The making of super apps: Where does India stand after Facebook-Jio deal?

A super app is like an app of apps. It acts as an umbrella app and declutters the number of apps in a mobile phone. In simple words, it is a marketplace of services and offerings, delivered via in-house technology and through third-party integrations. The term was originally coined in 2010 by Mike Lazaridis in 2010, the founder of BlackBerry

WeChat: One of the most successful Super-Apps in is Tencent-owned WeChat in China which gained 40% market share in digital payments just within two years of its launch in 2011. Launched initially as a messaging app, WeChat has transformed into an ecosystem, hosting 1 million “mini-programmes”. Any transaction like buying, ordering etc. happens within the WeChat ecosystem and the user doesn’t have to leave the app, thus giving a seamless experience. It is said to have achieved an average revenue per user of $7 which is seven times higher than that of Whatsapp. 

Naver: Globally, Naver is one such app in South Korea which has evolved from a search engine to catering several other needs of users such as social networking, shopping, payment, financials and content among others.

Line Corporation: Japan's Line messaging platform is a leading super app, with a user base of over 44 million. It offers the users a whole gamut of experience including free calling, mobile messaging platform, gamification and stickers among others. 

Where does India stand?

India does not have a super app unlike China though the recent deal between Facebook and Jio has ignited the belief that both the giants may be moving towards building an ecosystem of apps in the country under a single umbrella. While most of the Super-Apps owes their origin to messaging, the success factor however has been the “payments” feature which helps them to monetise faster.