Exploring the possibilities of Web3 with super apps

cointelegraph.com:

Some of the biggest players in Web2 are striving to create so-called “super apps,” eying the incredible potential growth that tapping into every kind of internet service would enable. 

The concept of a super app is that a single company or provider offers access to every kind of service imaginable: payments, messages, gaming, shopping, savings, transportation, eating and more, all bundled into a single application. With such a comprehensive offering, super apps can grow to serve millions, perhaps even billions of users, serving as a veritable gold mine for the one who creates it. That’s because they can generate revenue in numerous ways, for example, through advertising, transaction fees and selling users’ data to third parties. 

Leading by example is China, home to the original super apps WeChat and AliPay. In the case of the former, it grew from a simple but incredibly popular messaging app to a platform for people to run their entire digital lives. With the advent of “mini-apps,” apps within an app, WeChat has expanded to offer almost every service imaginable, from hailing a taxi to paying bills, food deliveries, finding a date, getting a divorce, shopping and more. 

Super apps have become the norm in China, growing popular for convenience and simplicity. It provides a more seamless and intuitive experience, enticing users with rewards and discounts that can be used across its entire ecosystem of services. 

The concept of super apps has spread, with rival platforms emerging in many other Asian countries. In Indonesia, Go-Jek has emerged as that country’s go-to app for utility payments, moving and shipping services, pharmacy deliveries, fast food and more. 

We have yet to see a dominant platform emerge in Western countries.