Given the heavy competition in the sector, the only means for businesses to stand out is through app innovation
As smartphones have become the largest means of accessing the internet, mobile apps are perhaps the most powerful means of connecting with users. In sheer numbers, it is a marketplace that no business can afford to ignore. With an expanding base of smartphone users and over a billion mobile subscribers, India is one of the fastest growing mobile markets in the world. Given the heavy competition in the sector and high user expectations, the only means to stand out is through app innovation. One of the industries that seized this opportunity was the fitness industry. With innovations in the Internet of Things (IoT) and wearable tech becoming more and more accessible, apps have become more dynamic with each vying for the top spot. As a result, the average user now has easy access to high-quality apps that can provide almost any virtual aid one can think of.
Chatbots: These are not new, but their utilisation in mobile apps is certainly changing the way brands connect and communicate with users. For businesses, chatbots are extremely useful as they improve customer service by collecting detailed feedback, providing precise information and offering an immediate resolution. By cutting human intervention, they also provide a more cost-effective and efficient solution for routine customer interactions. But from a basic customer feedback service, chatbots are now increasingly being adopted as the primary tool for customer interface. For instance, popular booking apps across the country are planning on introducing these bots for helping their users make hassle-free bookings, payments and reservations.
Wearables: Fitness-oriented platforms today track the user’s activity, heart rate and calorie intake along with oxygen monitoring. Some apps now offer a smart weight scale that will help users manage their body weight. But it isn’t just physical health that apps can help chart. They can also track one’s sleep cycle, emotional and mental health.
Virtual or Augmented Reality: The concept of integrating digital content with the real world may have seemed like science fiction a decade ago, but it is far more common than one may imagine. What was once almost exclusively a gamer industry prop, is today one of the most innovative ideas in fitness apps.
Machine Learning (ML): It is a branch of artificial intelligence where the machine uses data analysis to ‘learn’. As a consequence, we have ‘smart’ machines that improve their functioning as they learn. Apps use the smartphone’s own ML capabilities to improve their functionality. Camera apps are using this technology to detect the user’s emotions, making adjustments in their environments.
Progressive web applications: These are the marriage between web technology and apps stores that was just waiting to happen. Originally proposed in 2015, these apps have gained steady traction with both brands and users. For users, the attraction lies in instant access to the app without always having to install it. Flipkart and BookMyShow are the two big names with progressive web apps. Fitness apps come backed with sensors such as accelerometer and gyroscope. Others like Bluetooth and equivalent proximity options will very soon make their own appearance.
Payments: Remembering your PIN for every transaction can become rather tiresome, especially given the multiple platforms where we need passwords. To make the process easy, especially for those juggling multiple passwords, online payment platforms are now exploring transactions via biometrics, face ID, or voice-based systems.
App innovations will be the key in leading the industry and expanding its reach as more and more people take advantage of disruptive technologies that are fun and customised for their use.
(The writer is co-founder and CTO at StepSetGo. The views expressed are personal.)
