You bet there’s an app for that!

As a 90’s kid, I can safely say, I’ve seen the world change. This is ironic because the world is always changing. But you see, the change I’ve seen is phenomenal. I’ve seen people go from having all of their devices connected to some sort of cord or the other to the advent of mobile devices in our lives. The first computer I’ve seen was like a huge box, that took ages to boot, and then the dial-up connection to the internet era. Who remembers having to notify all members of the house that you were connecting to the internet, so the landline would be unavailable for the next few hours, and the annoying yet invigorating dial-up connection tone?

Those days are long gone. Now we have internet access at the touch of our hands and with one tap, we can access the endless world of the internet and all it offers us. Almost every one of us has a smartphone, and access to the internet. It is not just an epidemic in the urban cities, it has also spread through the rural networks of our country as well. As of now, there are approx 8,921,000 people using smartphones with a 5.4% penetration rate across the country.

So, what has changed since smartphones came into our lives? For one, there has been a significant development in the way the companies are providing and promoting their services. Everything is now designed around the use of internet data. Businesses are focusing on developing apps for their services. What an app does is that it helps you to reach out to your business in one touch. Let’s see how apps have made an impact in our lives.

Back when I bought my sim all I knew was it had the lowest call rate than any other operator. To figure out some of the perks my operator offers, I was told to call their helpline, which, honestly, was not worth it. There was no proper information available anywhere. Recently, my operator redesigned their app, and I installed it. I have to say, it’s been life-changing. Now everything that they offer is arranged in one platform. Previously, I had to go through almost 4-5 menus to buy an internet pack, facing invalid USSD codes, and starting all over again. Now, I can just tap an option and buy my favorite pack, and even see the validity and duration. Not just the features, this app designed in that way showing us all their affiliations with other entertainment services, taking me directly to the download link without any hassle. They also inform me about any new offer they’re giving, all of this, in one single app. Life has become so much easier, right?

Not just mobile operators, there have been significant changes in how other e-commerce sites like- Daraz, Aliexpress, Bikroy.com, etc. have made their services more accessible. They even offer discounts to people who sign in with the app to avail their services.

One of the frequently used mobile money systems, Bkash, has introduced its app and seen a drastic change in the number of users. From my personal experience, there were times when I had to pay for various things using Bkash. There were confusing terms for the payment- personal account, merchant account, reference number, counter number, etc. I did not understand most of it, and sadly, most of the agents did not either. Paying through Bkash scared me but things changed after they launched their app. I made my account, downloaded their app, and everything was explained beautifully. The transaction history, voice assistant (both in Bangla and English), the QR scanning option for cash out (so there’s no chance of putting in the wrong number), access to the monthly and daily limit, access to contacts so that the transactions are a hundred times easier, as well as a secure platform using the pin number- certainly Bkash has made its usability so much better just by introducing its app.

Apps have been making life easier in all aspects. Need a ride? Just use a ride-sharing app. Need food but don’t want to face Dhaka traffic? Just use one of the many food delivery service apps. Want to send a parcel? You don’t have to go to DHL/FedEx or even Sundarban courier, just use the parcel delivery service apps. Even if we need house help, a plumber, a technician, or even a beautician to provide services, we can avail them using apps! Remember when you had a song stuck in your head but can’t exactly recall the name? There is even an app for that! And it’s not just limited to the fun stuff, apps may even help us to stay happy, healthy, and fit. There are apps that remind us to take medicine, connect us to doctors, not to mention the countless workout apps. Sports score, live screening for all the sports enthusiasts- all of these in just one tiny smartphone, all thanks to apps!

The whole world is now at the tap of our fingers just because of mobile apps. So if you are someone who’s missing out on all these, I suggest you get yourself a smart device, go into the play store (or any app downloading platform) and start living the life! If you’re a business, try to see if you can launch an app for your products/services and see the difference for yourself.