We’ve decided to check how quarantine helps  application developers in Eastern Europe. And to find out how their products, which they have carefully developed and in which they have invested a lot of money, win the consumer. And how this is affected by forced consumerism.

We analyzed the top 100 mobile applications from the Android and iPhone markets on the date before the start of quarantine – March 11 and April 21 and identified Eastern European companies and foreign affiliates that create jobs in this location, such as Vodafone, UberEats, BlaBlaCar.

 Top mobile applications

• The first trend. The positions of product (application development) companies have changed, in particular when we talk about food delivery. Applications like Raketa, UberEats, “Silpo” rose in the ranking – from top 100 to top 20. And from the top-20 to the top-10 the application of “Nova poshta” rose (mail delivery service).

• The second trend. Almost all programs of Eastern European product companies in the top 100 of Google Play and the App Store are free. Exceptions are administrative services, such as passing tests to the National Police ($ 8) and medical training tests KROK ($ 1.99). As an example, it turns out that during quarantine, Ukrainians study for doctors and police officers. Also among the top paid applications were educational mobile applications for children, for example, in the Ukrainian language (“Learning to read in Ukrainian” – $2). At the same time, even paid services in other countries, such as medical programs for smartphones and telemedicine, are free.

• The third trend. Even during quarantine, mobile applications of taxis and transportation services, such as BlaBlaCar, remain in the top 100. Their inclusion in the rankings shows how active these services are. On the one hand, taxis, contrary to the quarantine regime, remain the only available mode of transport for people who do not have their own cars and special passes. This and Uklon, and Bolt, and even BlaBlaCar. At the same time, BlaBlaCar is not on the list of 200 popular applications in his native France. Although, for example, on January 6, 2020 BlaBlaCar at home was in 52nd place.

Mobile applications shadow economy

Indeed, for many countries in quarantine, several applications for transportation in the top 100 – a rarity. For example, let’s look at how Über’s place in the ranking of applications has changed.

In the top 100 App Store in the US, Über is ranked 170th. At the same time, before quarantine, he was consistently in the top 50. In the Israeli top 100 at the beginning of the year, Über was inside the rankings, and on April 21 it was not even in the top 200. In the UK, a couple of months ago, Über was in the top 30 (24th place on February 1), and a few days ago it was not found in the top 200. In Ukraine for example, among iPhone applications, Über was ranked 126th on April 21.

At the same time, in other countries, in the midst of quarantine, there are almost no alternative travel programs in the ranking. Instead, the Ukrainian rating includes several at once.

That says a lot. For example, the high level of the shadow economy in the country and weak control by the authorities, even during quarantine.

It also indicates a low level of support for people and business by the authorities. Despite the mortal danger due to low social support from the government and local authorities, Eastern Europeans are forced to continue to participate in many business processes. There is no general credit vacation in banks, no food or social assistance for the population. Unlike other countries, there are no subsidies for business.

And finally, the active use of transport applications during the crisis indicates that some sectors are unable to switch to remote work and work exclusively with cash.

Although the largest retail chains, such as Silpo and MegaMarket, have their own delivery services, and ATB implements joint delivery with Rozetka, the top 100 also includes delivery service programs – Glovo and Raketa. Nova Poshta is also a stable leader in the “quarantine” top 100.

As in other countries, entertainment services are very popular in Eastern Europe such as: Sweet TV, Megogo.