The penetration of smart phones, which are driven by a generation that are digital savvy, who are living life on the go are always looking for instant connectivity anywhere and anytime.
Additionally, they look out for affordability, accessibility and increasing adoption of compelling data plans that are driving uptake of latest technologies.
How Smart phone created massive opportunity?
The ubiquitous nature of the smart phones has helped in creating a massive opportunity for organizations as well as brands to reach out to their users. We find there is a quantum shift in the way users are engaging with brands, accessing varied information and using their gadgets. The Smartphone has become constant company; most studies state that very less time is spent on the web. In fact nearing to 80% of the time is spent on apps: news, games, productivity, social networking apps and utility.
As per the Flurry, an App analytics firm, which does track app usage on staggering 300,000 apps on above billion active mobile devices, users have spent an average of 158 minutes every day on their Smartphone’s and tablets. About two hours and seven minutes on the app and about 31 minutes in a browser, surfing the old school web.
What are brands leveraging on?
Brands are quick to realize this opportunity and have started leveraging as well as integrating apps in their marketing mix. Established global brands such as Marks & Spencer’s, Burberry and local brands such as Hyper city and Shoppers Stop have constantly increased their reach-out to their consumers through apps.
Within a year launch of Bookmyshow, the mobile app, we find booking through the app increased to 25% of its overall booking. And about 20% of overall searches and 12% of booking Cleartrip comes from its mobile app. The trend is increased information is coming through the mobile content consumers are more open to paying for content on mobile, the paid app market is estimated to be around INR 300 Cr, which is far higher than what Indian consumers have ever paid for digital content consumption.
The slow but continuous shift away from browsers onto apps as the shortcut to everything online has been unfolding fairly as well as gradually. The consumers in the cluttered digital world, people look for instantaneous access, immediate gratification as well as easy convenience. Apps are their one touch or tap gateway to any brand, any place or any platform. The experience of exploring as well as accessing is redefined through apps. To find the availability of the movie, or book bus tickets, cricket scores or price for the stock market, people can use a specific app, without searching the internet with the browser. It is quicker as well as easier and hassle free experience.
When would mobile apps surpass internet domain names?
The Gartner, a research firm has predicted that by the year 2016, use of mobile apps would surpass that of internet domain names, making the mobile apps the dominant means of engaging with the brands. We find consumers are continuing to try new apps as well with long term users by introducing new apps regularly to their existing stack.
What is the reason for Apps popularity?
One of the major reason for the popularity of apps is that apps do the thinking of the user, and they offer faster and better experience in an era where time is in short supply. For instance, if people are searching for a good shop nearby to meet their friend. Where am I? the app already knows. The search is contextually relevant to you. That is the way, it is.
Apps are more contextual than browsers and also can remember past searches. A browser does know where you are, but it cannot do intelligent things for you in the background. Once the browser is closed, that is it, but in the case of the app, it continues to send information even when the app is not in use.
Why Apps are are so addictive?
Apps are very addictive; people do spend more time interacting with apps than on browser as taps are more efficient when it comes to using bandwidth. Few of the key advantages that an app does include is interactivity, personalization through regular usage and even offline content in few cases.
The death of the browser?
Although it has been only a few years into ongoing mobile revolution began, but we find there is clear shift with apps becoming a popular gateway. However in a nation like India where mobile revolution still requires moving to next frontier, the app vs. browser question would remain a real consideration for brands who wish to establish a connect with the users.
The mobile web promotes access all; the app model hands the gatekeepers the power of access and discovery while leaving service providers beholden to their policies, their platform tools, and their rules, which can change with little notice.
If you follow the principle that you require to be where the users are, then you require to be building as well as distributing apps, which leaves you with no choice but to accept that Google as well as Apple will always be the third party in any relationship with your customers.
