5 Apps that have changed the world
There is an app for just about anything you can think of these days. Take a moment to consider how many times a day you reach for your smartphone or tablet to check your messages, make a quick payment, see what’s happening on your social media channels, take a selfie at the gym, or order a taxi to take you to dinner.
We sometimes forget that all of these moments are made possible thanks to the software development of apps for your smart device, all of which are specialised in making our lives easier.
Apps are using data mining and analytics to discover new ways to make our lives easier every day. For example, shopping apps analyse our spending habits and can send personalised vouchers or discounts right to our phones, while banking apps mean less of our time is spent in lines at the bank or at ATMs, as transactions can take place with just a few taps on our phones.
It is therefore pretty easy for us to realise that the advances and developments made by software developers and their companies have greatly impacted our lives.
Let’s take a look at some of the apps that have transformed our lives in the last few years:
1. WhatsApp
WhatsApp is the go to messaging app for over one billion people around the world. WhatsApp is not only used for sending text messages, but you can also send images, video and audio messages. Their latest developments mean that you can now make a phone call over WhatsApp using your data rather than having to use your airtime.
Additionally, because WhatsApp uses data, it works when connected to any Wi-Fi connection, which makes those chats and calls a whole lot cheaper than paying for talking minutes. Keeping in touch with friends and loved ones around the world becomes a whole lot easier.
According to dealsunny.com live mobile statistics, here is a snapshot of what the average usage of WhatsApp looks like:
Per hour approximately:
1 billion messages are sent and received
29 million photos are sent
8 million voice messages are sent
4 million video messages are sent
Per day approximately:
30 billion messages are sent and received
700 million photos are sent
200 million voice messages are sent
100 million video messages are sent
Per month approximately:
900 billion messages are sent and received
21 billion photos are sent
6 billion voice messages are sent
3 billion video messages are sent
With usage stats like these we can see exactly how large an impact the development of WhatsApp has made on our daily lives and the way in which we communicate with each other.
2. Social Media apps
How many of us are slaves to the social media apps on our smartphones?
Although these apps, especially Facebook, started out as a way to keep connected to friends and family, they too have evolved over time and are now a go-to point for up-to-the-minute information. Whether you are simply getting a news or weather update or checking your Twitter feed to see what the traffic is like before heading home at the end of the day, social media apps have a multitude of uses.
Apps like Instagram, with the recently introduced Instagram stories, and Snapchat allow you to share your moments with your friends or followers as they happen. These stories are only available for a selected period of time, allowing followers to be part of a real time event.
In a previous article on how technology can help during disasters we explored how social media channels can be used to organise mass gatherings, let family and friends know that you are safe, or to provide assistance to relief efforts without having to be at ground zero.
These social media channels have even become today’s news delivery system, replacing a good old-fashioned newspaper as you can now pick and choose the articles you would like to read while simply scrolling past anything you feel is not worth your time. Due to the speed at which content can be published online and shared across multiple social media platforms it has become the fastest way to keep up-to-date with current events.
3. Uber
Uber is now considered the world’s largest taxi operator and yet it doesn’t own a single vehicle. This app has revolutionised the taxi industry in over 500 cities worldwide and it is not even 10 years old.
Uber has taken away the hassle of catching a taxi. With just a few clicks on your smartphone, your driver simply shows up and your credit card is charged accordingly. You can even share your fare with a friend or send your estimated time of arrival to those who are meeting you at your destination.
Earlier this year companies such as Google, Microsoft and Amazon entered into a bidding war for Uber’s business as Uber looked to outsource its infrastructure to scalable cloud servers.
By moving to the cloud, Uber can have server facilities in geographic locations that are close to their customers, giving them the optimal speed and performance. This allows them to continue to provide the best possible service to their customers.
4. Airbnb
10 years ago going on holiday meant endless hours surfing the Internet looking for a good deal and hoping that that place you booked really does look like the pictures on the advert, or putting your trust in a travel agent to get you the best package for your budget. But now booking a holiday is as easy as grabbing your smart device.
When looking for accommodation the app of choice these days is Airbnb. Just like Uber owns no vehicles, Airbnb owns no property, however they have serviced over 60 million guests in over 190 counties worldwide.
Airbnb’s philosophy is; ‘don’t simply go somewhere rather live there’, experiencing the country or city the way the locals do. They achieve this by connecting people who have extra space in their homes (known as hosts) with people looking for accommodation in their area.
Airbnb takes away the time consuming research that used to go into looking for accommodation, as they have already done it for you and with over two million listings worldwide, they have something for everyone. Now not only is it easier for you to travel within your budget, but you get the added benefit of seeing your destination from a whole new perspective and potentially meeting some great people while you are there.
This forward thinking company also makes use of cloud servers, initially it was the ease of managing and customising the stack that got them started and as the company grows the flexibility and responsiveness that the cloud offers is invaluable to them.
5. Pokémon Go
This augmented reality gaming app took the world by storm. It had over 10 million downloads worldwide within its first week, overtaking other popular viral games like Candy Crush.
It took John Hanke, 20 years to create this ground-breaking app, and numerous developments in software made it possible. It all started in 1996 when he developed his first multiplayer online game, followed by creating the technology that we know today as Google Earth. Each of these technology milestones was one step closer for John to reaching his bigger idea of creating a game that could be layered over the ‘real world’.
Read about John’s full journey to making an overnight success here. This is a perfect illustration of how the developments of software companies will continue to shape our lives.
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