Introduction
Coronavirus or COVID-19 has taken the world by a storm. Started from Wuhan, China, it has now been declared a pandemic, by World Health Organization (WHO). This disease has spread like a wildfire in the whole world within such a short span and brought our lives to halt. The number of Corona positive cases is increasing every day and yet, we do not have any medicine or vaccine to cure or prevent it. The government is rigorously taking preventive measures to stop the spread of this disease and reduce its widespread.
Social distancing is something, on which the governments, from all over the world, are focusing upon. Everyone is requested to stay at home, avoid social gatherings and going out with friends.
Now, in this situation, where most of the market is closed and people have nowhere to go, mobile apps are proving to be a lifesaver. From ordering groceries and food online, to entertaining people, smart phones are really handy. They facilitate ordering all your essential stuff, in just a few clicks, without going out. Also, when you are bored and have nothing to do, from various web series to different games, they leave no stone unturned to entertain you. Also, due to Corona, most businesses are going through losses, but mobile app development services are still in demand.
So, here are a few ways in which mobile applications can come handy and help us in pandemics like COVID-19.
Essential Mobile Apps
Since most of the countries have requested their citizens to go for a self-quarantine and avoid going out of their houses for any reason, getting essentials like milk, groceries, food, etc. is a tough task. There are a large number of mobile apps that are offering home delivery services for daily essentials. These apps were being used earlier also, but on-demand app development has gained pace these days, and a lot of apps have been launched, in the market, to cope up with the aforementioned situation. Here are a few essential mobile apps that can be really helpful and can make your life much easier.
1) Online Banking
Everyone wants to dodge those long queues in the bank to reduce the risk of getting affected by the virus. In a situation like this, online banking services and mobile banking apps have really made life easier, as from making payments to everything related to the account, can be done using them.
Also, cash can be a carrier to Coronavirus, so it is better to go-cashless and use online payment modes and e-wallets to pay for all kinds of services that you avail.
2) Healthcare apps
There are a number of healthcare apps like Practo, NetMeds, 1mg, Brown Packets, etc. that deliver medicines and other related products, that a person can require during these days, at your doorsteps. Since people are avoiding going to a doctor these days, healthcare apps like these, are remarkably helpful. Users can simply contact a doctor, or a physician, over the call, tell all the symptoms, get the prescription, and order the medicines online. This is a great way to stay safe at home and get all the medical facilities, in just a few clicks.
Also, there are many healthcare apps, like Cardiomo Care, Yoga studio, Google Fit, Headspace, which will help track fitness and assist in practicing yoga and meditation. They are capable of tracking heart rate, pulse rate, no. of steps, and can also teach how to do yoga poses,etc. so that people can stay fit and healthy, during the situations of lockdown.
3) Educational apps
Many mobile apps are available in the market, for people, who do not want to spend their time sitting idle, or binge-watching. For those who want to utilize this time by taking up a new hobby, or those who want to learn something new, educational apps are for them.
For people who want to learn a new language, for instance, an app like Duolingo can help. Also, apps like Udemy, Unacademy, are available for those who want to learn something new. They have more than tens of thousands of courses which you can take and learn during your free time.
Read Also: Top Mobile Apps Built Using the React Native
4) Food delivery apps
Food delivery apps have really gained momentum these days, as most of the people prefer eating at home rather than going out to a fancy restaurant. Also, there are many students, who are away from their homes and have no proper facility to cook food, for them these food delivery apps are a savior.
Apps like Zomato, Swiggy, Dominos, are a few which are operating and working hard to deliver food at your doorsteps. These companies are taking all the necessary measures and precautions to ensure the safe delivery of the food. Due to COVID-19, many startups have started their own business of food delivery and have gained immense success. If you are also planning to get one developed, you can hire the expertise of a good food delivery app development company, which can help in bringing your idea to life.
5) Groceries Delivery Services
Going out to buy groceries can be risky for you and your family’s life. There are possibilities that people standing next to you might be contagious by the virus. So, in situations like such, it is better to order your essentials online.
Since people are avoiding going out, several mobile apps are available in the market like Walmart, Dunzo, Safeway, which are delivering essentials like groceries, milk, etc. at your doorsteps. Even food delivery apps like Zomato and Swiggy are now actively delivering groceries from the local market to your location. These apps use all kinds of online payment modes so that you can avoid using cash. These apps are being used for quite some time now, but due to Corona, they are being used by almost everyone. Also, these apps are among the very few businesses that are booming in such tough times.
Entertainment Mobile Apps
Staying indoors, locked at our homes and nowhere to go, may sound a bit crazy, but seeing the current situation, it is better to stay at home and be safe. Now that we all are stuck at home, and have plenty of free time, most people are finding it difficult to cope up with that free time. Some are using this time to follow their passion, or a hobby, while others are just relaxing and surfing the internet.
Well, here we have compiled a list of a few mobile apps that can help entertain you and can keep you busy these days. Also, mobile apps can be profitable for businesses these days. If you have some idea and worried about its development cost, here is a complete guide on how much does a mobile app development cost.
1) Social Media
We all know that social media is one of the best ways to stay connected with our closed ones. Usually, everyone is so busy in their lives that there is no time for family and friends. But now, when people are at home, they are using this time to stay connected with people they love.
Not just staying connected, people are taking part in a lot of challenges that are doing rounds on Facebook or Instagram. People are posting their pictures of staying indoors and how they are happily spending their lives. TikTok is one of the most used social media sites, where people post funny videos, and users enjoy watching them. Apps like FaceTime, Google Duo, and Facebook Messenger, Zoom, etc. are also widely been used to stay connected via video calls.
People are using these social media platforms for not just connecting with friends, but also, for some great causes. There are a few people who have started help pages for the underprivileged groups and poor animals, who are not getting enough food, due to lockdown in most countries.
So, if you are also looking for an idea to start your business, a social media app can be a great option. You can hire app developers, that have both experience and expertise, to get your app developed and start earning.
2) News Apps
Since we all are locked down at our homes, news apps are really helpful as they keep us connected with the outside world. Things may not be good outside, but it is important to be updated with everything that is happening around us. Apps like Inshorts, Google News, The New York Times, etc. keep a person updated with everything that is going around them.
During Corona, these news apps are keeping everyone informed, with all the precautions and measures that everyone has to follow and are keeping people updated about any new policy or update, which the government has to share with the citizens.
3) Music Apps
For some, music can be soothing and relaxing, and for some, it can just be recreational. There are many music apps available like Amazon Music, Gaana, Spotify, etc. that can entertain people throughout the day.
These apps have millions of songs stored that you can play according to your mood. You have songs available for all moods and genres like jazz, pop, rock, trance, and many more, which you can either listen online or can download and create your own playlist.
4) Book Reading Apps
For those who are avid book readers, a lot of e-books and audible books are available, which one can enjoy reading during the free time. Apps like Kindle, Audible, Scribd, and many more are available online, having millions of books to read or listen to.
Also, according to the Business Insider, Audible has made hundreds of its audio books free, for both kids and parents, so that they can be entertained during the lockdown. Platforms like these are earning a great profit, even when all other businesses are facing a slowdown.
5) Gaming Apps
People love playing games, irrespective of their age. During this lockdown, since people cannot step out of their houses, they are spending their time playing video games at their homes. There are a number of games available in the market, which people really love. But the best thing about this industry is that users are always looking for something new and exciting. Google has also launched its gaming services known as Google Stadia, which is very famous amongst the millennials all over the world. It has several games which you can download and play.
In the last few days, people have downloaded more gaming apps than ever before. App stores are earning a great profit and so are the businesses that have developed these games. If you have any such idea in mind, you can hire the services from a top-rated mobile app development company and turn your idea to reality.
6) Streaming apps
Since people have a lot of time and nothing to do, they love binge-watching their favorite shows. There are a number of digital apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Disney+, etc. that offer a large variety of content. These apps have thousands of shows and movies, for all age groups and genres, that people love watching.
Netflix and Amazon Prime have some impeccable web series and shows, that people love watching. They have some amazing collection of movies, and some old shows which are loved by people. There are apps like Disney+, which offers great content for kids to watch and enjoy their days. It is a great way by which parents can keep their kids busy.
Conclusion
Coronavirus or COVID-19 is a matter of great worry. People all across the globe are being affected by it, and the only way to stay safe from it, is by staying at our homes. Social distancing is something that everyone should follow, and the government is really focusing upon it. Markets have been shut in quite many countries and in situations like such, on-demand apps are being really helpful. From delivering groceries to medicines, one can get all the necessary essentials at their doorsteps. Apart from these, there are various advantages of having a mobile app for your business. If you want to know in detail here are the top reasons as to why your business needs a mobile app.
Also, there are a large number of mobile apps that are available in the market, to keep people entertained, while they are locked down at their homes. From gaining knowledge to playing games and watching web series, a lot of stuff can be done using these mobile apps. So, if being an entrepreneur, you are looking for some great business opportunities, to earn a good profit during the lockdown, mobile apps can be a good option.
