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This study explores the characteristics, origins, and manifestations of these apps worldwide, presenting the concept of \u2018super-appification\u2019 to describe processes of conglomeration in the global digital economy. Super apps aim to become deeply integrated into people\u2019s everyday lives, capturing and monetising essential activities. By analysing 41 super apps, we identify four distinct types of \u2018super-app constellations\u2019, showcasing different patterns and dynamics of conglomeration: \u2018Swiss-Army Knife\u2019 apps that consolidate services in one app, \u2018Family\u2019 apps that expand through subsidiaries, and \u2018Host\u2019 and \u2018Hub\u2019-style apps that leverage external developers. This typology offers a comprehensive understanding of the conglomeration patterns underpinning the rise of super apps, involving corporate, development and international expansion strategies. Ultimately, super-appification represents an intensified form of \u2018appification\u2019, as these apps increasingly pervade and commodify various aspects of everyday life, such as payment, insurance, grocery delivery, mobility and travel, with significant sociopolitical implications.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/14614448231223419","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,1,10]],"date-time":"2024-01-10T07:57:52Z","timestamp":1704873472000},"page":"3314-3337","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":20,"title":["Super-appification: Conglomeration in the global digital economy"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"27","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1401-0325","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fernando N","family":"van der Vlist","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4327-4012","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anne","family":"Helmond","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Utrecht University, The Netherlands"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5894-7892","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Michael","family":"Dieter","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The University of Warwick, UK"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5276-297X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Esther","family":"Weltevrede","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,1,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_5_2_1","unstructured":"Ajene E (2021) The rise of African super apps. 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