And if the apps are linked rather than multiply? – Clubic.com

The editorial Mbida Anicet, editor of Clubic Pro.

Curious week. It starts with that Facebook was pleased to have freed Messenger. Result: 500 million people would use each month. The idea probably inspired as Google has launched its own Messenger, an offshoot of which only manages the Hangout Chat and SMS / MMS. Two communications software, Facebook and hangout, it proceeds to four … without expanding the functional spectrum. A trend that I think both reassuring and disturbing

Reassuring first by its goal. Avoid tote software which uses only one feature, and have only focused apps on a specific use with a simplified interface. It is this principle that has driven in four burst Google Drive: Documents, Sheets, Slides and Drive. Cutting Board or iPhone in Word, Excel and Powerpoint. The trend goes beyond the office suites and “Messenger.” Foursquare, Evernote, Readdle prefer to multiply all the apps rather than functions. The idea is to go faster that we seek and therefore boost the use of each program.

However, this trend worries me. I hate “obésiciels” who do too much. But I also hate having to install a hundred “maigriciels.” For the record, the different “stores” now identify several million apps (yes million!). With such an abundance, how do you know you need those? How many of them can reasonably manage on a phone? A tablet? For my part, I already have more than 10 pages. I do not even know what is installed, what is stored where. So, I always pass by the search … when I still remember the name. I’d rather move towards fewer apps; to not more.

Not to mention the ergonomic aspect. Those who regularly use Facebook and Messenger, must now juggle an app to another, which is far from being a sinecure on mobile. We must get out of one, enter another return … Many end up regretting the time when the two were combined. Where is merely one icon are secure today, tomorrow we will use two, three or four to complete exactly the same functions. Under these conditions, difficult to imagine increase utilization.

One solution would be more decompartmentalize our smartphones and tablets. Windows Phone, for example, social networking apps have the advantage of rich contact management system. Ditto on where BB10 Blackberry Box, Dropbox, and consort OneDrive first seek to extend the mobile file manager, not create a new one. With these settings, it is less add new icons to the home screen, as new features for all apps.

On this point, the leaders Android and iOS remain behind. But hard to blame them, their fundamental being defined there seven years, a time when neither Apple nor Google can imagine building a “App Store”. That’s why I founded great hopes on technologies to direct links and depth of an application to another (Deep linking). Google and Facebook are beginning to show interest with their in-house programs: chat with Messenger, watch Youtube in call with Hangout, etc. It now expects the adoption of a standard cross-platform as the shoot with Facebook App Links.

It is only when the links will be widespread applications inter I applaud the cutting function. For the dozens of apps that will result will actually work together and enrich each other.