Why aren’t “Super Apps” Working in India?

For emerging smartphone markets like India, this seems like a great trend for several reasons, at least on paper.

Re-watching the delightful Gully Boy recently, I was struck with the reminder of how much Mumbai has changed over the years, and how closely other urban centres have mirrored its transformation. In what is perhaps one of the most insightful scenes in India’s Oscar entry and runaway hit, the protagonist Murad spray paints his thoughts on the wall in his very own street graffiti.

“Roti, Kapda, Makan + internet”, he writes, carefully underlining “internet” as his more privileged friends look on in slight amusement.

Murad’s simple desire for these four essentials gives us a peek into the minds of countless Indians today. These Indians include not just the tech savvy millennials with ample purchasing power, but also those who may not go to bed hungry, but struggle to make ends meet each and every day. For them, internet is as imperative as food, clothing and shelter, and often, just like the rest of us, they rely on the former for everything they need of the latter. This dependence probably explains why more and more Indians are now getting their hands…