Mobile apps have become an inherent part of our lives, and they have transformed how people communicate and participate in various spheres of life. Their usage has also created new business models, economic opportunities and regulatory challenges. Moreover, they have become a subject of interest for marketers, app developers, strategists and policymakers. The app economy is growing by leaps and bounds. As per statistics, the Google Play Store and Apple App Store together contain more than 5.7 million apps. Consumers use 85 percent of the time they spend on smartphones for running apps.

This piece is based on my in-depth interviews with 39 user-respondents from 18 nations including Nepalis based in Thailand in the 21-55 age group to find out why people download apps and then stop using them. The apps ranged from hedonic/entertainment to utilitarian/functional. Their nature has both hedonic and utilitarian usage value such as social media (assuming a consumer uses Facebook for enjoyment and work). There are several major reasons for deciding to discontinue using apps. They are lack of perceived benefit, poor user experience, sense of insecurity, perceived high cost, time constraints, limited usefulness, complexity, lack of interest, boredom, lifestyle change, lack of clear need or purpose, negative reviews, feedback, unmet expectations, lack of innovation and appeal, availability of newer apps, lack of social proof (that is, others in the social circle choosing to use a particular app), forced closure or governmental regulations.

Tech dependency

How much consumers today depend on apps is clearly evident. App usage has expanded to the extent that heavy users don't know what apps are in their “smartphones”. Most consumers use eight to 10 apps on a daily basis, but they continue installing them for later use not even realising that some of them have become nearly dysfunctional. The most commonly used apps are utilitarian apps such as those used for ride hailing, food delivery, online shopping and banking. Then there are apps used for specific purposes like home renovation, furniture purchase and exam preparation. There are also hedonic apps such as those for gaming, gyms, social media, music and dating.

Given the overwhelming penetration of digitisation, the use of special purpose apps for fitness, parlour and pharmacy is on the rise. Even for day-to-day communication, users depend on multiple communication apps such as WhatsApp, Line, Viber, WeChat, Telegram and Signal.

Psychological toll

The proliferation of apps and the push notifications one receives from them are becoming increasingly overwhelming and unmanageable. App usage has reached such a stage that users are feeling agitated, stressed out, anxious, and at times, guilty about their actual usage. Some users have also started complaining about technology-induced stress, and are looking for ways and means to reduce or minimise app usage. Of late, app infestation has started taking a heavy psychological toll on users. Whether the apps are meant for hedonic or utilitarian usage, all of them are affecting the social well-being of the individual, and in the process, their usage is making consumers addictive and highly dependent. Since a user's lifestyle has become heavily app dependent, a person can barely manage his or her life without apps in a modern economy that is becoming increasingly digitalised.

However, it is important for users to be mindful and set usage limits. An optimum and well balanced app usage alone can avoid potential psychological impacts and ill effects on society. Most of the marketers and app developers, especially in developing economies like Nepal, are either unaware or unmindful of the negative consequences from app usage. Therefore, it is in the interest of consumers that they curtail excessive and problematic app usage that adversely impacts psychological and social well-being by adopting one of the four ways suggested below.

First, they can choose to temporarily discontinue or take time off from the app for a certain period of time and revert to app usage once they feel it is healthy to resume. Second, they can find an alternative to app usage such as switching over to wearable fitness devices to keep track of their fitness regime and diet plans. Third, users can have three to five major apps with a notification feature that sends out a signal when they become dormant. Fourth, users who spend hours comparing prices and options across apps also find the entire process tiring. Thus, finding and switching over to the best alternative among the several available options also reduces stress and minimises the burnout resulting from app usage.