We are now entering the “Post App Era”

In a mobile world, you are offering or competing with services based on cloud technology, global ecosystems and hyper-scaled platforms. It is about the micro-moment in which the mobile phone is a catalyst for making things happen. In this article we talk about how the best become even better and how “container” technology means that employers can offer better user experiences through accessibility, performance and security.

Apps will not die, but they will become more important – in a different way

What are the most important factors you MUST take into account when you operate in a mobile world and offer or compete with services based on cloud technology, global ecosystems and hyper-scaled platforms?

You don’t operate like this? Well, then there is every reason to get busy. One thing is certain. Digitalisation will continue to wipe out everyone who responds to it with ignorance, while it will reward the curious – those who dare to think innovatively and differently. In other words – for those of you reading this, it’s time to get excited!

What happens when the mobile phone becomes the gateway to the majority of interaction points?

More and more people do business on their mobile phones, with growth in global mobile phone use having exploded and overtaken all other platforms. The mobile phone has become the gateway to the majority of interaction points, whether it is between people, between businesses and people or people and things. It is about the micro-moment in which the mobile phone is a catalyst for making things happen, whether you’re driving into a car park and are automatically charged, want to check the latest news or buy a ticket for the train or tram.

We don’t need one app from the food box delivery service, one from the post office, one from this and one from that

For example, every time I get into my car in the morning or on the way home from work, Google tells me automatically how long it will take and shows me a real-time image of where the queues are; if the traffic is heavy I will choose another route. I also really appreciate that the app for my local car park automatically opens the gate and tells me how much it has cost me. The two latter services could be categorised as “personal assistants”.

Microsoft’s Cortana or VIV from former Apple employees are based on artificial intelligence and create smart user interfaces for most things via third-party applications. For example, Volvo has already used artificial intelligence in its charming advertising campaign for the new Volvo V90. Here you can talk to the car and actually win it.

We are now entering the “Post App Era

Apps will not die, but they will become more important – in a different way. The success of an app will be measured in terms of which valuable experiences the user has outside the actual app. Analysis company Gartner predicts that in 2020, 40% of all app use will be based on this.

4 things the best companies will be good at

1. Customer insight

Customers will often be carrying their mobile phones, and we must therefore understand the customer, we must know what and how they want things to happen; should I talk to the application, should I click, will it happen automatically, etc.

2. User experience and brand experience

It is here that the Design Thinking philosophy comes into play. It is crucial to identify the core functionality a service provides and which brand experience you are attempting to give the user.

3. Big Data and algorithms

The future is about tracking behaviours, interpreting behaviours, designing desired solutions and delivering on what gives both the customer and the business the most value

Algorithms that eventually transform into self-management. The software makes decisions and eventually learns (smarter companies than us will do this; we are merely on the commissioning side)

4. New business models

It is crucial to understand how everything is connected, how you earn money, how customers are willing to pay and how technology can work for us. Digitalisation is about rethinking what we do and the way we do it. Rethink processes and business models in light of the new digital technology and combine the physical and virtual world.

Critical for employees to provide good user experiences

“Containers” solve accessibility, performance and security

Both apps and web browsers will become smarter and will perform many new functions. Apps will become more hybrid and follow us everywhere: in the car, at work and at home. They will collect data about our behaviour, learn from our habits and act on the basis of what they have learnt. This will enable automation, simplification and streamlining of our everyday habits. For employers, this is of critical importance if they are to survive in the future.

Major consequences for cost efficiency

Virtualisation provides fertile ground for current cloud platforms such as Microsoft Azure and Amazon EC2. It is about constantly utilising more of the available capacity in software by dynamically scaling processor power and memory according to requirements.

Today, we have more or less maximised the efficiency of software virtualisation and identified new methods of streamlining. The most promising of these are containers. This is a direct replacement for software virtualisation rather than virtualisation of the actual operating system, i.e. programmes can run in their own, controllable environment without thinking about whether the operating system is Linux or Windows or whether the server is in Oslo or Tokyo.

Containers also enable hyper-scaled services that can now be developed and operated seamlessly. Splitting up the architecture and system into small, specially-adapted micro services means that it is much easier to create apps and solutions that have significant accessibility and performance. When you combine micro services with containers, you also have the possibility of creating specially-adapted OS for multiple solutions.

Good user experiences require advanced technology

Many cloud platforms currently offer good support for such containers. and this also gives us the opportunity to distribute the solutions all over the world. But this also poses its own challenges, not least, security requirements. With containers, technology has made provision for good user experiences in the form of performance, accessibility and, not least, security.