The Coronavirus pandemic is at its peak, and with the number of people getting afflicted with the virus increasing every day, the battle to overcome this unforeseen situation seems to be a long drawn one.  The simplest and easiest cure is prevention, and governments across the world are taking considerable steps to keep the spread under control.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, retail shops, pharmaceutical firms, and grocery outlets have seen an upsurge in their business. Smartphone app development companies have also seen a change in their fortunes with increased workloads and stricter delivery times, and general trends suggesting an increased automation of processes, which has also led many new businesses reaching out for similar remote features to cater to customers, more so, with app development companies being well equipped with remote working / work from home capabilities.

There is consistent and continuous advice to stay indoors during these times, but this becomes difficult after a prolonged period indoors. At some point in time, people tend to come out to buy essentials. This is the time when on-demand services become imperative.

In the current scenario, people are not willing to go out of their house, because of which apps are becoming an important source to connect. Businesses deliver the required goods to their customer’s houses, and by doing this, they can help customers stay indoors and avoid unnecessary contact.

Order groceries

When going out, there is a possibility to come across an infected person. In such a situation, grocery delivery apps are the best solution for you. You just need to open the app, select the required products, add them into the cart, and order them.

Such apps ensure completion of the entire transaction including payments that allows for contactless delivery, which is critical.

Fuel delivery

Fuel is another essential item that service providers cater to. You would not be venturing out to re-fuel if you have an app, right?

You can get fuel delivered right at your doorstep with a few clicks by selecting the type and quantity of fuel required. You can pay using e-wallets as well as multiple online methods, which are contactless. 

Online medical consultations

Scores of people have existing medical conditions that require constant monitoring. In the current scenario however, many doctors find it challenging to cater to all patient requests due to the risk of virus infection, and the same is the case with patients who would wish to limit their movements to the high risk environments of hospitals and clinics.

In such situations, mobile applications can enable online consultations by connecting doctors and patients for hassle free treatments. Such apps have call scheduling features, which give you access to your doctor’s calendar to schedule an appointment, and also provide valid prescriptions for medications. 

Get medicines at your doorstep

While medical consultations happen online, it is also imperative that you get the necessary medical supplies as easily. 

The use of telemedicine apps have become more and more prominent ever since the onset of the pandemic. Users can order the required medications using these apps and have them delivered, which reduces trips to the local drugstore. Smartphone app development companies have made life easier by building these apps that help solve your problem effectively.

Apps that are helping people connect during the pandemic

Here are some of the most used apps that are helping people stay connected during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Zoom

Zoom has seen an unprecedented increase in usage and has become one of the mainstays for many businesses across the world by enabling connectivity at a previously never-before-seen scale, with its support for over 1000 participants who can interact over a single call. 

With its easy interface, screen share support and task-oriented features like multiple break-out rooms, it has become a one-stop solution for many companies. The only drawback one can say is the call duration limit in its free version. Enterprises that require unhindered meetings usually opt for the premium version where participants can stay connected for unlimited durations.

Google Hangouts

Determined to not be left behind by the surging popularity of Zoom, Google has inculcated better features into its Hangouts App, the most important and practical of which is to include it by default in its Gmail offering. If you have a Gmail account, then you can use Google hangouts seamlessly, while it also provides an easily installable extension on its Chrome browser. 

The only downside (if one call it that) is its limit of 25 people per meeting, which falls far short of that offered by Zoom. 

Microsoft Teams

The race to provide remote working solutions, especially for enterprises dependent on such apps for business continuity, by keeping employees from different geographical locations always connected, is real. 

While Zoom has taken the early lead in this segment, other tech behemoths are trying their best to catch up and improve on existing parameters. Microsoft, with its group chat app ‘Teams’, has taken one of the biggest strides in recent days to become a viable alternative to Zoom. 

While ‘Teams’ was already getting positive reviews for its ease of use, coherent connectivity and other aspects that ensure peak team performance, its latest update where it supports up to 20,000 (you read that right!) ‘view only’ participants and up to 1000 interactive participants, has now levelled the playing field with its competitors. 

Facebook Messenger

There are more than 2.2 billion users of Facebook across the world, with millions more aware of its popularity as well. 

Although not strictly a professional app, its smooth UI and polished features ensure a memorable user experience, which can be leveraged to stay connected with near and dear ones. 

Facetime

iPhone users must be familiar with this app, which is in-built into every Apple device. While a major drawback is its lack of cross platform usability, it still draws a lot of eyeballs within the iOS community and users have only positive things to say about this app that enables instant connectivity with stunning audio and video quality.

Final words

The pandemic and the subsequent lockdown have desisted people from venturing out, making the populace ever more dependent on apps which provide instant connectivity and service at their doorstep. 

Smartphone app development companies are at the forefront of innovation by building and deploying apps that enable us to stay connected in these times while also taking care of our daily needs and ensuring that we stay productive by building custom tools for the workforce across industry segments.

If you have requirements for app development services, contact the experts at Smart Sight Innovations today for a free quote.