Rise of the Planet of the Apps
By: Noran Alaa Morsi
@noranmorsi
While most businesses suffer in this time of quarantine and curfews, the world of apps is thriving and reaching unprecedented levels of success.
Take TikTok, for example, which defines itself as “the destination for mobile videos”. Their aim is to share exciting short-form videos on a large range of interests for sports fanatics to pet enthusiasts and more.
Music Business Worldwide, an industry news publisher, reported an 18 percent increase in downloads of the TikTok app between March 16 and March 22, when COVID-19-driven lockdowns started happening all over the world.
“There is certainly a rise [of usage of certain technology], at the least, online conferencing tools, document sharing, remote access, more usage of personal devices, and of course more news and social networking, ” said Computer Science and Engineering Department Chair Sherif Aly.
According to GlobalWebIndex, in 2019, 41 percent of TikTok users were aged between 16 and 24, making it very teen-focused. Their target audience from the start were people under 18 years old.
Aly added that business models are changing due to the COVID-19 crisis disrupting the de facto way by which people run their daily lives.
“If we were using a hybrid approach before, of online and face-to-face interaction, we are now relying more on technology, and minimal, if any, personal interactions. This is putting a lot of pressure for sure on existing infrastructure and is forcing us to adapt,” Aly said.
Aly can see that many people are starting to use technology in a more responsible way, not just for entertainment alone. He thinks technology is being put into more effective use at this time.
“Technology is helping people become educated, socially distance themselves, complete paperwork through online workflows, and much more,” Aly said.
For example, there’s been a surge in stock price of Zoom Video Communications, a video and audio conferencing platform, recently used by schools and universities to maintain online instruction during the COVID-19 crisis.
According to market analysis firm LearnBonds.com, Zoom application downloads increased by 1270 percent in the period between February 22 and March 22.
Many people have been using applications for this exact purpose to keep in touch with others they would usually see on a day to day basis.
“I think Houseparty [a group video chatting social media platform] is one of the entertainment apps that have also been used a lot recently,” says Film senior Mahmoud El-Bassyouni.
“Ever since I downloaded it a few days ago, I’ve seen notifications that tens of my friends have downloaded it as well.”
However, there are also consequences to the way technology is being used at this time.
El-Bassyouni admits that he feels it’s very unhealthy to use apps for a long period of time without a break, and that he often gets headaches when he’s connected for long periods.
Nadeen Abdelhady, an Integrated Marketing Communications senior, said that she’s been using her phone much more than before the lockdown.
“It’s not just because I’m surfing through social media, but because I’m contacting my capstone group mates, whether its platforms such as Messenger, or we even use Zoom for our own personal uses so that the group can talk,” Abdelhady said.
Abdelhady admits she’s increased use of Instagram, Facetime, Zoom, Youtube and Netflix in the past couple of weeks.
“I’m also doing a lot of activities and workouts at home, but while video-chatting my friends so that we’re doing them together. I’m trying to video-chat more so that I’m kind of interacting with people,” Abdelhady said.
