Why the world loves dumb apps

Lately, there’s been a ‘stupid app’ trend. But instead of getting ignored, or ridiculed, they’re going viral.

Yo, for example, went viral for being a dead-simple notification tool that lets users send the word ‘ Yo’ back and forth.

Within its first few months, 100 million Yos were sent on the platform. Its founder, Moshe Hogeg, admits it started as a ‘stupid’ idea, still, it raised $1.5 million (Rs 9 crore).

Last week, another app called Ethan launched. It’s already gotten more than 200 upvotes on discovery site Product Hunt. The idea: Text the guy who made it, Ethan.

A few years ago, the iFart came out — it was a mobile whoopee cushion. You could ask what’s wrong with these developers. Or, why does the world find gimmicky start-ups so amusing?

Stupid-sounding ideas have been going viral forever, long before the web. There was the Pet Rock in the 1970s, which generated about $15 million (Rs 90 crore) in the product’s first six months. Ken Hakuta’s Wacky Wallwalker in 1980 sold more than 240 million products, netting him about $80 million(Rs 488 crore today).

Ryan Hoover, co-founder, Product Hunt says, “People hate on ‘stupid’ apps, but experimentation can be a good thing.” Yet, the real reason may be pretty simple: People get bored quickly and like to be entertained. Many apps are nothing more than toys, just in a more technical form.