TECH4GOOD
It could have been worse! Imagine if the pandemic happened 30 years ago when almost 99 percent of Filipinos did not have telephones at home and the Philippines only had about 60,000 mobile phone subscribers, according to National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) data. It would have been a struggle to even order food or groceries without having to physically go to a restaurant or grocery store. Even this would not have been possible during extreme lockdown situations.
This is where the platform economy comes into play. It has made all of us cope with the harsh realities of the pandemic. These platform apps have profoundly changed the way we live today in so many ways without us even noticing it. And we are just beginning to see the exciting innovations happening in this space. How has the platform economy helped us?
Platform economy starts
The popularity of platform apps started in 2007 when the Apple iPhone was first released. Facebook was founded earlier – in 2004 – but not in the form that we know it today. The iPhone changed everything, including the way we look at mobile phones. With the release of the App Store, Steve Job’s dream of being able to sell software, music, and practically everything else while just using the phone became a reality. Google and Amazon followed suit soon after. In fact, “app” was voted "Word of the Year" in 2010. It was at this time that the platform economy phenomenon really started to gain traction with the introduction of more social media and business apps like Instagram, AirBnB, and Uber.
What is platform economy?
It is quite difficult to exactly define the “platform economy” and even a “digital platform app.” The breadth of activities in a platform economy is so wide. My simple way of defining it could be “an economy dominated by the use of digital technology that allows parties to connect, share and sell.” I would also define a digital platform app as “a digital place that allows parties in a community to connect, share and sell.” Of course, the foundation of a platform economy would be the internet. Without it, the use of platform apps would not be possible.
Platform apps used
Most of us have used different platform apps for specific uses and activities. The most widely used apps are social media platforms like Facebook, Viber and We Chat. We use these to communicate and stay in touch with friends, family, and other contacts, as well as to meet and get to know people. While at home, we use apps like Netflix and TikTok to access and share content, photos, and videos. For merchandise, grocery, and delivery services, we usually utilize apps like Lazada, Shopee, Grab, and Lalamove.
For the few times that we can leave our homes, we use Grab and Waze. For making product comparisons, looking up information, or even searching for job opportunities, we would usually rely on Google and LinkedIn. Finally, for those of us who have been looking for Work from Home opportunities, we have tried using platforms like Upwork and 51Talk to get into gig work.
These are just some of the usual uses of platform apps that have made life during this pandemic much more bearable and a little bit more normal.
Livelihood opportunities
The lockdowns have significantly impacted businesses, most especially the small ones. Those who have been severely affected are those in the hospitality, transportation, and retail industries. For retail, this pertains to malls and physical stores. This has resulted in thousands of jobs being lost, but we have also seen new livelihood opportunities that have surfaced during the pandemic. Look at the number of people suddenly joining the peloton of delivery riders, or the online business opportunities that have arisen because of marketplace apps like Lazada.
Yes, the economy may have been badly hit by this pandemic, but these new opportunities surely have provided a lot of resourceful people with a decent means of providing for themselves and their families. To some extent, these are the opportunities that are now helping to keep the Philippine economy afloat.
Conclusion
The platform economy has transformed the way we live today and our society in general in a lot of ways. It has allowed us to continue with our business of living even during the crisis we still experience today. The platform apps have become our go-to tools to obtain almost everything that we need. It has even produced opportunities for thousands of Filipinos in terms of jobs and business. Thus, we can say, with utmost certainty, that even after this pandemic, platform apps will continue to be an integral part of our lives – not just because of the convenience they bring, but most importantly, the social connection that we are able to realize without the need for us to go out and experience the usual pre-pandemic traffic congestions.
As mentioned previously, this is just the beginning. We can expect exponential growth in innovations to happen in the coming years that will really create a much better user experience for all of us. Yes, there are issues (these will be the topic of my future articles), but the benefits that we are experiencing today far outweigh them. As we continue using these apps, let us always remember to use them wisely and responsibly.
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