Tmax introduces its new app-building 'SuperApp'

Tech

Published: 06 Sep. 2022, 19:58 Updated: 07 Sep. 2022, 17:22

Tmax introduces its new app-building 'SuperApp'

Park Dae-yeon, chairman and chief technology officer of Tmax, speaks during a two-day SuperWeek 2022 event Tuesday held at COEX, southern Seoul. [PARK SANG-MOON]

After a dozen years of development and 500-billion-won ($364-million) in investments, software company Tmax introduced “SuperApp.”

“SuperApp aims to create a world where anyone can create an app by themselves without help from programmers,” said Park Dae-yeon, chairman and chief technology officer of Tmax, in his keynote speech during a SuperWeek 2022 event Tuesday.

Tmax, a local software company, held a two-day SuperWeek 2022 event from Tuesday at Coex, southern Seoul, to introduce its SuperApp no-code development tool. The no-code development program will enable non-programmers to create application software by themselves without coding, using a drag-and-drop interface.

Microsoft runs Power Apps, a low-code development platform, and Amazon's Honeycode, which is a no-code app builder.

Unlike such no- or low-code development platforms, Tmax says that its program will be a development tool and also a so-called “super app.”

A super app provides a variety of seemingly unrelated services on a single mobile interface. Tmax envisions its SuperApp to be both a no-code programming tool and a super app pulling together Tmax' previous software services. SuperApp users can use and make apps they need.

“Every single feature can be an app, and such features can be expanded indefinitely — putting an app inside an app, for example — like stacking Lego blocks,” said Kim Min-suk, CEO of TmaxMetaverse, during a press conference held ahead of the main event.

From left: Kim Min-suk, TmaxMetaverse CEO; Kong Sang-hui, TmaxCloud CEO; Kim Jin-woo, TmaxFocus Senior Vice President during a press conference at COEX, southern Seoul, Tuesday [PARK SANG-MOON]

Kim cited YouTube and TikTok, saying that as in the cases of the two video apps, users can also publish and republish the apps and features created by themselves or other users.

Tmax invested a total of 500 billion won over the past 12 years to develop SuperApp. The goal is to enhance accessibility to complex IT technologies, said Chairman Park, "putting an end to the era of developers."

“From now on, apps without AI [artificial intelligence] or metaverse technologies will no longer have a competitive edge in the market,” argued Park. “But realistically speaking, it is too difficult to understand AI and metaverse technologies. That’s why we made it possible to realize AI or metaverse features without understanding such technologies.”

Tmax’ SuperApp targets a wide range of consumer bases, from individual users to corporate customers and government branches. Enhancing accessibility to such IT technologies will boost business competitiveness as it will cut the costs poured into setting up IT services and systems, explained Park.

The SuperApp will be available late this year, starting with an office software program. The service will be expanded into other areas such as e-commerce by early next year, according to Tmax.

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]