WHEN Elon Musk announced the appointment of Twitter’s new chief executive, he also reminded the world of his ambition for the platform: “Looking forward to working with Linda (Yaccarino) to transform this platform into X, the everything app.”

But for once, the entrepreneur who popularised electric cars and pioneered private space exploration is behind the curve. Apps that serve as one-stop shops for a multitude of services – from online messaging, grocery and food shopping, e-payments, ride-hailing and entertainment to travel bookings – are already widely used in China and South-east Asia. WeChat, the king of the so-called super apps, has more than 1.3 billion monthly active users.

No super app has emerged in the United States to date, although American Big Tech firms appear poised to change that. A few examples: Facebook’s main app now includes payments, e-commerce, gaming, dating and podcasts; Amazon’s platform offers medical consultations, pharmacy services, grocery delivery and content streaming; Uber now peddles not just ride-hailing but also travel bookings as well as food and package deliveries.