All-in-one apps that dominate China and other Asian markets may soon materialise in the United States, albeit with significant variations
When Elon Musk announced the appointment of Twitter’s new chief executive, he also reminded the world of his ambition for the platform: “Looking forward to working with Linda [Yaccarino] to transform this platform into X, the everything app.”
But for once, the entrepreneur who popularised electric cars and pioneered private space exploration is behind the curve. Apps that serve as one-stop shops for a multitude of services – from online messaging, grocery and food shopping, e-payments, ride-hailing and entertainment to travel bookings – are already widely used in China and Southeast Asia. WeChat, the king of the so-called super apps, has more than 1.3 billion monthly active users.
[This article is republished courtesy of INSEAD Knowledge, the portal to the latest business insights and views of The Business School of the World. Copyright INSEAD 2024]