The development of a super application that combines chat, Web search, news, and shopping is being thought about by Microsoft executives. A strategy for challenging Google and Apple’s mobile app shops.w
By creating its own mega app, Microsoft hopes to undermine Apple and Google’s monopolies over the App Store and Play Store. The latter would integrate all of the Redmond company’s services, including research via Bing and even chats via Teams.
Microsoft aspires to WeChat’s level of success
The success of an all-in-one application is exemplified by WeChat. It is crucial in China since it combines all the services a user might require. Without need to leave the application. This includes everything from online searches to chats with contacts. In addition to ordering a taxi online, and making payments in stores, among others.
The smart phone application, developed in 2011 by the Chinese giant Tencent, has more than 1.1 billion users worldwide. But the majority of them are located in China. WeChat is frequently mentioned as being a surveillance tool for the Chinese government. Which can track all of the users behaviors thanks to the platform’s 45 billion messages transmitted daily.
The success of this all in one application offers inspiration to other Tech giants like Microsoft. Which was defeated by Apple and Google in the war of the mobile app stores. However, Microsoft hasn’t had the last word and is looking to make a comeback. By thinking about developing its own super app to show its services and boost the company’s efforts.
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A Microsoft super app
Microsoft is in the early phases of developing an all-in-one app, according to people with knowledge of the situation who spoke with our colleagues at The Information. The company’s CEO, Satya Nadella, would have encouraged his workers to better integrate Bing into other services and apps like Teams or Outlook. The intention is to make it simpler for users to share search results within the app.
Microsoft has historically been more concerned with the company to which it sells software solutions than with the end user. The idea of a super application came about because Microsoft wants to offer services that people want to use in order to become more user friendly.
Microsoft has already made numerous attempts to replace Google as the default search engine on Apple devices. Attempts which have never succeeded. In fact, Google pays Apple billions of dollars each year for this privilege. Which allows it to be used by millions of users who don’t always change their default search engine.
Microsoft WeChat clone
According to The Information, Satya Nadella and senior Apple officials have many times spoken about this behind closed doors. Failures in the current round of discussions have forced Microsoft to think of alternative plans. To lessen the reliance of its services on Apple and Google. By creating a mega application, Microsoft might better show its services. While still relying on the App Store and the Play Store.
It’s important to note that the Microsoft Start app already has practically almost all of these functions. News, chats, games, discount shopping, and even Microsoft Rewards are available on the mobile app. However, if Microsoft is seriously thinking about creating a super app, it must go beyond what the Microsoft Start app now offers. It must specifically exceed it. Making an app that is just somewhat related to the service it is already providing will only provide a redundant app that may lead to a dead end.
Furthermore, WeChat, the app that the sources claim served as inspiration for Microsoft’s strategy, has more than 100 million downloads (outside China), while Microsoft Start has only received 5 million downloads on Google Play Store.
