Okay, so like everyone listening knows the struggle, right?
Trying to, you know, get dinner, book a flight,
message a friend all at the same time.
Yeah, juggling a million apps.
It's the story of our digital lives.
Exactly.
Yeah.
But what if like, what if there was just one app
for like almost everything?
Ah, you're talking about super apps.
Yeah, super apps.
They're huge E in Asia,
but not so much here in the US.
So today's deep dive is all about that super apps,
what they are, why they haven't caught on here yet.
It's a pretty fascinating topic actually.
It really is.
And like the biggest example
everyone always talks about is WeChat in China.
I mean, over 1.3 billion users.
A million mini programs running inside it.
It's mind blowing.
It's become way more than an app.
It's like a whole digital world.
But it wasn't always like that, right?
Oh, not at all.
It started as a pretty basic messaging app.
You know, like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.
But they were really smart about how they grew.
Once you have like hundreds of millions of people
using your app just to talk to each other,
it's kind of a no brainer to start adding other stuff.
Payments, shopping, games, all within the same app.
So they had the users already
and they just kept adding more stuff.
Pretty much.
And all those users generate tons of data
about their habits that lets WeChat
offer super personalized experiences
like restaurant recommendations
based on what you've ordered before
or travel deals to places you've searched for.
Whoa, that highest.
Convenient, but also kind of creepy.
That's the trade off, right?
Convenience versus privacy.
And that's one reason super apps
haven't really taken off in the US.
People here are like a lot more worried about their data.
Exactly.
And there's another factor too.
Remember how we talked about like how fast
Asia adopted mobile tech?
A lot of Asian countries kind of leapfrogged
over the whole desktop computer phase.
They went street to mogul.
So like they didn't have all the old systems
already in place.
Right.
Like think about credit cards.
In the US, we've been swiping plastic for decades.
But in Asia, digital wallets took off way faster.
Exactly.
And that made it easier for super apps
to handle all sorts of financial stuff.
So digital wallets were a big key.
Huge.
It's like they built this whole new financial world
on top of mobile phones.
And that's something a lot of people in Silicon Valley
have been watching very closely.
You mean folks like Elon Musk.
Didn't he say he wants to turn X, you know,
Twitter into a super app?
Yeah.
He's definitely interested.
And he's not the only one.
But to really understand if that's even possible,
we got to look at the challenges.
OK.
So what are those challenges?
Like what's stopping a company like, I don't know,
Amazon from just saying, boom, we're a super app now?
Well, it's not quite that simple.
There are some big hurdles, especially here in the US.
OK.
So what are those challenges?
Like what's stopping a company like, I don't know,
Amazon from just saying, boom, we're a super app now?
Well, it's not quite that simple.
There are some big hurdles, especially here in the US.
Like for starters, the whole regulatory landscape.
Oh, right.
Like all the antitrust stuff?
Exactly.
In the US, regulators are super wary of any one company
getting too big, too powerful.
Which is super app, like by definition, kind of is.
Yeah.
If you have one company controlling payments, shopping,
communication, all that stuff.
It starts to look like a monopoly.
Right.
And regulators worry about that stifling competition
hurting consumers in the long run.
Hmm.
I hadn't thought about that angle.
It's a big one.
Remember when there were those talks about Uber
maybe buying Expedia?
Oh, yeah, yeah.
That kind of freaked out a lot of antitrust experts.
They saw it as a step towards like a travel super app.
So even if a company could technically build a super app,
the government might step in and say, nope.
Potentially, yeah.
And then you've also got the whole user behavior thing.
We talked about how Americans are pretty privacy conscious.
Yeah, way more than in a lot of Asian countries.
Right.
And that makes a huge difference.
For a super app to work, it needs
access to tons of your data, where you go, what you buy,
who you talk to.
So they can personalize everything.
Exactly.
But in the US, people are more likely to be like, whoa,
hold on.
That's a bit too much information.
I get it.
But at the same time, isn't it getting kind of annoying
to have a separate app for everything?
It's definitely a trade-off.
Convenience versus privacy.
And that's the big bet companies like Uber are making.
They think convenience will win out in the end.
Seems like it.
But they're going to have to convince a lot
of skeptical Americans.
For sure.
And then there's the cultural piece, too, right?
Like how different cultures view things like privacy,
community, all that.
Oh, absolutely.
That plays a huge role.
In a lot of Asian cultures, there's
a stronger sense of collectivism, of community.
So people are more OK with the idea of one platform that
connects everyone and everything.
Compensially, yeah.
It kind of fits with those cultural values.
Whereas in the US, we tend to be more individualistic.
We like our separate spaces, our freedom to choose.
Right.
So even if super apps, DO, start catching on here,
they might need to adapt.
Offer more ways for people to personalize their experience,
to control what they share, all that.
So it's not just about copying what works in Asia.
It's got to be tailored to the US.
Exactly.
But let's say, for argument's sake,
that some of these challenges get overcome.
OK.
What kind of impact do you think that would have on the bigger
tech landscape?
Well, one thing that pops into mind
is even more consolidation in the tech industry.
Like if everyone flocks to just one or two super apps,
it could squeeze out all those smaller apps, the ones that
only do one specific thing.
Definitely possibility.
But I think it's also worth remembering
that tech is always evolving, right?
Something new could come along and disrupt the whole super app
thing entirely.
We can't predict the future.
True.
But the bigger question is, what does this mean for US?
For how we live our lives, interact with businesses,
all that.
Exactly.
And those are the questions we need to be thinking about,
right?
There are no easy answers.
On the one hand, super apps could be amazingly convenient.
They could streamline so much stuff, make our lives easier.
Like imagine paying bills, ordering groceries,
booking travel, all in one app.
Exactly.
And for some people, it could even
provide access to essential services
they wouldn't have otherwise.
Think about folks who don't have traditional banking,
for example.
That's a great point.
But then, of course, you have the other side of the coin.
The privacy concerns, the data security risks,
the potential for a few powerful companies
to have way too much control over our digital lives.
It's a tough balance.
It is.
It's like any powerful tool, right?
It can be used for good or are for bad.
And it's up to US to make sure it's being used responsibly.
Exactly.
So if a company really wants to crack the US super app market,
they've got some serious work to do.
And I think it starts with addressing those challenges head
on.
Like they need to show they're really
committed to user privacy, to data security.
Not just hiding it all in the fine print.
No, they've got to be transparent,
clear about what data they're collecting,
how they're using it, how they're protecting it.
And they've got to give users control.
Like the ability to outgout a certain stuff, right?
Exactly.
And then there's the whole cultural piece.
They need to really understand American consumers what
we value, what our concerns are.
So maybe emphasizing features that give people more choice,
more control over their experience.
Right.
And they've got to be willing to talk to regulators,
to policymakers, to the public, and have open, honest
conversations about the potential benefits,
any risks of super apps.
So like transparency and communication are key.
Totally.
It's not just about building a cool product.
It's about building trust.
And ultimately, it's about convincing users
that they can have both convenience and control.
So it sounds like building a successful super app in the US
is going to be a lot more complicated than just
having the best tech.
It definitely is.
It's about understanding the culture, the regulations,
the social landscape.
It's a huge challenge, but not an impossible one.
And the stakes are high.
Like whoever figures this out could end up reshaping
the whole tech industry.
No doubt about it.
This whole super app thing, it's not just a technological shift.
It's a societal one.
Yeah.
And it's raising some really big questions
about how we live our lives online,
how we interact with each other, how much power we're
willing to give to these tech companies.
Right.
And those are questions we all need
to be thinking about, not just the tech companies.
So what are some key takeaways for the average person
listening to this?
I think one big one is to be informed.
Like don't just blindly embrace the convenience of a super app
without understanding the trade-offs.
Ask questions.
Demand transparency.
Make informed choices about what you use
and how you share your data.
That's so important.
And also remember that the future isn't set in stone.
It's something we create.
Yeah, together.
Right.
So let's make sure we're creating a future where
technology empowers us, connects us,
helps us build a better world, not the other way around.
Well said.
Now, this deep dive has been all about the companies
trying to become super apps.
But what about everyone else?
The companies that don't want to be everything apps.
Will there even be room for them in a few years?
That's a great question.
It makes me wonder if there's still room
for those smaller, specialized apps
to thrive in a world where super apps are becoming
increasingly popular.
It's certainly a valid concern.
If users start gravitating towards the convenience
of a one-stop shop, it could make it much harder
for smaller players to stand out.
Yeah, like how do you even compete with that?
Right.
They might need to get creative, really focus
on building those niche communities.
So offering something super specific that a super app might
not do as well.
Exactly.
They need a clear value proposition, something
that sets them apart.
It's like, think about those small coffee shops.
OK, yeah.
They managed to do pretty well, even with Starbucks
everywhere.
Right, because they offer something different,
something special.
Exactly.
It's not just about convenience.
Sometimes people want that unique experience.
I see what you mean.
But it also makes me think about the impact
on entrepreneurship.
Will it be harder for new startups
to get off the ground if they're going up
against these giant super apps?
Yeah.
It's definitely something to consider.
I mean, on the one hand, those super apps
could be a huge GE barrier to entry.
Think about the resources they have.
The money, the user base, all that.
Exactly.
It's tough to compete with that.
But then again, there's also a chance
that super apps could actually H-E-L-P innovation.
Huh, how so?
By giving smaller developers a way
to reach a much wider audience.
Sort of like an app store, but even bigger.
Yeah, kind of.
Think about WeChat's mini programs.
That's a great example.
Those smaller companies get access to tons of users,
and users get access to all these cool new services.
This was not necessarily a bad thing for everyone.
Not necessarily.
It's about adaptation, finding ways
to work within that new landscape.
This whole discussion really makes
you think about the bigger picture.
Like what happens if a few super apps control
most of our digital lives?
Yeah, that's the million dollar question, isn't it?
What does that mean for access to information, freedom
of speech, even democracy?
Those are huge E questions.
And we're already seeing some of those concerns play out
with the big tech companies we have in NowW.
Yeah, definitely.
So in a world with even more powerful super apps,
those concerns could get amplified.
It's something we need to be talking about as a society.
Figuring out how to make sure technology is serving US,
not the other way around.
Exactly.
Well, this has been a fascinating deep dive,
to say the least.
I feel like I've learned a lot.
Me too.
Any final thoughts for our listeners before we wrap up?
I'd say don't be afraid to embrace the convenience.
Super apps can offer a lot.
But be informed, ask those tough questions,
demand transparency.
Don't just hand over your data without thinking about it.
Right.
Make sure you're in control.
It's our digital future, after all.
We get to help shape it.
Exactly.
Let's make it a good one.
Well said.
And on that note, thanks for joining us
for this deep dive into the world of super apps.
I have a feeling this is just the start
of a much bigger conversation.