App news roundup February 2021

It’s been a busy start to the year in the app industry with lots of interesting news stories and developments emerging. If you’re set on having an app built for your business this year, keeping up-to-date on what’s happening in the app space can be especially helpful when it comes to knowing what’s trending and where to look for a little inspiration.

Here’s our recap of the most interesting stories to appear lately.

New Clubhouse app rapidly making a name for itself

You might think that an app which allows you to listen in on calls is something of a strange candidate for going viral but that’s exactly what’s happened in the case of Clubhouse.

The fact Clubhouse is invite-only is only adding to this iPhone app’s appeal. The premise of the app is deceptively simply; there’s no images or videos, just a profile picture for each user. You can then click and listen to that person speaking, as if you were listening to a podcast. The broadcasts are public however and in addition to listening to the conversations taking place on Clubhouse, you can also participate. Expect a range of personalities and subjects if you are invited to join.

Tesla entrepreneur Elon Musk joined the platform this week so expect to hear a lot more about Clubhouse in the weeks to come.

Wine app raises £111 million in funding

With bars, pubs and restaurants forced to close or dramatically scale back their operations on both sides of the Atlantic, chances are you’re spending more time indulging in a bottle of wine at home. The US wine app Vivino has capitalised on this increase in at-home consumption, with a bumper £111 million funding round. The app, which is like a marketplace for wine, says it will use the funds to invest more in its technology, including an engine which makes personalised recommendations for users. The app also hopes to expand into new markets – showing there really is an appetite for food and drink apps right now!

Conveyancing app reports huge growth

A conveyancing app called inCase has reported a huge growth during lockdown – showing that digital solutions, and especially app-powered digital solutions – are very much in demand and poised for success in the current climate.

inCase is typically used by solicitors to update their clients and keep them appraised of progress during their house move. Users can carry out tasks such as sign forms digitally, meaning the process of moving from A to B doesn’t need to rely on face-to-face meetings. It has seen its revenues increase by as much as 80% during the pandemic; food for thought if you have an idea for a similar electronic solution to a real world problem.