for Meta and WhatsApp, describing a “super app–like vision” of an integrated marketplace and chat platform.more than a billion active monthly users and more than a million “mini-programs” on its app — it’s hardly surprising that U.S. tech leaders are eager to replicate their success. But of course, the U.S.
The super-app model also provides companies with unparalleled access to a wide array of user data, all gathered within the app’s walled gardens. This data can then be algorithmically analyzed to triangulate consumer preferences; target ads; personalize recommendations, discounts, prices, and loyalty rewards; and facilitate cross-selling — all of which can create significant value.
Meanwhile, functionally similar discrete services are available through many apps outside of Asia, but consolidated super-app platforms have yet to emerge in the U.S. So why haven’t Asian-style super-apps found success in the American market? There are a number of factors at play:In the U.S., many leading tech companies started out before the widespread adoption of smartphones, offering narrow, web-only services on personal computers, such as search , social media , e-commerce , and others.
As a result, big players that might seem to have the potential to become super-apps have long avoided doing so. For example, we’ve talked to Google engineers who’ve indicated that the company’s larger apps, such as Google Maps, are already bumping up against infrastructure limitations, making them hesitant to further expand those apps’ functionality. Back in 2014, Facebook even intentionally spun off its Messenger app from its main app.