Are single function apps superior to multi-purpose apps? Since the App Store was launched in 2008, this issue has gone under constant debate. A consensus was finally reached after analysis of data such as user preferences and usage behavior over the past few years. An overwhelming trend is now sweeping the App market right now: single function apps over multi-purpose apps! This is apparent from Facebook’s delegation of messaging functions to the FB Messenger App, and Google creating independent apps for Gmail, Google search, Google maps, and other separate functions.
▲Google has created 74 apps in total for its different products and functions
How Will Single Function Apps Replace Multi-Purpose Apps?
When apps were first developed, everyone worked to cram all the content and functionality of a full website into these tiny apps, causing apps to eat up memory within one’s mobile phone and drag down phone efficiency with battery consumption. This spurred users to seek lightweight apps which still met their needs. Thus, the minimal memory usage of single function apps won users over. As most people use their mobile phones to browse the internet sporadically, users are unwilling to spend excess time navigating websites. This is why single function apps which allow users to locate the information they need in the shortest time are preferred. For example, when users want to know about the weather, they do not want to waste time looking for a weather forecast function amongst a throng of functions. They hope to view information immediately, at the click of a button. They are looking for an instant solution which takes them directly to their destination.
Line’s Success Story: Expanding Functionality under a Single Purpose
The truth is that if many companies create the same single function app, product similarities often confuse users as they don’t know which app to choose. The only way to differentiate an app from red oceans of other apps is to maximize functionality for a single purpose! While Facebook and Google were busy separating and creating more single function apps, Line took the opposite approach of providing extended functionality such as free calls, dynamic news, photo albums, group graffiti walls, amongst other functions intended to increase usage time and dependency amongst users. Why did Line thrive from increased function complexity instead? Line expanded its functionality under the single purpose of supporting instant messaging software. Line chose to create new apps when faced with game development, camera functionality, antivirus software, and even secret group chat functionality to avoid user confusion. Drawing from Line’s success, don’t forget to consider whether new functions create added-value for product positioning before expanding new functionality for an app if you want to retain users successfully and increase product reliance!
▲Line created independent apps for different functions but linked them within Line so that users can access other apps quickly
Photo Sources:
http://goo.gl/KvDl3r
Data Sources:
http://goo.gl/YqAXaC
http://goo.gl/zOhPfw
http://goo.gl/qvK0WU
http://goo.gl/ctcO5m