Growing popularity of smart phone apps in India

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Smart phone apps are making Indians smarter. These apps have penetrated everyone's personal space. From delving in vanity-laden selfies to ordering pizzas via phone, these apps have become the first choice of a smart phone user today. Interestingly, smart phone usage is rising in India. Going by the figures of industry body - Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), total internet user base in India has reached 352 million as of June 30, 2015.

The fact that these apps look to simplify customers' lives makes them popular among smart phone users. Home management is a relatively new segment but is gradually catching up with the entry of apps like Timesaverz and Doormint.

The former caters to services like cleaning, appliance repairs, handymen jobs, temporary help, grooming and other errands, while the latter focuses on specialized cleaning of the house with chemicals and disinfectants.

Doormint launched in January 2015, boasts of a customer base of 20,000-25,000. "Through the app, we are trying to simplify a tedious process for the customer. As we are moving towards technology, convenience and reliability assume a lot of importance," said Abhinav Agarwal, CEO, Doormint.

He added that Doormint employs a hybrid model, where certain people are trained in-house, while certain others are hired as freelancers. "It all depends on the service being offered to the customer," he said. The app also comes with a post-service warranty. So, in case, the customer is not happy, he can go directly to the service provider.

Another app that intends to ease home services is Timesaverz. "The app helps consumers avail home services through the click of a button, cutting down their coordination time with multiple service providers and promises convenience and the trust of getting the right person, for the right price, at the right time," stated Debadutta Upadhyaya, Timesaverz's founder.

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In fact, these apps are just not restricted to improving homes. There are a few apps that empower small businesses to launch online. Lookup app, for instance enables small stores to connect with users without having to spend too much money on promotions or marketing.

"With 'Chat' as an interface, we bring the users and vendors closer and they are just a message away for any need. Consumers prefer services that are on demand and on the go, without spending too much time verbally expressing their needs," said Deepak Ravindran, Founder & CEO, Lookup.

The app allows users to enquire about products/services, get deliveries, book appointments at restaurants, clinics etc.

However, not all apps are service-oriented. Some apps like 'Velfie' cater to the vanity lovers amongst us. The app allows user to become the star by constructing a story around them, through audio-video mashups.

"Today, we are at the Cusp of a very big trend of audio and video mashups. If a picture is worth a 1000 words, a video is worth a 1000 pictures. What you express in a video is definitely more impactful than what you could possible achieve in a picture," said Ankush Johar, CEO, Velifie.

He adds that their app have more women customers as video generation is more amongst women, owing to their expressive personalities.

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Velfie even tied up with films like 'Gabbar is Back' and 'Drishyam' in the past part of the promotional initiative. The app helps 'capture and share your awesome self', which is also the company's tagline. (ANI)

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