Life Apps
June 1st, 2010For years the end goal with software was to cram extraneous functionality into every application. Take simple word processing as an example, the actual input and formatting of text is just a small part of modern software packages. Mail merging, community publication, auto-archiving, templates, and a myriad of other “features” all cloud what it is the piece of software is actually supposed to achieve.
Where are we going with this? Well, consider the success of modern apps/widgets, think about how each individual app functions. Crammed with functions? Don’t think so.
Todays Apps and Widgets are achieving such widespread adoption and more importantly, understanding, because they are bite-sized & focused. Radio apps play the radio, weather apps give a forecast, and so on. The extraneous functionality has been eliminated, the software is lighter and more streamlined, and the user experience is endlessly better as a result.
It’s with great interest that we are seeing the same principles now transferring to services, physical products and environments. Take the “Sleepbox” as just one example.
Russian architecture studio “Arch-Group” developed the sleepbox, a 2m x 1.4m x 2.3m compartment which provides inhabitants with a bed, sockets and a flip-down table. The bare minimum for a comfortable and restful night’s sleep. No hotel lobbies, en-suites, leisure centres or conference rooms. A “Life App” if you will.
If you take this as a starting point for new services and products it opens up a multitude of new opportunities for your business.