The Mighty App: top 4 must-haves for any modern platform

It’s been 40 years since Steve Jobs predicted the emergence of the app, and the nature of digital life has shifted in step with users’ evolving needs.

The first wave of apps were designed to carry out singular tasks like messaging or basic calculations, while the next wave came stacked with services as companies competed to be an Everything App for users.

Now, another shift is underway: As users’ options increase, app developers are vying for thinner slices of users’ attention, leading many to drill down on user experience to edge out their peers.

“Most popular apps today have two key attributes in common: They facilitate real-time, multiuser communication, and they have mastered user engagement,” says Stephen Blum, CTO and founder of API development platform PubNub.

Stephen Blum, CTO and founder of PubNub / Photo credit: PubNub

He pointed out that “better user experience has become an expected standard,” citing apps from companies such as Facebook and Grab.

How do you build a truly great app?

Identifying a truly great app is easy, but building one is an entirely different matter. Blum names four essential capabilities that modern apps should have.

1. Typing indicators

Typing indicators are features that tell you when someone is crafting a message. Sometimes it can come in the form of push notifications or animated dots. Other times, it may give users read or delivered receipts, or even a note like “Marcia is typing.”

These indicators can be invaluable tools in customer-facing services such as telemedicine or food delivery, where speed and human-like interactions are highly valued. By providing a form of immediate reaction, typing indicators can mimic the cadence of an in-person conversation while also creating a sense of anticipation during an active chat that helps keep users on the platform.

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The feature’s also great for boosting app engagement overall, as it “adds a real-time element to interactions” that can hook users’ attention amid a cluttered digital environment, says Blum.

Case in point: real-time chats during live events.. Because there’s so many exciting things happening – perhaps the star athlete made a great play or the musician or band is about to play their hit song – it can be extremely distracting.

Typing indicators let participants in live event chats know that people are replying to them, keeping them grounded in the conversation and motivated to stick around amid all the external stimuli, Blum explains.

2. Real-time indicator tracking

Real-time indicators (RTIs) have become a vital tool for developers to manage and improve their software. This might involve tracking user traffic and drop-off rates or even user-focused in-app data such as likes or comments.

RTI tracking is an important source of user engagement metrics, which enables developers to quickly respond to events and proactively address customers’ concerns, says Blum. Companies can also use this info to identify popular features, pinpointing areas for improvement, and understanding user interactions with historical data.

The ecommerce sector, for one, benefits from RTI tracking. Firms can view how users are engaging with them, whether it’s by phone, email, desktop, or other channels.

This information gives teams the visibility to understand where and when to best meet their customers to deliver deals and promotions, driving higher engagement.

3. Chat functionality

Messaging has become a core pillar of many people’s lives and a main avenue to connect online. There are two main chat formats: one-to-one chats and group chats. Both share some characteristics including reliability, strong security measures, and engaging messaging features (reactions, stickers, GIFs, and voice or video chats).

“Chat is all about heightening connectivity between users,” says Blum. “You’re not just expanding how your users interact; you’re also broadening opportunities for engagement.”

Generally, one-to-one chats – such as private or direct messaging – can complement content-heavy social media apps. For instance, Instagram’s direct messaging platform created an ecommerce channel for small businesses to share about their products and transact with customers.

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Group chats, on the other hand, are multiuser experiences where large groups simultaneously connect in a single space. Blum notes that group chats are uniquely capable at creating new opportunities for user engagement, especially when it comes to team-wide collaboration and events experiences.

Take for example Veeps, a livestreaming platform that worked with PubNub to embed a group chat function, enabling artists and fans to engage with one another during performances. This gave fans a much more personal experience and helped them feel like they were part of the events. At the same time, artists get to benefit from connecting directly with fans and humanizing them in ways that weren’t available twenty years ago.

4. Real-time location sharing

Location sharing, also known as geolocation, has become more prevalent. Its use cases have spread across various industries such as gaming (think Pokemon Go), logistics, retail, and advertising. According to Blum, location sharing can enhance the user experience by making it easier for customers to access digital services.

Take food delivery, for example. Real-time location sharing makes it easy for users to identify which restaurants deliver to their area or plot the most efficient route for drivers. The same goes for ride-hailing services, which rely on real-time location tracking to match drivers with passengers.

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In one case study, real-life location tracking was used by BusWhere, a route-planning service firm, to help parents manage their children’s school bus schedules.

By leveraging PubNub’s data-streaming network, BusWhere was able to integrate real-time tracking for bus locations in a matter of days, allowing it to improve accuracy for users. Notably, this process would normally take weeks or even months if companies attempt to do it in-house, according to Blum.

Mastering the old, embracing the new

While modern apps can use these features to boost the quality of their user experiences, “incorporating real-time capabilities is admittedly challenging,” Blum says. These issues include “complex architectural patterns, socket limitations, and the need for dedicated teams to oversee different scaling patterns,” he adds.

Firms may also face issues in navigating a large number of vendors and connecting disparate pieces of software together.

Specific features may also come with their own challenges. For example, integrating typing indicators requires a significantly mature tech stack as the feature typically requires additional software architecture. Real-time location sharing may suffer from inaccurate or imprecise GPS data, which can cause errors in app execution.

When implementing new features, firms can work with a dedicated in-house team or go for experienced vendors. While each option has pros and cons, Blum argues that finding the right partner can give the process more flexibility while also opening up possibilities. Some partners, for instance, offer a wide repertoire of APIs and other components to build UI features, which gives companies tons of options to explore.

“Even seemingly minor features can contribute to an app’s triumphant reception. It’s all about finding a balance between mastering the old and embracing the new,” the CTO says.

PubNub is a global developer API platform that powers real-time infrastructure in apps and is experienced in helping developers create more engaging and interactive spaces online.

To experience how PubNub’s platform can help you build a truly great app, sign up for a free trial at this link.

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This content was produced by Tech in Asia Studios, which connects brands with Asia’s tech community. Learn more about partnering with Tech in Asia Studios.