Recently, a social giant began requiring users to download a standalone chat app if they want to continue using messaging. On the surface, this change seems to be just a technical adjustment, but behind it it reflects the business strategy of technology companies that want to deeply bind users and create a closed ecosystem.
The logic behind functional separation
Core functions will be split by technology companies, generally based on product architecture or performance optimization matters. Among them, this time it was decided to implement independent operation of the chat service. The official reason is that the application will run faster after independence. Compared with the original integrated version, it can increase by about 20%. For those users who desire higher efficiency in instant messaging, such an improvement is obviously attractive.
Apart from speed, independent applications are very convenient for this team to focus on a single function for iteration. Brand-new applications will become more flexible in adding extended features such as group chats and high-definition video calls without being burdened by the complex code of the main application. From the perspective of technological advancement, modularization and independence of functions are common ways for many large-scale applications to develop into later stages.
The ambition to build an application network
Breaking a function into an independent application is just one link in a huge plan. Looking back at the company's development progress, it has long launched many independent applications, covering many fields such as social networking, information, and image processing. Each application is like a tentacle, penetrating into different scenarios of users’ digital lives.
When users switch between different applications and data are connected through the account system, a large-scale "application network" or "application family" will be quietly built. This not only increases user stickiness, but also prepares the infrastructure for cross-application data analysis and precise advertising delivery. Its goal is not just limited to the 200 million users of chat tools, but a user ecosystem of more than one billion.
Realistic changes faced by users
From a user perspective, the most direct change is that the number of operating steps has increased. Messages that could originally be sent with one click within the main application may now have to be jumped to another application to complete. If the user has not downloaded the independent application in advance, he will receive a download reminder during operation, which will undoubtedly bring some inconvenience to the user.
This type of change also takes up more mobile phone storage space. Adding an application means that hundreds of megabytes or even hundreds of millions of bytes of space are occupied. For users of older mobile phones with limited storage capacity, this may prompt them to clean up other content, or further speed up the decision to change phones.
Strengthening strategies for business ecosystem
From a business perspective, encouraging users to download more of their own applications can effectively consolidate its ecosystem. Each solitary application is a new entrance and traffic pool, which can resist competition from other applications with a single function. At the same time, this can also improve the company's ranking in the app store and overall upward exposure.
Its more in-depth purpose is to focus on data. Individual applications can apply for specific mobile phone permissions in a more "compliant" way, thereby collecting more vertical-dimensional user behavior data. After these data are connected in the background, the company's depiction of user portraits will be extremely precise, and its commercial value will also be amplified.
Potential market and regulatory responses
This behavior of strengthening its own ecology has the possibility of attracting the attention of market competitors. Other companies may implement strategies like this, or launch more integrated services to compete. Eventually, the interface of the user's mobile phone will be divided up by the "application folders" of several technology giants, and this phenomenon arises.
Relevant parties may consider the appropriateness of such behavior and force users to perform relevant downloads in order to use complete services. Is this suspected of abusing a dominant market position? When data is shared between different applications, are users fully informed and their consent obtained? These are regulatory issues that may trigger discussion.
User responses and choices
Users are not completely passive when facing this trend. It is necessary to carefully review each application's permission application. For non-core functions, you can refuse to grant sensitive permissions such as address book and location. Regularly cleaning up apps that are not frequently used but are still running in the background can also protect privacy and save battery.
For users, they often have the ability to actively choose alternative products. Within the vast market, there are a large number of third-party and cross-platform communication tools that exhibit excellent characteristics. In some aspects, these tools may focus more on simplicity and privacy. The behavior of voting with your feet has always been the most powerful way for users to express their attitudes. Such behavior will also push large companies to think more carefully about weighing product strategies.
In the increasingly complex application ecosystem strategies of technology companies, as an ordinary user, do you pay more attention to the integration of functional convenience and experience, or are you willing to accept multiple independent applications for the sake of a single function that may be better? You are welcome to share your opinions in the comment area. If you find this article inspiring, please give it a like and support.
