There are around 2 million mobile apps on the App Store and 2.2 million apps on the Play Store and some alarming statistics show that only 25% of the downloaded apps are used once every six months.
Too many, too correct, too lost
To highlight the irony of the many apps available in the various app stores, an ad campaign created a tagline: “there’s an app for that.” There was a phase until very recently where the productivity and popularity of any platform was defined by the number of mobile apps available on its marketplace. This had prompted Microsoft’s marketing strategy to attract more mobile app developers for its Windows Phone platform so that it could quickly reach the 1 million mark! BlackBerry lost the race due to its hesitance to blend in with the crowd and although it made a valiant attempt to salvage the situation by making its immensely popular BlackBerry Messenger available on both Android and iOS platforms, the app lost its charm on its face. from the huge crowd of WhatsApp followers.
The application of the fatigue factor
The problem with any new phenomenon is that people cross the line, so for every 50 new apps that are launched on the app store, one may be successful. As of May 2015, more than 54,000 apps have been submitted for release on the iOS App Store. However, not all applications have features or functionality that attract user interest. Smart devices are also getting sophisticated with embedded technologies like NFC, high-resolution front and rear cameras, smart device integration, and more. Therefore, consumer expectations are also experiencing great sophistication and it is imperative that mobile applications adapt to these increasing expectations.
For example, iOS 10 will come with HomeKit, which opens a wide avenue for home-based iBeacon apps to maneuver various home appliances. As in the case of all products, only an application that adds value to the user’s life survives the brutal competition. A good quality app with a fresh outlook and new features will perform well and gain ground. Value can be entertainment, novelty, create a need where there was none, make logical use of new technologies, among other things. Industry experts, mobile app developers, and app development companies reiterate that the quality and value of apps remain the primary factor for success. Any new application that does not exceed the threshold is bound to fail.
Adequate and appropriate characteristics
Regardless of how many features an app might have, only a few are used regularly, while some are not used at all. Many features simply cause information overload, or what might be better called “white noise.” In the same way that people treat commercials on TV as a break to complete some task; the unused feature has the same state where it is seen as an aspect of the application that can be ignored. A smart way to treat features and engage users through them would be to release them as part of an update.
Especially in the case of social networking applications, industry experts believe that application developers should analyze what is critical and re-examine the effective use of mobile devices before integrating new features. A startup company, HI-FI, has launched an app that studies app fatigue and analyzes the disappointment trend of social media. The app will help identify unnecessary features and add information to help users set up their own personalized menus based on their interests. This will help users save time with an easy to use interface. The app will play the role of a universal remote control, the manufacturers claim and has already attracted a lot of takers in the market.
Where is the profitability?
Mobile app development remains a profitable avenue because the future will be ruled by apps and mobility. The cost of mobile app development was in the range of $37,913 and $171,450. However, this amount has been drastically reduced to $150 in North America and the lowest is $26 for a developer from India. In addition to the competition, even evolving technologies have helped drastically alter the cost of development. Cross-platform app development platforms like PhoneGap, AngularJS, and Ionic have facilitated a further reduction in app development time and costs.
The profitability lies not only in the reduction of production costs, but also in the number of people adopting smartphones. Right now, gaming is still the most popular category, but e-commerce and business solutions are also benefiting a lot from mobile apps.
Mobile strategy is a central aspect of the business marketing strategy of leading enterprises and SMEs as it is recognized as central to reaching target customers with the most concise messages from the road where they can be easily accessed and on a personal level. Therefore, in the long run, mobile app development will remain a profitable avenue.