Microsoft mulls building ‘super app’

Microsoft Corp recently considered building a “super app” that could include shopping, messaging, news and web search services among others, The Information reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The Windows-maker mulled building the app to loosen the hold of Alphabet Inc’s Google and Apple Inc on the mobile search space, according to the report.

Microsoft executives wanted the app to also boost the company’s multibillion-dollar advertising business and Bing search, as well as draw more users to Teams messaging and other mobile services, The Information reported Microsoft did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

A super app, made popular in Asia by Tencent Holdings’ WeChat and South east Asia’s Grab Holdings (GRAB.O), has been described as the Swiss army knife of mobile apps, offering a suite of services for users such as messaging, social networking, peer-to-peer payments and e-commerce shopping.

Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk, who also owns Twitter, has shown interest in building a super app named “X” that would combine a multitude of services.

The report added that it isn’t clear whether the company would launch such an app, but Chief Executive Satya Nadella has pushed for the Bing search service to perform better with the Teams and Outlook. Reuters