In 2014, the exponential growthin the Smartphone market propelled many startups to come out with Device enhancement applications. Most of them were china based brand full with marketing $'s. They attached the app store along with their product and positioned themselves as companies who can help device player with utility applications such as memory cleaner to battery optimizer to app lock kind of product and positioned itself in security segment too.
On the face of it, it looked
really impressive and most of the OEM went for it as they thought the it will
be helpful to end user and at the same time will reduce the issue around
heating of devices due to multiple running app, memory optimization by enabling
or disabling or deleting applications from device to release space for end
user. Reducing screen brightness, reducing the sleep mode and auto closing the
applications.
They invested the huge marketing
money to acquire user base with a perception that through ad monetization and
higher usage of application; they will achieve the RoI quickly and will be
profitable soon.
Unfortunately, the success of clean
master in India prompted Baidu to Q360 to Leo master to pump in money to buy
out the user base but failed to under the psychology of end user and changing
trend in device segment.
The release of device with higher
specification of RAM enabled user to manage their device performance by their
own and it triggered the fall in DAU and MAU. The attached app store monetization
was negligible as India is place of reward oriented place where user expects to
get something in return of download.
The blunder they did is to
integrate multiple applications along with utility application which increased
the size of the application which inturn acted as raised concern from the user
to partner level.
The above landed the companies to
rethink their strategy in India and many of them lost huge user base as churn
rate in App segment in India.
In India, still there is huge
opportunity of such application but it needs to design as per the Indian
environment catering the need of end user. I wish all the best to innovative
utility application provider operating in India.
