What Is Killer Application (Killer App)?

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A Killer Application (Killer App) is a program that compels customers to buy new hardware by appealing to their desires. It's a common phrase in the tech field. The idea of a "killer app" comes from the gaming industry, which refers to an application that makes you buy a console so that you can play it. Examples include Super Mario Bros., Pokémon, and Halo 2. In recent years, several companies have begun using the term "killer app" for their products—like Apple's Siri or Microsoft's Cortana—even though these aren't apps. The phrase has become so common in tech circles that many people don't even realize there's an original meaning: an app that gets you to buy the product it runs on! Killer Apps are the best. They're like a cross between a headache and a hangover—and they're much more fun than either of those things unless you love headaches and hangovers. Killer apps are known for creating large followings that can lead to hardware or device purchases, which is why they are also referred to as "essential factors." If you're looking for an example of killer apps in action, try thinking back to the days when Windows 95 was released. It was such a big deal that people lined up outside of stores to get their hands on it—and then they stayed there for days because they had no idea how to use it! "Killer apps" are the things that make us go, "wow, that's so cool." They're the things that help us buy new technologies and get excited about them. In the early days of computing, killer apps were often game-changing applications like VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet program, or Lotus 1-2-3, which helped turn computers into business tools. Email is a classic example of a killer app in the Internet era. It's boring technology—but it was so valuable for so many people that people were willing to pay for email addresses and use them regularly. So, what's your favorite killer app?

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