Microsoft recently considered building a "super app" that could combine shopping, messaging, web search, news feeds and other services in a one-stop smartphone app, in what would be an ambitious move by the software giant to expand further into consumer services, according to people with direct knowledge of the discussions. Microsoft executives wanted the app to boost the company's multibillion-dollar advertising business and Bing search, as well as draw more users to Teams messaging and other mobile services.
By creating an all-in-one app that people don't need to leave to access its other offerings, Microsoft hoped to emulate a mobile strategy that has worked for Tencent. The Chinese firm's WeChat app, which combines messaging with shopping, online games, news and a variety of services including grocery ordering, is a source of inspiration for top Microsoft executives, the people said.
While it isn't clear whether Microsoft will ultimately launch such an app, the people with knowledge of the discussions said CEO Satya Nadella has laid the groundwork by pushing the Bing search engine to work better with other Microsoft mobile products. For instance, he has directed Bing to integrate with Microsoft's Teams messaging and Outlook email apps, making it easier for customers to share search results in messages. A spokesperson for Microsoft didn't comment for this article.
At Microsoft, the super app idea took flight when the company in 2019 hired Mikhail Parakhin from Russia-based Yandex, where he oversaw a large team working on products including search, a mobile web browser and ads, according to a person familiar with his hire. In addition to WeChat, another model for Microsoft's potential super app was Yandex Go, a food-delivery, taxi and courier app Parakhin helped develop, the person said.
Microsoft Eyes ‘Super App’ to Break Apple and Google’s Hold on Mobile Search — The Information
