In the hyper-competitive world of tech, businesses often rush to build mobile apps simply because “everyone else has one.” But does your business actually need an app, or does it just need a smarter system?
We sat down with tech veteran and Chief Technology Officer, Sargis Ghazaryan, to break down the rapidly evolving mobile app landscape, how AI is fundamentally changing the way we write code, and why having fewer features might actually be your secret weapon to success.
Q1: The mobile app market feels incredibly crowded. What are your thoughts on where the market is heading right now?
Sargis Ghazaryan: The data tells a fascinating story. In 2025, total app downloads only grew by about 1%, but overall market revenue surged by a staggering 10%. What does that tell us? The market is maturing. Users aren’t just downloading apps carelessly anymore; they are spending more on the apps they truly value.
Over the next five years, monetization is projected to double, reaching a massive $600 billion. While people aren’t going to abandon app stores anytime soon, the playground is shifting. Monopolies are cracking. With platforms like the Amazon Appstore gaining major traction, the tight grip Apple and Google once held is beginning to fracture, opening up massive new opportunities for alternative ecosystems.
Q2: Everyone is talking about Artificial Intelligence. How has AI affected mobile app development, and how has it evolved over the last few years?
Sargis Ghazaryan: AI-generated apps have flooded the market, driving up revenue across the board. But here is the nuance most people miss: AI isn’t necessarily inventing revolutionary new features. Instead, it has fundamentally re-engineered the entire core of software development.
We are entering the era of “vibe coding,” where developers can rapidly generate code using AI prompts. However, app stores are catching on. Because the market is being flooded with AI-generated software, platforms like Apple and Google are drastically tightening their review processes and strictly vetting these apps. If you want to survive, you can’t just generate a quick app—you have to ensure the quality and system architecture are incredibly solid.
Q3: What are the defining trends you see shaping the near future of mobile apps?
Sargis Ghazaryan: The biggest trend by far is the rise of Super-Apps. Users are experiencing “app fatigue”—they don’t want 50 different apps taking up space and demanding notifications on their phones. Instead, they prefer centralized hubs that bundle multiple services into a single ecosystem.
We are seeing a massive shift toward “apps-within-apps.” Take Telegram, for example. Developers are now building fully functional applications directly inside Telegram’s ecosystem. Users love this because they can access dozens of micro-services without ever leaving their favorite messaging app.
Q4: If a business is on the fence, what is the defining line that makes a mobile app a true necessity rather than a website?
Sargis Ghazaryan: If your business relies on a “one-time process”—like a user buying a single ticket or checking a menu—you do not need an app. A well-optimized mobile website is more than enough.
An app becomes a necessity when you fulfill at least one of these three criteria:
- Recurring Workflows: The user needs to interact with your system on a daily or highly frequent basis.
- Hardware & OS Integration: You deeply rely on offline functionality or native push notifications to bring users back.
- Deep Personalization: The software needs to learn user behavior over time to dynamically alter and improve their experience.
Q5: What is your golden advice for businesses looking to build their first mobile app?
Sargis Ghazaryan: Don’t start by building features. Start by building a system that solves a core friction point. The features will naturally reveal themselves once you truly understand the problem. Ask yourself: Does this app provide a specific touchpoint that works significantly better than a browser, a Telegram bot, or a WhatsApp automation? If the answer is no, rethink your strategy.
When it comes to execution, be smart with your budget. Frameworks like Flutter, React Native, and Kotlin Multiplatform offer production-ready stability. Choosing a cross-platform solution is no longer a compromise—it’s the smartest financial decision for almost any business. Finally, view AI integration as a baseline requirement, not a luxury. Use it across all aspects of your app—from dynamic content personalization and intelligent chatbots to smart lead generation.
Q6: Looking back at your career in software engineering, what is one major assumption about mobile apps that you’ve completely changed your mind on?
Sargis Ghazaryan: Early in my career, I genuinely believed that feature-rich apps provided the most value. I thought the more functionality you packed into an app, the more successful it would be. Experience completely shattered that assumption.
In reality, the leanest apps are often the most successful. Look at early versions of companies like Notion or Stripe—they launched with very few features but executed them flawlessly. Over-engineering code isn’t the priority anymore. The most critical skill in tech today is deeply understanding why a human being would choose to open your app again tomorrow morning.