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The app market has reached a point where the world is split into two types of people: those who think apps are dying and those who think they are transforming and will be around for a long time.

But what will the real verdict of this standoff be?

It’s impossible to talk about the “certain” future of apps—just as it would have been impossible to talk about their emergence fifteen years ago. You can’t really predict it, but you can get an idea.

For example: the mobile app market is getting saturated. There are many options for, sometimes, the same goal. In that case, many will fall by the wayside, but it’s possible that the most original, functional, or beloved ones will survive.

Google is one of the companies that believes apps are dying, since getting people to use an app is insanely expensive and, in the opposite direction of all that spending, only one in ten thousand developed apps is profitable.

And very conveniently, Google believes it has the solution to that problem: the company recently created what it calls “progressive web apps”, which are applications that can be used through an internet browser just by visiting a link.

And also very conveniently, Google believes these progressive apps will eliminate “native apps”. But there’s controversy: Facebook, for example, existed as a link from the beginning, and that doesn’t make the social network the most downloaded app in the world…

It’s true that bringing Facebook into the conversation about the future of apps is a bit of an outlier, but it serves as an example that, even with many adversities, mobile apps can continue to exist, depending mainly on their quality and on good marketing to attract the right audience.

Long live apps—the other side of the coin

There’s no denying the app market has matured and is getting extremely crowded: countless options to download, but very few downloads in practice.

That happens because apps on a smartphone are no longer a novelty, and society seems to have settled for the options it already has at hand. As a result, it becomes increasingly difficult for a new app to earn its place in the sun.

Difficult, yes—but not impossible.

Another tech giant, Apple, believes apps are far from dying, and that is reflected in the efforts it has made to keep developers thinking about new market opportunities through apps.

In fact, Apple has a lot to celebrate regarding its smartphone app store: expectations are that App Store revenue will grow to approximately 70 billion dollars.

In addition, although the market is mature, the technology is relatively new, which leaves room for many companies and developers to innovate and deliver relevant products in this scenario.

Technology, by the way, is the cherry on top for apps to keep living a long life: even though the popularity of apps fluctuates slightly, it’s undeniable that the functionality behind the little buttons on our home screens is constantly evolving—making our lives easier and more intuitive.

What can I do to make my app survive?

Invest. It’s that simple: study your audience and their needs, build your app well, and do marketing thoughtfully, because this trio is what will make your app align more with Apple’s forecast than Google’s.

If you don’t think about how your product will solve a problem (including entertainment) or if you build it in a poor, amateur way, you can be sure: you’re entering a saturated market that no longer has room for you.

But if your proposal is careful, well-structured, and well-developed—on top of being original or simpler than competitors—there is still plenty of space to win users and, with luck, good profitability.

Time passes, but marketing’s golden rule remains the same: success depends on delivering the right product to the right audience at the right time. And if you’ve been working hard to generate value for your user, the right time might be right now, when many people believe this market is on its deathbed.

Questions? Count on X-Apps.