In 2017, there are a lot of terms flying around trying to describe how mobile has changed the way people live and work. Some are calling it a “gig economy,” others are calling the people being raised in this time the “creative generation,” but what do all of these words mean?
Essentially, these terms are trying to make sense of just how fast our world is changing. Ever since the invention of the Internet, or, going back further, computers, we have been creating new technologies so fast that it can be hard to keep up with. Only 30 years ago, there was not world wide web, but now we all have it in our pocket just seconds away.
More and more people are using their smartphones more than their computers to go online and the market knows it. Now, there are mobile apps and mobile companies for just about everything and they are making a lot of noise in their industries.
Today we are going to take a look at exactly which apps and businesses are disrupting their industries by going mobile. Let’s take a look!
Uber – Transportation and Ridesharing
Ever since Uber was founded in 2009, the way people get around cities has been completely revolutionized. Instead of calling ahead to have a taxi take you to the airport or trying to hail one while standing on a busy street, you now have the ability to request a driver that will show up in minutes.
Soon after Uber began to get popular, other companies joined in to try and get a piece of the Uber pie. Some companies like Lyft have challenged them here in the U.S. as well as abroad, while other more local organizations like Fasten have focused their efforts on one or two cities.
As you might have guessed, traditional taxi drivers in huge cities are not happy with Uber taking away their monopoly on transportation, leading some to protest Uber in huge demonstrations. As more and more companies adopt the Uber model, it will be interesting to see how laws change and these companies adapt to make sure that no one does to them what they have done to the taxi industry.
Regardless of who currently has the greater market share, no one can deny that the way we as a society get around has been forever changed by these rideshare companies and that is why Uber has made our list.
Waze – Maps
Waze, which was recently bought by Google, has not only changed the world of traditional maps, but maps apps as well. No longer do we have the days of printing out five pages of MapQuest instructions, now we have everything we need in the palm of our hands.
The brilliance and defining factor of what makes Waze great is the power they give to their users to make the experience better. Waze crowdsources their information, allowing users to let others know when there is traffic, construction on the road, or an upcoming accident. It even allows you to tell others if there are police on the roadside.
Combining the social elements and mapping of an app like FourSquare with a GPS-style app has led to a widely-used platform that only improves as more users join. Waze has now disrupted the industry that used to just tell you where to go, but with Waze, you will also know when to go, how to get there, and what to avoid.
Basket – Grocery Shopping
Basket was founded only a few years ago as a way for shoppers to compare prices from across their city in order to choose exactly which store to go to for the biggest bang for their buck. The more that clients use this app, the more their grocery shopping patterns will change since the idea behind Basket is to help you find what you need, for the lowest price, in the most efficient route possible.
Similar to how Waze was able to crowd-source their mapping, Basket allows their customers to not only create lists with the existing items in Basket’s catalogue, but also add new items that they find in the store that aren’t currently in the database. This allows the users a unique opportunity to help the company while also saving money on their own groceries.
If you want to read more about exactly what Basket is doing, read more here or check out their website: BasketSavings.com
Tinder – The Dating Scene
The days of going out to bars, clubs, or gyms in order to meet your potential partner may soon be behind us. Tinder has completely changed the dating scene in more ways than one. Not only does Tinder limit your scope to your city, helping you find someone close to you, but they also expedite the entire process.
Instead of going on multiple dates with a person in order to find out if you are a good match, Tinder makes the process almost a split second decision. You see a picture of someone, you swipe right if you like them, left if you don’t. It’s that simple. If you both happen to swipe right, then you get to talk and see if there is more to talk about.
Similar to Uber, once everyone saw how well this was working, they started targeting different markets. Bumble prohibits men from talking first, a welcome concept for many women who were turned off by unsolicited messages on Tinder, while other apps like Grindr and HER have targeted the LBGTQA+ market.
Dating will probably never be the same, a sentiment that many have mixed feelings about, but if you are Tinder, this disruption sounds like music to their ears.
Venmo – Banking and Money-Lending
Mobile payment platforms are not unique or necessarily new, but Venmo has made its way into many of our phones due to its simplicity and how quickly it works. No longer do you have to always carry cash in order to split the check for dinner with your friends, instead you can simply send them the difference via this app and it shows up in their bank the next day.
While PayPal was a massive success, they never fully made the switch to mobile, allowing companies like Venmo to swoop in. Like we said, these companies are not doing anything necessarily revolutionary, but Venmo certainly disrupted the banking industry and pushed it in the right direction towards the 21st century.
Now, it is hard to find a bank without some form of mobile app or money-lending system, and while often these systems work well if you share a bank with your friend, Venmo allows for cross-bank transactions, something that has kept it in the spotlight even after these changes were made to combat them.
It’s uncertain if Venmo will be around in years to come, but they certainly left the banking and money-lending industry better and more efficient than they found it.
Slack – Online Communication
Like a lot of the industries we have mentioned, most of the people in them could never have imagined what companies would come in and mix things up. Email was no different. Everyone figured email was as good as professional communication online was going to get. Enter Slack. Slack has changed the way professionals and teams communicate within their organizations.
No longer do you have to worry about replying all to the wrong email chain or losing important documents in your vast inbox, Slack makes it easy to know who you are talking to and allows you to search all of your conversations for what you need. They also have incorporated a timeline feel that reminds users of familiar social media platforms, making Slack very easy to pick up and use with almost no learning curve.
Slack also benefits from integrating with other online apps. Instead of sending links to documents or projects, you can now add those apps into your Slack program, allowing a seamless transition and feel.
Email, something synonymous with the internet for so long, may be on its way out with Slack and apps like it that will follow in its stead. Since Slack is still a relatively new company, it will be interesting to see how they continue to disrupt their industry and find new ways to innovate.
What industry is next?
As we review these different industries and how they have forever been changed by mobile devices and mobile apps, we have to wonder, who is next? What industry will be forever changed by a new technology or innovative application?
Some are saying it will be the energy industry, some are saying live sports, while others are still trying to find ways to perfect the already disrupted industries and continue to make them more streamlined and efficient. Whatever industry comes next, you probably want to be on the front end of it, so get planning!
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