New features alert: Eight new App features that could change the game this year

1. Bolt’s New Food Delivery Service:

Bolt, one of two popular ride-hailing apps in Nigeria, is planning to integrate food delivery services into its operations.

According to theNational Bureau of Statistics, Lagos residents spent N830 billion eating out in 2019, so the market is ripe for this!

©Anatoliy Sizov | Getty Images

1. Tik Tok’s Comment Features

Creators can now control which comments can be posted on their content before said comments go live.

©Netflix

1. Fast Laughs from Netflix:

Thisfeature, which will run on the mobile version, will appear as a video feed of series, sitcoms and comedy shows. From the feed, users can watch the full video, react and/or share clips of their favourite shows.

1. ALAT by Wema’s Salary-Based Loan and Flexi Goal

Individuals can take loansin anticipation of their salary. The best part of this feature is that your salary does not necessarily have to be domiciled with Wema Bank.

The loan does not require paperwork, and it takes only a few minutes from when the customer’s offer is accepted to when the loan is disbursed.

On the flip side, Flexi Goal allows customers to save daily, weekly or monthly towards a target and earn up to 4% interest per annum. It also allows you to withdraw up to 50% of your savings once every 30 days.

©BBC

1. BBC Minute News Bulletins on MyMTN App:

MyMTN App now allows forBBC Minute news bulletins in English, Hausa, Igbo, Pidgin and Yoruba. The bulletin is a free 60-second news round-up on what is trending around the world.

©Transcorp Hotels

1. Aura from Transcorp Hotels Plc:

Aura is a platform that functions just like Airbnb. It helps people book accommodation, restaurants, vacation homes, and holiday getaways. The platform uses a search algorithm powered by artificial intelligence to determine the relevance of locations, taking customers’ specific preferences and requirements into consideration.

©Soundcloud

1. Fan-powered Royalties on SoundCloud:

SoundCloud, a music streaming platform that caters to Gen Z, has announced the introduction offan-powered royalties. This is a new model of payouts, which will be driven directly by an artist’s fan base. The general idea is that fan-based royalties are a more equitable and transparent way for emerging artists to make money on SoundCloud.

©Pavlo Gonchar|Sopa Images|Lightrocket |getty Images| Matt Binder

1. Applause Feature on YouTube:

With theapplause feature, YouTubers who have monetisation enabled on their channels will be able to receive one-time payments from their viewers for pre-recorded content that they have uploaded. An “Applaud” button would appear below a video, and viewers who click on it would be given options to tip the creator via a one-time $2, $5, $10 or $50 payment. This can be a gold mine if fully utilised and promoted.

By Q2 2021, even more app features will be bursting onto the scene. The demanding customer must be well served. It will be interesting to see more companies tailoring their features to the peculiarities of the Nigerian situation.