Mobile Apps that Failed and The Lessons to Learn
The success of mobile apps is often unpredictable, as it relies on numerous factors, such as features, design, marketing strategy, and user experience. However, for most applications, failure is a real possibility. Many apps have gone down in history as those that didn't make it, despite their best efforts. In this essay, we will discuss some of the mobile apps that failed, mentioning the lessons to learn from their failure.
The Benefits of Reading about Unsuccessful Mobile apps
Reading about unsuccessful mobile apps can benefit developers looking to create their own. It can be an opportunity to learn from past mistakes and gain insight into what not to do when developing their application. By understanding why these apps failed, developers can create an app with features, design, marketing strategy, and a user experience better suited for success.
App #1: Vine 2012 to 2017
Vine was a social media platform where users could watch and create short-form looping videos. It was initially owned by Twitter and released in 2012. Despite having a large user base and reaching mainstream popularity, Vine was discontinued in 2016 due to a lack of profitability.
One of the lessons to be learned from the failure of Vine is the importance of monetization for an app’s success. Vine had a large user base, but it couldn’t find a successful way to monetize its platform, ultimately leading to its demise.
App #2: Yik Yak 2013 to 2017
Yik Yak was a college and school private messaging app that was successful upon release before it failed. Users would chat with other students living nearby. However, soon, anonymous chat rooms were filled with cyberbullying and threats, which forced users and their guardians to file complaints, eventually leading to the rooms’ popularity plummeting. The company’s response was to make a few changes that didn’t serve customers or fix the problem. Soon after, funding from investors halted, employees lost their jobs, and eventually, they shut down the business.
The main takeaway is app developers should be wise in their decisions and strike a balance between satisfying customers and protecting their privacy.
App #3: Auctionata 2012 to 2017
The idea behind Auctionata was innovative, and it was successful at first. Users would attend live auctions on their phones to bid on artifacts and rarities. However, investigations showed the CEO violated trade laws. He and the company’s board used to illegally bid on auctions for the sole purpose of increasing bidding prices. Clearly, people lost faith in the company altogether. Afterward, most users stopped using the app, and their abandonment led to the company shutting down the auction service.
The idea behind the app was good, but compromising integrity was the company’s downfall.
App #4: Munchery 2011 to 2018
Munchery promised its customers to deliver gourmet microwavable meals to their doorsteps. The company fulfilled the promise for years, outdoing its rivals. However, juggling between making and delivering food caused some issues. For one, the food quality was compromised when the distance between the kitchen and the customers was long. That forced the company to expand to other states, which was quite expensive. The new kitchens shut down in 2018. Soon after, Doordash and Uber Eats launched, offering more varieties because they sent food from multiple vendors. Munchery couldn’t keep up, and a new CEO raised the service’s prices. The result was that the company shut down for good.
The lesson learned here is that a new company shouldn’t bite off more than it can chew. If they had focused on one aspect of the industry, the app wouldn't have failed.
App #5: Google Wave 2009 to 2018
Google Wave was one of Google's biggest failures and was released in 2009 to create an app for people to communicate and collaborate with each other in real time. Unfortunately, the app was difficult to understand and use, with complicated features. It was also difficult to find users willing to use the app, and it was a major contributing factor to its ultimate failure.
The main takeaway from this experience is that developers should keep their apps as simple as possible to ensure that users can easily understand and use them. This means that features should be kept to a minimum, and the UI should be well-designed and intuitive, making it easier for users to find their way around the app. Additionally, developers should strive to create an app that is useful, engaging, and enjoyable for the users, so they will be more likely to use it. If developers keep these factors in mind, their apps are more likely to be successful.
App #7: Rdio 2010 to 2015
Rdio was a streaming music service that was first released in 2010, boasting a user base that was fairly engaged with the app. Unfortunately, the company couldn’t generate enough revenue from the app to make it profitable. After five years, Rdio filed for bankruptcy in 2015, leaving many people to take away the lesson that developers should always consider the financial sustainability of their applications.
It's important to ensure that there are enough sources of revenue to support their operations and keep the app going in the long term. This cautionary tale serves as a reminder to be aware of the financial realities of running an app, as failing to do so could ultimately lead to a similar fate.
App #8: Quixey 2009 to 2017
Quixey was an app search engine that was released in 2009, and it was initially successful. It was able to generate revenue by selling app recommendations to companies. However, the company’s leadership believed that its potential was much higher than what it was achieving. As a result, the company tried to expand into different markets, such as artificial intelligence. This move proved too costly, and the company didn’t generate enough revenue to stay afloat. In 2017, Quixey closed its doors due to a lack of funding.
The lesson from Quixey’s failure is that developers should be aware of their limitations and scale their businesses appropriately.
Many lessons to learn from this list, like keeping it simple, managing financials, researching the market, and more. If you want to build an app without wasting most of your funds on development, consider building a native no-code app with the nandbox app builder. Sign up for free today.