Update 5 Profit-making Lifestyle Application Segments

Lifestyle apps segment is the broadest category as it covers a multitude of activities and interests. It can include shopping, fitness, horoscopes and parenting to name a few instances to describe its diversity.

Apple’s AppStore describes the category as, “apps relating to general interest subject matter or service.”  Their generic application pushes the bounds of technology by creating solutions for work, leisure, fun or chores.

After games, business, and education, lifestyle is the most popular Apple App Store category as per a Statista, 2017 research. According to Flurry Analytics blog, lifestyle and shopping solutions have witnessed an 81% growth since 2015.

This category has witnessed the highest use of the latest technology and it makes living easier. Lifestyle apps complement other products and services so they are often sponsored via advertising partnerships, which in turn make them immensely successful.

For instance, the RunKeeper app offers exclusive deals on Nike products, which in turn give a cut on every sale attributed to the ad.

Furthermore, once a user adopts an app from this category, they generally don’t migrate to any competitor app. These are applications that users access almost every day to play songs, find a restaurant, or record their fitness activities.

From a developer’s perspective, if you are creating an application in this space, you will have to create a differentiating element that users will not be able to make do without.

We have listed 5 profit-making lifestyle application categories.

Shopping and Fashion

Users are getting comfortable shopping online and the category is witnessing an increasing trend in number of shoppers using a smartphone or tablet. Users are working with technologies such as barcode scanners for comparison-shopping, browsing coupons and offers; social shopping, browsing marketplaces, buying and selling used goods among other things. They are exploring online wallets and other payment gateways to find payment routes that will get them maximum discounts.

They are uploading their photos to check the fit of clothes or accessories on them and using applications for organizing their wardrobes and planning their looks for events or journeys.

As per a Flurry report, the peak shopping hours are 9AM to noon and “prime time” is 8PM, making shopping a travel and lunch time (during regular working week) and after-work leisure activity.

Out of all the branded applications in the market, it is estimated that 17% belong to the fashion industry, covering high street apparels, shoes and outdoor gear. Also, clothing and accessories are the second highest purchased items on a mobile device after electronics. Mobile apps give retail fashion brands access to bigger and newer markets.

They also provide cross-platform engagement for building brand loyalty. Many stores have developed applications that integrate mobile shopping with physical stores. These apps use IoT solutions to send customers to push notifications for greetings and offers as they walk through the store. Customers can store their loyalty programme details on the app and keep track of their points and much more.

Dating App

There is a dating app available in the mobile app stores for those looking for a spouse based on practical parameters such as job, salary, location, religion etc. and for those who are seeking a serious relationship amongst the multitudes of singletons outside.

There is an app for those looking for a casual fling and for those seeking company in their vicinity. A Pew Research Centre report states that as of 2015, 59% Americans felt that online dating was a good way to meet people. Over the years dating apps has become the normal way to meet people.

The millennials seeking dates are willing to pay for applications that will get them their first date, however, niche-dating apps are likely to witness a decline. The use of AI and VR is on the increase as it speeds the process of finding profiles that are most likely to match.

They are also being applied in areas such as giving a course on “how to date?” There is also a greater social networking integration trend in spite of the aversion towards publicizing a personal aspect of ones life. A primary reason for this is to ensure authenticity.

Health and Fitness

Health and fitness mobile applications are tracked as being the 3^rd most impactful mobile trend in 2016. These applications are largely used for –

• Diet tracking
• Symptom tracking
• Medication notification
• Physical activity tracking

An ARC study for 2016 found out the reason behind the success of some of the most popular health and fitness mobile apps were-

• Ergonomic and intuitive interface
• Smooth transition animations
• Information accuracy
• Large racking databases which are easy to interpret and act upon
• Data can be shared with physician
• Fun UX

Hospitals and physicians have an opportunity to capitalize on these technologies to deliver a new branch of services to their patients. They can assist them in their endeavor for a healthier lifestyle and follow their medical regime correctly.

The popularity of wearable devices such as smart watches, heart monitor, and GPS devices has driven the demand for fitness applications. Also, mobile apps provide an easy outreach to professional help such as physicians, fitness trainers and nutrition experts.

Hobbies and DIY

Apps that address people’s primary interests such as their hobbies and home improvement projects are quite in demand as a stress-busting activity. There are apps that show easy ways to do complex craft projects with things that are easily available or with mundane objects lying at home.

Classes, video tutorials, written step-by-step instructions and pictures are the basic features of such apps. Apps in this category can include learning a language, cooking apps, craft apps, DIY home improvement apps, life hacks, and much more.

Linking the app with social networking websites gives an excellent platform to market the app and an opportunity for users to share their work. Using the device camera, images and videos can be uploaded to the app and live video chats can be held for learning new activities.

Real Estate

With more people delving into the Internet to find homes before approaching a realtor, real estate app demand is on the rise. Customized apps with features such as map, easy-to-view listing options, save to favorites option, videos, pictures and options to contact the realtor via the app improve the apps demand.

Users access these applications at their leisure or when they are on the move and are used as much by buyers as sellers use them.

Buyers save time by not rushing to see every property physically, instead they can view images, location, nearby places and utilities and based on their budget and needs they can shortlist the properties they feel are worth visiting before finalizing.

AI and VR are also a major trend that is being adopted in real estate app development that is making the UX enhanced.

The competition in these app categories is immense, but by leveraging IoT technologies and unique features, an application can be given its own unique identity and create a market for the same.

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