Canada is a global leader in science, technology, and innovation. However, one area it falls short behind the rest of the world particularly compared to Asian countries is it's lack of a Super App. A Super App is a feature rich application where users find many services they'd otherwise find across different apps. Features such As messaging, e-commerce, payments, transportation, and more, all within a single application.
Take For Example China, which has grown to love its Super Apps. In China there's an application called WeChat that integrates Social Networking, Bill Payments, E-commerce, Free Calling, Group Buying, and more into a single platform.
As a Social Networking App WeChat allows users to communicate via text, voice, and video messages, similar to WhatsApp. Also, WeChat's e-commerce capabilities help users browse and purchase a wide range of goods and services directly within the app. It hosts official accounts for businesses, brands, and celebrities, allowing them to interact with customers, promote products, and collect payment. Lastly, WeChat Pay, helps users to send and receive money, pay bills, split expenses, and make purchases both online and offline.
When it comes to Canada, some platforms offer functionalities similar to those found on a super app, But they're distributed across various platforms. For instance, Amazon serves as an e-commerce platform, while banks like TD and others provide payment services. Also, messaging services like WhatsApp and iMessage cater to communication needs. Unlike super apps found in certain Asian countries, these functionalities are fragmented across different platforms. Which forces users to undergo multiple sign-ups and sign-ins whenever they wish to utilize these services.
A primary factor contributing to Canada's lack of a Super App is the presence of regulatory obstacles hindering its development, particularly concerning data, privacy, anti-competition laws, and financial transactions laws . Additionally, the extensive availability of well-established services for specific needs, such as ride-hailing, communication, and payments, serve as another significant deterrent. Also, the potential for a bloated App might discourage users.
It's not all gloomy though, the applications we have today give us more choices. They compete for our business by making their prices cheaper or their products better. In the end, it's better that way, and If we had one app that did everything it would be a monopoly and would limit our options if we wanted to leave.
However in my opinion, since we live in the age of convenience where we have one-day deliveries and none stop information at our fingertips. I believe It's only a matter of time until we have a super app that consolidates all these services into one seamless experience. It will honestly make life so much easier. I can imagine booking a cleaning service, Chatting with Friends, Making payments, and more. All in the Same App!