What Was the Name of the First Mobile App? History of Apps
Before we get into the history of mobile apps, let's have a look at some of the first mobile phones that paved the way for applications. Motorola introduced the first ever hand-held mobile phone in 1973, weighing roughly 4.4 pounds (almost 2 Kgs). Later in 1983, the DynaTAC 8000 X became the first widely available mobile phone. As technology progressed, we began to see some incredible handsets with a variety of intriguing features. If you're wondering when the first smartphone was invented, the phrase was coined in 1992 when IBM released the world's first smartphone, which was released in 1994.
In terms of mobile apps, in 1997, Nokia released an in-built version of the classic arcade game "Snake" on its 6110 model. This is regarded as the first mobile app, and games such as Pong, Tetris, and Tic-tac-Toe quickly followed suit. Everyone remembers the Snake game, in which you had to manipulate a line of dots that eventually morphed into a snake. However, these features were never referred to as apps back before and were instead referred to as phone features.
A Brief History of Mobile Apps
What is the first app that comes to mind when you think of a mobile app? Is it a game, a social networking site, or a productivity tracker? Is it on your iPhone, Android phone, or tablet? Apps have gone a long way, no matter what platform they're on. Many people believe that the first multi-touch smartphone (the Apple iPhone 1) was the catalyst for the development of mobile apps, although this is not the case.
The Beginnings of Mobile Apps
Many of us recall having a "smart" calculator or a now-antique mobile phone that came preloaded with the boredom-busting game Snake. The basis of the game was that you were a long line of pixels (or dots) who had to consume other little dots as they turned left, right, up, and down. Your "tail" grew longer with each dot you ate, and the goal was to eat all the dots without touching any part of your own body. In the 1980s and 1990s, it was the go-to boredom reliever.
Apart from the obvious games, the applications available on mobile devices at the time were extremely restricted. Ringtone makers, address books, and calculators were among them. While simplistic, they paved the way for today's more sophisticated and user-friendly apps.Advanced applications such as Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence, Computer Vision, and others are now available in mobile apps to provide users with better experiences.
WAP – Wireless Application Protocol
WAP, or Wireless Application Protocol, is a system for gaining access to information over a wireless mobile network. WAP was used by consumers to download any extra apps that their phone's maker offered before the emergence of smartphones that could access the internet via cellular connections. In principle, it was a terrific plan, but it didn't work out so well in practice. Users immediately discovered that not only could they only download apps made by their phone's manufacturer (or, worse, their phone's model), but that they were also subjected to exorbitant usage costs, and that acquiring the apps was a confusing and difficult process. Due to these challenges, many individuals have given up trying to download any additional.
The Introduction of the iPhone
The iPhone's unveiling by Steve Jobs and Apple's subsequent release ushered in a new era for the phone business. It was a groundbreaking product because of its multi-touch display, lack of a physical keyboard, working web browser, and widescreen display when rotated on its side. Developers were excited to be able to add their third-party features to upgrade and improve the phone, despite the fact that it couldn't be done at the time of release. This would be the start of what we now know as apps.
The release of downloadable apps via the App Store was welcomed by the industry. In 2020, the Apple App Store will have 2.09 million apps accessible, while the Android Play Store will have 3.14 million.
Mobile App Statistics
The Google Play Store saw roughly 88.5 thousand mobile app launches in February 2021, the lowest number of releases between March 2019 and February 2021. In less than a decade, app development has created millions of employment in the United States alone, and it has even become its own industry. App development is a massive industry that is only becoming bigger with each passing year.
According to statistics, one out of every five persons on the planet owns a smartphone, and one out of every seventeen owns a tablet computer. That isn't just a country; it is the entire world. Furthermore, their typical phone usage time is 2+ hours each day, with the majority of that time spent inside of an app!
If that wasn't enough to shock you, here's some additional information to consider:
There are 4.66 billion internet users, with 91 percent of them using their phones.
In 2021, the world will have 3.8 billion smartphone users.
Mobile apps are preferred by 85 percent of consumers over web pages.
Around the world, 4.08 billion people use their smartphones to access social media.
Internet users on mobile devices make for 91 percent of all internet users.
In the United States, time spent inside mobile apps now outnumbers time spent on the desktop web.
Apps account for 89 percent of time spent on a smartphone or tablet.
Apps in Today's Business
"There's an App for That," says the narrator. Apple's 2009 ad is still relevant today. The Apple App Store alone has 1.96 million apps, and that figure is expanding dramatically every day. This doesn't even take into account the Google Play Store or any of the other places where you can get content for your phone.
So, what we're trying to argue is that mobile apps are quite important. Their value is growing all the time, and having your own dedicated app is becoming increasingly vital in order to stay current. Many companies have trusted V-Soft Labs to develop native, web-based, and hybrid apps. Visit our Mobile App to look through our case studies and expertise.
