The Impact of Coronavirus on Mobile App Development
A fallout of the coronavirus pandemic is the rise of contact tracing apps, with governments in some countries making its use mandatory. For mobile app developers, this is a time to showcase their talents and grab a slice of the emerging market.
Ecommerce for non-essential products may be floundering in the wake of lockdown, but grocery apps are very much in demand and the recent tie-up between Jio and Facebook to integrate Whatsapp to help corner mom-and-pop stores to deliver groceries is another instance of what we can expect. Zoom, the video conferencing app, has literally taken off with millions of downloads. While segments of the industry have come to a grinding halt, the wheels of the mobile app industry are turning extra fast to meet demand and create new apps in various spheres.
Now is the time to push apps
With social distancing in place and employees marooned in their homes and glued to their smartphones, it is time for businesses to engage mobile app developers to develop and deploy mobile apps. This is the time when so many people have time at their disposal to try out new apps on their smartphones. Engage experts in mobile app development to come up with novel apps. The apps need not always be connected with your business and with sales. It can be a gaming app or health-related app or safety app or app to find local services. There is no time like the present to create your brand presence and imprint your brand in the minds of people.
What do people want?
If one were to go by figures and charts, communication apps enjoy the greatest downloads. Post the outbreak, downloads showed a steep upward spiral by more than 150%. This is not surprising as businesses must keep working and communication become a prime tool for everyone in the office to stay connected, collaborate and also serve customers. People want apps that will help them pass the time, learn something, have an entertaining time or do some work and earn money.
Remote work
The lockdown has introduced a shift. Regular workers has been let go or have the option of staying on the rolls with no pay. Businesses that must adopt the remote work policy need workers with different skill sets. What we have is a lacuna that requires to be filled. Apps fulfil that purpose. Businesses that seek remote workers will find such apps useful to connect with workers looking for remote jobs.
Health
The smartphone ecosystem is high tech. App developers can leverage this to come up with apps with high adoption value and revenue generation possibility. A simple example is that people would like to know if they are infected. An app that checks body temperature and concatenates it with other symptoms could serve as an early warning system. Users can approach healthcare for early tests and treatment or avoid the anxiety that false signals raise. Think of the millions of people who would rush to download the app. Companies that get such apps developed and deployed could earn revenue if they charge or goodwill if they give it away for free and let their commercial interests piggyback on the app. You could have a captive audience to whom you could push ad notifications and mobile ads.
Education via apps
Look at education. Institutions, coaching classes and even individuals need never face recession despite any pandemic. Apps have the potential of promoting learning and make it interesting through gamification. For institutions and coaching classes, this is a golden opportunity to maintain continuity of education and even increase student since geographic location is no limitation or barrier to growth.
Home delivery
Swiggy, Zomato and BigBasket are prime examples of food delivery apps that have tasted success. In the current Covid era, there is every reason to expect greater demand for home delivery of a variety of products, from food to medicines. Even when normalcy is restored, people are likely to try and stay away from public places. Startups can jump on the wagon of home delivery services with their own app and establish a flourishing business with the help of mobile app development services.
This is the right time for businesses and entrepreneurs of all kinds to sit up and take stock of the changed conditions. Opportunities are present. So are customers. The mobile app can be a vital bridge to connect with customers and accelerate growth or grow your own business. In its strange way, the lockdown situation may have created barriers but it has also opened gates across the world for new app-based business models. Be the first to grab the opportunity and you could establish an unassailable lead. Discuss all concepts of app developments with a mobile solution provider to know all the possibilities.