The Tata Group recently launched TATA NEU, a super app. This has triggered a conversation about super apps. What is a super app? How does it stand out from the rest of the apps? A super app by a company is a one-stop destination for a set of services or specialized apps catering all customer needs, including social media, travel, cab service, movie tickets, utility payments, insurance, food, fashion, health and wellness. These offers are often associated with a common account and a powerful in-app payment system. An ordinary app, in general, focuses on one of the services. For example, ‘Uber’ is a specialized app for cabs, Swiggy caters to food and groceries, and Netflix for entertainment.
If you look at the history of apps, you can see super apps were given more importance in the eastern region, especially in China, than in the western countries. China’s ‘WeChat’ is currently the most sophisticated super app in the world. Started as a messaging app, it now offers social media services, marketplaces, cab services, dinner reservations and booking of movie tickets. As of 2020, ‘WeChat’ has more than 1.2 billion active users per month. ‘Alipay’ has also made its way to ‘WeChat’ in China, gaining a large user base. ‘Gojek’, which has been renamed ‘GoTo’ is Indonesia’s flagship super app.
The developing countries are giving more importance to super apps than developed countries. Recently, the Indonesian president fired an anti-Gojek cabinet member and replaced him with Gojek founder. However, the US and EU leaders are so hostile to the super app ambitions of Amazon, Facebook and Google. Although Western companies are gradually adding a number of services to their apps, they are not completely super app. In India, for example, Amazon allows utility bills, travel booking, food ordering and groceries.
Tata Neu brings together some of the leading brands from Tata Digital
Besides in-house brands, Tata Neu has also acquired other brands. The app offers services across fashion, finance, gadgets, grocery, hotels, healthcare, content, technology and travel. Leading brands include AirAsia India, BigBasket, Croma, IHCL, Qmin, Starbucks, Tata 1mg, Tata CLiQ, Tata Play and Westside.
The main feature is the reward program NeuPass. Earn 5% Newcoins or more when shopping, eating or travelling via Tata Neu. A Newcoin equals one rupee. Also, get free deliveries, exclusive offers, a built-in credit line and early access to product launches.
There are a number of super apps in the pipeline for users in India. Reliance Jio’s upcoming super app is one of them. The competition will be fierce as Jio Platforms will be backed by Google, Microsoft and Facebook. Super apps like Paytm super app, SBI super app, Flipkart super app, Google super app, Amazon super app, Whatsapp super app, and Zee5 super app will be released soon.
