Tag Archives: business

October 10, 2025 · 2:41 pm

Google’s Strategic Response to Super Apps

Create your own magic with Web 7.0 AgenticOSs. Imagine the possibilities.

Copyright © 2025 Michael Herman (Bindloss, Alberta, Canada) – Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International Public License

Google’s Strategic Response to Super Apps

Platform Layer: Defensive Flexibility

  • Android modularization: Google could further modularize Android (e.g. via Project Mainline, Play Services) to allow more granular control over APIs and updates—making it easier to support or restrict super app behaviors.
  • Policy recalibration: In response to regulatory pressure (e.g. DMA in Europe), Google may loosen Play Store restrictions, support alternative billing, and allow more sideloading to stay competitive.

Developer Layer: Ecosystem Incentives

  • Play Console evolution: Google could offer new SDKs and monetization APIs tailored for mini-apps or embedded services, encouraging developers to build within Google’s ecosystem rather than third-party super apps.
  • Firebase + App Actions: Deep integration with Google Assistant, Search, and Android widgets could give developers super app-like reach without needing a host app.

Distribution Layer: Search as a Super App

  • Google Search + Discover + Assistant already function as a meta-layer for app discovery and engagement. Google may double down on this by:
  • Surfacing app content directly in search results
  • Promoting App Clips / Instant Apps
  • Offering deep links into services without full app installs

Monetization Layer: Bundled Value

  • Google One + Pixel Pass: Bundling cloud, security, and device services into a subscription model mimics super app economics.
  • Play Points + Wallet: Loyalty programs and integrated payments could be expanded to create a unified commerce layer across apps.

User Layer: Identity & Privacy

  • Google Identity Services: Strengthening federated login, cross-app personalization, and privacy dashboards positions Google as a trusted identity broker.
  • Privacy Sandbox: Google’s push for privacy-preserving ad tech (e.g. Topics API) could be framed as a safer alternative to super app data centralization.

Strategic Narrative

Google doesn’t need to build a super app—it already operates one in disguise. Android + Search + Assistant + Wallet + Play Store form a distributed super app ecosystem. The challenge is coherence: can Google unify these services into a seamless user experience without triggering antitrust alarms?

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , ,

October 10, 2025 · 2:19 pm

Developer incentives and platform governance

Create your own magic with Web 7.0 AgenticOS™. Imagine the possibilities.

Copyright © 2025 Michael Herman (Bindloss, Alberta, Canada) – Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International Public License

This is the outcome of an October 19, 2025 conversation between Michael Herman and Copilot.

🧩 Developer Incentives: Fragmentation vs Aggregation

Super apps flip the traditional developer model:

Old ModelSuper App Model
Build standalone appsBuild mini-programs or plug-ins within super apps
Compete for store visibilityCompete for in-app placement and promotion
Monetize via ads or subscriptionsMonetize via bundled services, commissions, or shared revenue pools
Own user dataShare or rent access to super app user base

🔁 Strategic Shifts

  • Incentive realignment: Developers trade independence for reach. The super app offers instant distribution, but at the cost of brand autonomy and data ownership.
  • Modular architecture: Developers must adopt SDKs, APIs, and design systems tailored to the host super app.
  • Revenue reshuffling: Instead of direct monetization, developers may earn through usage-based payouts, affiliate models, or loyalty programs.

🏛️ Platform Governance: Centralization vs Regulation

Super apps challenge traditional platform governance:

App Store GovernanceSuper App Governance
Apple/Google set rulesSuper app owner sets rules (e.g. WeChat, Grab)
OS-level privacy and securityApp-level identity, payments, and data control
Regulatory oversight (DMA, GDPR)Emerging scrutiny over super app monopolies

⚖️ Governance Tensions

  • Regulatory gray zones: Super apps blur lines between platform and app, raising questions about antitrust, data sovereignty, and consumer protection.
  • Policy fragmentation: Developers must navigate not only OS-level rules but also super app-specific governance—creating multi-layered compliance burdens.
  • User lock-in: Super apps centralize identity, payments, and services, making it harder for users to switch ecosystems—potentially triggering regulatory intervention.

🔮 Strategic Forecast

  • Developers will increasingly specialize in microservices, loyalty mechanics, and embedded commerce.
  • Platforms may respond with their own super app strategies (e.g. Apple Pay + Messages + Maps integration) or loosen restrictions to retain developer loyalty.
  • Regulators will likely push for interoperability, data portability, and transparency in super app ecosystems.

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , ,

October 10, 2025 · 1:15 pm

Reshuffle value chain and control points for the mobile app ecosystem

Create your own magic with Web 7.0 AgenticOS™. Imagine the possibilities.

Copyright © 2025 Michael Herman (Bindloss, Alberta, Canada) – Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International Public License

A Reshuffle value chain is basically a rethinking of a traditional value chain where value is reorganized around control points — places in the chain where power, influence, or leverage exists. In the mobile app ecosystem, Reshuffle means understanding how the ecosystem is changing and identifying where control is concentrated so that new entrants, incumbents, or platforms can leverage or defend those points.

Based on an October 19, 2025 conversation between Michael Herman and ChatGPT.

1. Mobile App Ecosystem — Overview

A simplified mobile app ecosystem includes:

  1. Hardware Layer
    • Smartphones, tablets, wearable devices (Apple, Samsung, Google, etc.)
    • Includes OS-specific hardware capabilities.
  2. Operating System Layer
    • iOS, Android, HarmonyOS, etc.
    • OS owners control developer APIs, app store access, update processes.
  3. App Stores / Distribution Layer
    • Apple App Store, Google Play Store, third-party app stores (Amazon, Huawei AppGallery).
    • This layer controls app distribution, discovery, monetization rules.
  4. App Development Layer
    • Developer tools, frameworks, SDKs (Unity, Flutter, Xcode, Android Studio).
    • Includes analytics, cloud services, API access.
  5. Service Layer
    • Cloud APIs, backend services, payment gateways, identity, push notifications.
    • AWS, Google Firebase, Azure, Stripe, etc.
  6. End-User Layer
    • Users consuming apps, engaging with services, making purchases.

2. Reshuffle Value Chain in Mobile Apps

Reshuffle shifts the view of the value chain to highlight new control points — places where power is concentrated that weren’t as visible before, and where value creation & capture is happening.

Here’s what a reshuffled mobile app value chain might look like:

Hardware → Operating System → App Store Distribution → Developer Enablement → Service Platforms → User Engagement → Monetization

But reshuffled control points reorder priorities. For example:

  1. Developer Enablement — SDKs, APIs, cloud platforms
    • Modern ecosystems (Apple, Google, Meta) heavily control developers through API access, documentation, and developer accounts.
    • Control Point: Gatekeeping API access and developer terms.
  2. App Store Distribution — Discovery & onboarding
    • Control over visibility in app stores is massive. Algorithms for search, editorial features, app store optimization (ASO) determine success.
    • Control Point: Store algorithms, ranking mechanisms, review processes.
  3. Operating System / Platform Control
    • Controlling OS-level features (ARKit, biometric APIs, background processing) gives huge advantage.
    • Control Point: OS-level permissions and API exclusivity.
  4. Monetization Infrastructure
    • Payment gateways, subscriptions, in-app purchases.
    • Control Point: Payment rules (e.g., Apple’s 30% cut), subscription management.
  5. User Engagement Data
    • Data flows drive personalization, retention, and cross-selling.
    • Control Point: User data access and analytics tools.

Reshuffle Diagram for Mobile App Ecosystem

StageControl Points
HardwareChipsets, sensors, proprietary hardware
Operating SystemAPIs, permissions, OS updates, platform exclusives
App DistributionApp store ranking, app review, app store rules
Developer EnablementSDKs, developer tools, APIs
Service PlatformsCloud services, identity systems, notifications
User EngagementAnalytics, personalization, push notifications
MonetizationPayment processing, subscriptions, advertising platforms

Where the Control Points Are

In a reshuffle, control points move from being purely physical or technical to being gatekeeping points where access, distribution, or monetization is mediated.

For the mobile app ecosystem, the main control points are:

  1. Operating System / API Access — iOS and Android control core APIs.
  2. App Stores — discovery, ranking, and distribution rules.
  3. Developer Tools & SDKs — frameworks that create lock-in.
  4. Payment Infrastructure — control of monetization flows.
  5. User Data & Engagement Platforms — control of analytics and personalization.

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , ,

October 10, 2025 · 1:06 pm

Reshuffle model applied to the mobile app ecosystem

Create your own magic with Web 7.0 AgenticOS™. Imagine the possibilities.

Copyright © 2025 Michael Herman (Bindloss, Alberta, Canada) – Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International Public License

Based on an October 10, 2025 conversation between Michael Herman and ChatGPT.

I feel the following doesn’t match 100% with what is presented in the book #Reshuffle but there are a few interesting tidbits.

Copyright © 2025 Michael Herman (Bindloss, Alberta, Canada) – Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International Public License

🧩 1. Background: What the “Reshuffle” Model Means

In the book Reshuffle, the core concept is that platforms continually reconfigure (“reshuffle”) the value chain — deciding:

  • Where to play (which layers of the ecosystem to own, open, or delegate)
  • How to win (by controlling key interfaces, user access, or data flows)

A reshuffle happens when a player changes the architecture of participation — shifting value, control, and power between ecosystem actors.

📱 2. Applying This to the Mobile App Ecosystem

Let’s consider the mobile ecosystem as layers (simplified):

LayerExamplesCurrent Gatekeepers
HardwareApple, Samsung, QualcommApple, Google
OS / RuntimeiOS, AndroidApple, Google
DistributionApp Store, Play StoreApple, Google
Payment / IdentityApple Pay, Google Pay, Sign in with AppleApple, Google
Apps / ServicesTikTok, Uber, SpotifyIndependent developers
User Relationships / DataAnalytics, Ads, Identity GraphsMeta, Google, Apple increasingly

🔀 3. What a “Reshuffle” Looks Like Here

A reshuffle model describes how control, innovation, or value capture moves between these layers. Here are several current and emerging reshuffles:

A. Reshuffle Downward (Re-integration)

Platform owners pull value back down toward themselves:

  • Apple limits tracking (ATT) → cripples ad networks → reclaims privacy and ad advantage.
  • Google moves privacy features into Android → weakens cross-app data collection.
  • Super apps (WeChat, Grab) integrate multiple mini-apps inside one shell → pull distribution away from OS-level stores.

🧭 Effect: Platforms reclaim data, monetization, and developer dependence.

B. Reshuffle Upward (Decentralization / Open APIs)

Some innovations push value upward to developers and users:

  • Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) bypass app stores.
  • Cross-platform frameworks (Flutter, React Native) reduce dependency on native SDKs.
  • Alternative app stores / sideloading (EU’s DMA) redistribute control.

🧭 Effect: Developers gain autonomy and flexibility, though discovery and monetization remain bottlenecks.

C. Reshuffle Laterally (New Platform Entrants)

New layers emerge, shifting boundaries:

  • AI agents / assistants become new distribution channels (e.g., OpenAI’s ChatGPT apps, Perplexity’s mobile UI).
  • Super app frameworks (e.g., Telegram mini-apps) become meta-platforms inside mobile OSes.
  • Wallet-based ecosystems (identity, crypto, digital goods) create cross-platform continuity.

🧭 Effect: Gatekeepers may lose user touchpoints to “meta-platforms” that sit on top of the OS.

⚙️ 4. A “Reshuffle Model Canvas” for Mobile Apps

ElementDescriptionExample
TriggerWhat changes the distribution of value or control?Regulatory changes (DMA), new tech (AI agents), shifts in user behavior
Anchor LayerWhich layer redefines the interface?OS, identity, or payments
Redistributed ValueWhat moves?Revenue, data, trust, discovery
New GatekeepersWho gains control?AI assistants, mini-app frameworks
Old GatekeepersWho loses control?App stores, SDK-based ad networks
User BenefitWhat improves for users?Choice, interoperability, integrated experience
Developer ImpactWhat improves or worsens?Distribution, economics, discoverability

🧠 5. Example: The “AI Agent Reshuffle”

In 2025 and beyond, an AI-driven reshuffle looks like this:

BeforeAfter
Users search for apps in App StoreUsers ask AI assistants to “book a taxi” or “edit a photo”
Developers fight for app visibilityAI intermediates app selection and invocation
App Store controls discoveryAI layer controls orchestration and recommendation
OS owns distributionAI owns user intent

🧭 Reshuffle Result: AI interfaces become the new “home screen.”
App stores become backend registries. The distribution and discovery value shifts to the AI layer.

🏁 6. Summary

A Reshuffle model for the mobile app ecosystem describes how power and value continually move among:

  • OS and hardware vendors (Apple, Google)
  • Developers and third-party ecosystems
  • New intermediaries (AI agents, super apps)
  • Regulators (mandating openness)

The model emphasizes layer-by-layer realignment — each “reshuffle” altering where innovation, value, and control reside.

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , ,