Applications
App monetisation remains a challenge
MUMBAI: App monetisation remains a challenge in India, experts at Ficci Frames 2013 said here today, while outlining factors that could trigger growth in the sector.
An important change is the explosion of connected devices which could transform India from being the largest consumer market for apps to also one of the largest revenue generators.
“What will help the app market is the fact that phones are getting cheaper and the technology is getting better. Mobile will be a game changer from a data perspective,” said DisneyUTV MD Digital Vishal Gondal.
With advertising being the main business model, monestisation is a challenge. There is also the issue of operators taking away 70 per cent of revenue. "Vodafone changed this by taking only 30 per cent and giving the rest to the app developer," Gondal stated.
Oovoo.com CEO Jay Alan Samit feels that voice calls will go the way of the fax machine and become extinct. "People today prefer sending text messages. If it is somebody they love and care about, then they will use video," he said.
Samit also noted that apps are viral and can come from anywhere. Angry Birds, for instance, comes from Finland. "Also celebrities will use apps if they connect people. This was seen during the Oscar awards where stars like Hugh Jackman used apps to reach out to fans," he averred.
India has a base of 2.5 million app developers. "This gives us strength. Our plan is to ensure that an app is present regardless of whether a user has a smartphone or a feature phone," said Nokia India marketing director Viral Oza.
But what are the challenges the app market faces in India? The absence of a venture funding system for apps is surely one major deterrent. The other challenge is that innovations in the user interface are not happening outside of the US, Samit said.
The fact is that many users discard an app after using them just once. Oza touched on the importance of app quality. Nokia, for instance, has a filtering system before an app is put on the Nokia Store. "About 50 per cent of apps downloaded in India are from a Nokia store. This shows that apps have quality as well as stickiness,” he said.
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
