competitive, attend various functions and do it excellently.
Then, traditional apps began incorporating features into their catalog, becoming what we now call Super Apps. This expansion of services is often achieved through a merger with other complementary apps.
The goal of Super Apps is to seduce consumers by offering them the possibility of getting everything they need from a single application.
In short, a super app is the sum of a series of smaller applications executed within a higher application context.
What is a Super App?
A super app is an app that brings together many apps into one.
What does it mean? You can do everything – or almost everything – you want to from your smartphone’s screen. And nearly everything means: sending messages, bank transactions, asking for delivery, requesting transportation, buying at the supermarket, seeing a concert or play, among many other things.
If you were in China now, you could do all this with just one or two applications on your cell phone. But, if you are in Latin America, you will need a few more (around 20, maybe). However, the region is the second in super apps development, behind Southeast Asian companies.
Chinese super apps are the greatest right now. They combine commercial, financial and social solutions that meet the needs of millions of users. This type of business is characterized by its horizontal and vertical value chain integration, thus creating a great community. This community is their most powerful and attractive asset.
WeChat is a Chinese super app and one of the most famous in the world. With WeChat, you can order food, and transportation, access events, book doctor’s appointments, pay traffic tickets, and message from the same application.
Alipay is another example of a super app. It was Alibaba’s wallet at the beginning, and today is a super app that carries out financial transactions, operates in its marketplace, and more.
In Latin America, the Super App best positioned at the moment is Rappi. With it, you can order food, buy at the supermarket and carry out banking operations.
Financial Super Apps
Financial super apps are redefining and improving customer experience in the industry.
As they manage a tremendous amount of information about their clients, they know them in depth and can anticipate their needs. Consequently, they can offer their customers the product they need when they need it.
A financial super app is perfect to position your company at the forefront of your market. Today payment applications are an excellent tool for financial inclusion in regions where there is none.
For example, BBVA Mexico’s financial super app signed an agreement with Uber Mexico to provide financial services to all app drivers. The BBVA application also includes advice for purchasing and renting real estate through Valora.
How does a Super App work?
A super app is an ecosystem of services that coexist within the same application.
Super apps can be native on Android and iOS, hybrid in Flutter and React Native, or Progressive Web Apps (PWAs).
They work on all operating systems with excellent performance because they have many functionalities and APIs. APIs allow different services and applications to work together and build a complete ecosystem for the customer.
So, a super app is a set of mini-apps dynamically loaded at the user’s request.
One of the great benefits of super apps is that they keep core customer data and information connected at all levels. So you only need to enter your personal and payment details once. It allows users to operate efficiently and smoothly with the app. For example, when you make a purchase.
Consequently, clients bring their entire digital life together within a single application. Thus, companies build customer loyalty by providing them with all the services and operations they need in one place. As a result, they obtain valuable information from users to offer them more ad hoc solutions (directly or through partners).
Benefits of Super Apps
Users prefer super apps because they find them more beneficial for daily operations. These are some of the main benefits that Super Apps provide:
- More functions with fewer applications: super apps simplify how we operate with our cell phones. It is no longer necessary to change from one app to another to perform different actions; you can do everything from one place.
- They make users’ digital consumption experience safer and more comfortable.
- Companies offer more excellent value to their customers: increasing their range of services increases customer satisfaction and loyalty. In turn, this leads to differentiation for brands and greater profitability.
- It allows collaboration between different companies: adding value and providing a more complete and satisfactory offer to their customers.
- A simpler and more agile user experience: the user feels more satisfied when not having to upload their personal and payment data to different applications repeatedly. In addition, you do not need to become familiar with using new apps, nor do you have to change the app every time you want to perform a new operation.
- They enhance the power of the community they generate.
- They manage the value chain due to their business vertical and horizontal integration.
Rappi: the first Super App in Latin America
Rappi is currently considered the number one Super App in Latin America. It started as a delivery service and added more options to the application.
Currently, the Rappi app includes:
- Live Events: broadcast live events where the artist’s fans can also live personalized experiences.
- Live Shopping: live purchases during the events.
- Games: it has more than 150 games and thousands of users.
- Music: a music platform.
And the classics:
- Food delivery.
- Favors and messaging.
- Cash withdrawal.
- Sharing of expenses.
Rappi’s goal is to continue expanding its community by adding new services.
In this journey, ThinkUp has been Rappi’s technological partner in the implementation of various exclusive solutions:
- Rappitenderos
- Rappishopper
- Rappi Growth
As specialists in mobile development, we contribute with our know-how in delivery, e-commerce, and q-commerce technology platforms and technological support for developing these solutions in their iOS and Android versions.
Chabad Plus: a Super App for the global Jewish community
At ThinkUp, we developed the Chabad Plus super app for Merkos. Merkos is an international organization that supports the Jewish community worldwide through training programs on different topics.
Due to the great diversity of programs they offer to the community (from children to adults), Merkos decided to bring them all together in a super app for users to facilitate their access from a single application.
This development results in better, agile, and easy access to the program grid, which benefits the entire community. Being the activity of Merkos, a business with many verticals, the super app was the ideal solution for their current need.
The creation of Chabad Plus is part of the digital transformation process that Merkos is undergoing, which positions them at the forefront.
Conclusion
According to The State of Mobile 2021, people spend 4.2 hours daily on their phones. Therefore, retaining users in our applications is key to success.
The more services our app offers, the more time users spend on it. Besides, the more operations clients perform in the same app, the more we know about them and the better proposals for their needs we can offer. Thus differentiate ourselves from competitors.
Of course, becoming a super app requires a lot of work and a planned strategy. Choosing the ideal partner to develop your super app is essential to achieving business objectives. Otherwise, it can mean a complete failure.
The future demands super apps to give answers to customer demands. To achieve this, having the best mobile developers, the technology, the capacity for innovation, and establishing the best alliances is vital.
In Latin America, the challenge is already underway. The ones who manage to meet the demands will be those who rise to the top and get the best results.
Develop your Super App with ThinkUp and get the best results for your business
Super Apps are revolutionizing the digital market; your business can be part of it if you have the best technology partner.
At ThinkUp, we are a digital product development company obsessed with quality and specializing in mobile apps and unique user experiences. We create world-class digital products for startups and companies to transform and boost business.
