What is an App?

Today, almost everyone has a smartphone. And many of us, perhaps nearly all of us, use various apps on them. We use apps to check the weather, post to social media, play games, and much more. But many don’t understand what apps are, and what they actually do. But it’s actually not all that complicated.

What Does App Stand For?

App is short for applications. It’s a very broad term which can refer to almost any program or software which can run on your device, whether it’s a computer, tablet, or smart phone. Thus apps can be anything from web browsers to games, from utility programs to productivity software, and much more.

How Do Apps Work?

When you download an app from an app store, you’re actually getting a program which is stored on your device. It can then be launched, and will run in the background, or can even be closed by the user if they wish. The app will then use the resources of the device it’s running on, such as memory, processing power, and memory. This is how apps are able to provide various functions, such as taking pictures, posting to social media, or even helping you track your fitness.

Apps are also able to access various services, such as your location (using GPS), contacts, cloud services such as iCloud and Dropbox, or various online services. At the same time, they also have access to various hardware on your device, such as the microphone and camera, or even the accelerometer.

Conclusion

Apps play an important role in today’s world. They allow us to do more with our devices, and to interact with the world around us in ways that weren’t possible even a few years ago. And so it’s important to understand what apps are, and how they work, so that we can make the most of the great features they offer.