Application (software): We explain what mobile applications are, their uses and how they are obtained. Also, what types of applications exist and various examples.
What is an Application?
In the technological jargon of the beginning of the 21st century, a mobile application or simply application (or even more abbreviated, app, from English application) is called those computer programs created to be installed and executed on a mobile device (such as a smartphone or a tablet). These applications are intended to carry out specific operations in matters ranging from management and connectivity, to education and entertainment.
Mobile applications or apps are a type of application software, that is, they consist of programs that are added to the system to carry out different operations. However, the two terms should not be confused, since pieces of application software are also programs installed on a desktop computer (such as word processors and design programs, for example).
On the other hand, we should not confuse apps with web applications, which are computer programs available for execution through a connection to a server over the Internet, that is, software available to be executed directly through a web browser. Keep getting this Ancient China information too!
Although the first apps came pre-installed on smartphones of yesteryear, today it is common to choose them and download them to the device from the Internet. This can be done freely or through distribution platforms (called marketplace, store or similar) where you can opt for free or paid programs.
The range of apps available on these sites often depends on the device used (and its operating system), the country of residence of the user and the distribution service used.
Since the end of the 21st century, the market for available apps has experienced an exponential increase, so much so that the word app was chosen by the American Dialect Society as word of the year in 2010. The possibility of downloading directly to phones and tablets pieces of software of diverse nature turned these devices into tools that, in addition to communicating with others, also allow us to work, study, play and trade. Keep getting this Age Group information too!
Types of mobile applications
Mobile applications can be classified according to their specific functions into:
Device management apps
They are those that allow the user to have greater control over the device’s resources, such as free space and RAM, or allow protection against hackers, viruses and other possible threats.
Communications apps
They are those that allow the user to communicate with other users through the Internet, whether through text messages, video calls, sending and receiving files, among others.
Leisure apps
They are those that offer the user varied entertainment options, from video games and hobbies, to music, video clips, comics, digital books, among others.
Productivity apps
They are those that the user can use to work, such as word processors, calculation tables, group management software or presentation design. Others allow you to request or offer professional services or even search for work.
Educational apps
They are those that allow the user to learn new knowledge, read digital materials or teach classes. Some allow you to search for scholarships and study opportunities, or even apply directly to international universities, and others are used to learn new languages.
Design apps
They are those that provide the user with certain graphic design and web design tools, which allow them to create images, take and retouch photographs, and program, among other similar tasks.
Shopping apps
They are those that are used to buy and sell goods and services, hire remote employees or services, acquire and use discount coupons and even make purchases at the supermarket and receive them at home.
Financial apps
They are those that allow the user to carry out banking transactions and investment operations, such as bank transfers, purchase of currencies (or cryptocurrencies), pay for services and even manage their finances in a more orderly and efficient way.
Health and training apps
They are those that help the user meet a goal related to their body and health, such as losing weight, monitoring their exercise dynamics, dieting, controlling their menstrual cycle, among others.
Social apps
They are those that allow the user to integrate online communities, such as social networks, dating applications and to make new friends, discussion and debate forums, among others.
Culinary and gastronomic apps
They are those that allow the user to discover new restaurants, order food remotely or find new culinary recipes.
Service apps
They are those that the user requires to be able to access a specific real service, such as making appointments at doctors’ offices, requesting a visit from a technician, managing their internet connection, among others.
Examples of mobile applications
Some examples of mobile applications are:
- Gmail: It is an app that allows you to manage one or more email accounts opened with the Gmail service, belonging to Google, from your device.
- YouTube: It is an app that operates jointly with the social video network YouTube, allowing the user to search and view videos on the screen of their cell phone or tablet.
- Twitter: It is an app belonging to the social network of the same name, which allows its users to read and send short messages in a digital community for exchanging opinions.
- Brave: It is an app for browsing the internet, that is, an independent web browser, which provides the user with a personalized and secure experience, through a tab system similar to that of Google Chrome.
- Slack: It is a work group management app that allows, through thematic channels, written group communication, the exchange of audio, links, images and text, and the centralization of work, replacing a real office for the company.
- Mercado Libre: It is an app for buying and selling goods and services, which acts as an intermediary between those who sell something and those who could buy it, operating as an online catalog.
- Whatsapp: It is a telecommunications app that connects two or more users through direct text and audio messages, or through calls and video calls made over the Internet.
- Headspace: It is an app that provides the user with a guided meditation and mindfulness training experience, inspired by the learnings of a former Buddhist monk, Andy Puddicombe.
- Duolingo: It is a language learning app that provides the user with an orderly and gradual experience of exposure to the language, with theory and practice included.
- PedidosYA: It is an app to place orders from restaurants, supermarkets and request courier and parcel services on a short scale, through a network of motorized or bicycle couriers.
- Argentine Trains: It is an Argentine government app designed to track the schedules of the national train network, plan urban trips and have news about the status of the service.
- Canva: It is a design app that, through a very simplified interface, allows you to create compositions, montages and visual edits directly on your phone or tablet.
- Spotify: It is a highly customizable music and podcast app, which through a learning algorithm gives the user the opportunity to listen to their favorite bands and discover new music according to their preferences.
- Tinder: It is a dating app that allows users to meet people in their city for romantic purposes.
- Yoho Sports: It is a training app that connects different devices such as pulse measurement bracelets or tachometers, to track lost calories and daily training time.
- Google Maps: It is a navigation app that uses the device’s connectivity with GPS (Global Positioning System) services to determine the user’s location in a gigantic set of maps and plans on a global scale.
- Instagram: It is an app belonging to the social network of the same name that allows you to share photographs and videos as part of a large community of users at a national and international level.
- Netflix: It is an app belonging to this subscription audiovisual content service, which allows its members to watch series, movies and short films on their tablet or cell phone.
- Adobe Scan: It is an app designed to scan documents using the cell phone or tablet camera, and compose a document in PDF format with them.
- Coursera: It is an app designed to bring the contents of the Coursera courses and self-learning website to your phone or tablet.
- Hello Chinese!: It is an app that allows the user to take their first steps in learning the Chinese language (Mandarin), testing their pronunciation and their listening and reading skills.
- Microsoft To Do: It is an app that allows the user to create lists of tasks to do in an efficient and organized way.
- Microsoft One Drive: It is an app that allows the user to synchronize the contents of their phone or tablet with an online server that acts as a backup of their information, so that they can always have it safe in case of loss or damage to their device.
- Booking: It is an app that allows the user to access the Booking database from their phone or tablet, an intermediary company that allows them to find accommodation in other cities and rent cars or order taxis for their trip.
- Binance: It is an app designed to make financial investments in digital assets, that is, buy and sell cryptocurrencies from your phone or tablet.
