What are Mobile Apps?

Mobile apps are software applications designed to run on handheld devices like smartphones, tablets, wearables etc. These apps are primarily designed to run on mobile phones and tablets rather than laptops or personal computers. However, some apps can be designed to function well on laptops and PCs.

Mobile apps make it easier and faster to do whatever business function they are intended for.

For example, cab-hailing apps make it easier to book cabs from anywhere, anytime. Food ordering apps make it easier to order your favourite food, and weight management apps make it easier to track your weight and exercise goals and attain your goal weight.

What are the different types of mobile apps?

Mobile apps can be of different types based on their technology and usage. Here is a broad categorization of mobile commerce applications:

Based on the technology used to code, apps are of the following types:

• Native apps are built for one specific operating system or platform 

• Web apps are basically responsive versions of online stores or websites. Web apps are delivered using a mobile browser and can work on any OS or mobile device 

• Hybrid apps as the name suggests combine both native and web apps. However, hybrid apps look and feel more like native apps, have their own icon which can be used to launch the app just like a native app  

Based on the usage,  apps are of the following types:

• Ecommerce apps used for selling and buying products

• Mobile banking applications used for online transactions

• Utility apps used for paying bills, ticket booking, monitoring health, weather, news etc. 

• Digital or mobile wallet apps used for digital payments 

• Social media apps used for interacting on social platforms

• Educational and healthcare mobile commerce applications used for providing online education, healthcare services etc.

• Personal apps used by celebrities to promote their lifestyle and signature products

• Entertainment and gaming apps that provide recreation and entertainment

• Lifestyle apps that enhance lifestyle like dating apps, travel apps, fitness apps etc.

Mobile apps are an integral part of modern everyday lives. With new innovations and scientific advancements, cutting-edge mobile apps are being built to even detect certain illnesses, predict weather patterns for better crop management, guide students in choosing their career path and more. 

What are the benefits of Mobile Apps?

Thanks to the ease offered by mobile apps, their usage has exploded in the past few years. Businesses of any scale and size looking to accelerate their growth opt for mobile commerce solutions in form of apps, be it native apps, PWAs or hybrid apps.

From opening up new sales channel to helping learn customers’ preferences, mobile apps come handy for businesses in a lot of ways. Here are some benefits of using mobile apps:

• Reach to a wider customer base, even in areas where mobile phones are the only medium to connect with internet and online stores 

• Virtually set up your shop on your customers’ smartphones and keep reminding them about your brand with notifications

• Leverage mobile technology and inbuilt app features to gather more inputs about your clients' mobile browsing and shopping behaviour

• Faster purchase as buyers can buy anytime, even when theta re travelling or in bed

• Build a stronger brand presence and add new customer touchpoints by building mobile apps as well as stores that are PWAs

• Connect with customers easily and offer special services to make them loyal to your brand

• Improve marketing ROI by offering personalized deals in real-time( using push notifications) that have higher chances of conversion

• Offer instant customer service through bots and human assistance

• Boost order volume by utilizing impulse purchase through targeted marketing

• Make your brand popular across digital channels by offering sharable ( on social media sites, messaging apps etc.) content and product pages 

With so many benefits of mobile apps, they are a must-have sales channel for brands planning to create a niche for their business. 

What is the future of Mobile Apps?

With ecommerce gravitating towards mobile commerce, mobile apps are going to play a pivotal role in boosting business growth. Whatever be the business model, B2C, B2B, D2C or B2B2C, customers are conditioned to browsing the sites on their mobile devices. 

Mobile apps play a crucial role in improving business efficiency and accuracy when the organization’s vendors and other partners are provided with apps to run the business on the go. However, to stay ahead of the curve, brands need to invest in future ready technology that helps in building advanced and engaging apps with minimum effort.

StoreHippo offers an inbuilt mobile apps builder to build a variety of Android and iOS apps for brands. Businesses can make their apps right from their admin dashboard without any additional coding. With StoreHippo brands can build their marketplace apps, hyperlocal apps, B2B and D2C apps and also get inbuilt apps for admins, vendors, dealers, suppliers, delivery boys etc. Also, all the stores and marketplaces built on StoreHippo are PWAs, and look and function like an app when opened in a mobile browser. With StoreHippo brands can quickly and easily build their mobile apps and reap all the benefits of having a mobile commerce application at their disposal.