Forced app download

Forced app download is a practice committed by businesses and government entities where users must download an app on their smartphones to perform simple tasks that may have otherwise been possible on a standard web browser^[1] (e.g., adding a credit card for payments) or in real life (e.g., ordering a coffee).

Implementation of forced app download is increasing in many countries with the aim of digitization. For example, in Singapore, it is impossible for residents to have a bank account without using the bank's mobile application^{[citation needed]}. Additionally, Singapore residents must also utilize a smartphone that runs an unmodified version of iOS or Android in order to download the mandate apps from their respective app stores^{[citation needed]}.

Because forced app download generally means alternative measures, such as website access, are possible, entities that engage in this practice have little reason to do so outside of personal gain. They may find it favorable for several reasons, including:

1. Identification and tracking of users - often accomplished through device identifiers, location information, and network connection.^{[citation needed]}
2. Increased digital integration - more integrating means more sharing data with payment processors,^{[citation needed]} ad providers,^{[citation needed]} and more.
3. Increased centralization and dependency on big companies - further consolidates power and wealth into large companies such as the tech companies who own the app stores as well as payment processors like Visa and MasterCard^{[citation needed]}

Forced app download involves:

1. Forcing download and use of app to interact with a business - Basic tasks like ordering,^{[citation needed]} making payments, changing settings.^{[citation needed]}
2. Deliberately crippling or removing functionality from the web experience - Prevent users from having an alternative interface to perform basic tasks.^{[citation needed]}
3. Forcing users to always be on the latest version of an app - "For your security" (as they usually claim), most of these apps will constantly check for the latest version and self-disable if they are older than x-version.^{[citation needed]} (varies by company)
4. Mandatory use of account - For most of these apps to work, you must have an account for features to work.^{[citation needed]} For example, making an order with Luckin Coffee mandates installing the app and creating an account tied to a personal phone number;^{[citation needed]} guests are disallowed from making orders incognito.^{[citation needed]}

The hallmarks of forced app download are mandatory account creation and usage, and digital payments. This allows tracking of the user not just by the company behind the app, but the payment provider and any other associated third-party partners.

Most apps are only available for download on official app stores, meaning consumers must use a device running stock iOS or Android, or else jump through hoops to run them.^[2][3]

Devices must also be running stock operating systems, as most government and business apps conduct intrusive checks^[4] and will not run if a device is jail-broken or rooted.

Some companies, such as big banks in Singapore, have also started incorporating checks for "unverified apps" in their app. This means their app will scan your phone and check for sideloaded apps (anywhere that is not the official app store. For example, an app downloaded directly from APK Mirror or an unofficial app repository like F-Droid) as part of "anti-scam security measures that include restricting customers from accessing the banks’ digital services on their mobile phones if apps from unverified app stores – also known as sideloaded apps – are detected."^[5]

Main article: Surge Pricing

So far, the implementation of surge pricing in the context of businesses that use forced app download has not yet been seen. However, trust that the enterprising individuals and eCommerce platform providers (especially "modern headless eCommerce" companies^[6]) looking to maximize clean out of consumers' wallets will quickly develop and deploy surge pricing once businesses with forced app download gain sufficient footing both in their respective industries and in general market penetration.

Since ordering and payments are entirely digital, it is very possible to see surge pricing (similar to what we've seen from ride hailing companies like Uber, Lyft and Grab) implemented across other industries.

For example, a restaurant with enough popularity could implement surge pricing to increase prices during peak hours, such as lunch time on weekdays to impact the downtime office crowd that is lacking in time and places to eat, or nighttime hours on weekends when people are looking to go out.

Similar to how some car insurance providers in the U.S. are adjusting their rates based on "smart reporting" from cars, it is also very possible for other intrusive and oppressive pair ups to happen. For example:

• Restaurants, cafes and bars with forced app download sharing data with health insurance companies, who increase a user's premium if they see a lifestyle/pattern of ordering unhealthy dishes or overly large portions.
• Government tax agency charging a user "excess carbon footprint" taxes because they often order a lot of clothes beyond the number that the "Average" person of their profile wears, based on what the user's favorite fast fashion retailer with forced app download is sharing with them.

People with limited income or difficult economic situation is the most affected in this situation, being unable or having difficulties to afford a smartphone or one that is compatible with the needed apps. Elders and disabled people also could have difficulties to use a smartphone and the required apps.

If there is a vulnerability in the app or any of its related components, it could be exploited by malicious entities, with the risk of leaking a massive amount of sensitive data of the app's users. Scammers also could create duplicates of the original application to disguise it as the original app to get the data of some users.

The applications might become useless or have limited functions if there is no internet connection. If the device is out of battery, broken or has been stolen, the user will be unable to access to the app until their device is charged, repaired or by acquiring a new one. In worse scenarios, another person could access to the app and do malicious activities (such as taking or spending the user's money or scamming other people).

Bugs could also lead to problems in the app's functionality and might cause issues when doing an action in the app.

Mobile Carriers and App marketplaces

Companies like Digital Turbine auction^[7] off placement in carriers automatic download lists and recommended app's placement in first and third party app stores.^[8]

Digital turbine sells forced app downloads from app developers like: zynga, Miniclip games, King Digital Entertainment and Uber, placement in forced download lists to carries like: Verizon, AT&T, Cricket wireless, US cellular, Tracfone and T-mobile.^[9]

All banks in Singapore (Citi, DBS, UOB, OCBC, Standard Chartered, CIMB) mandate use of their apps for consumers to perform any online banking activities, including logging in via their web browser.

The apps generate notifications that require users to approve/deny actions like logging in via a web browser, initiating a payment, adding a payee, etc via the app itself. Some banks previously offered sending an OTP via SMS (text) as an alternative to app-based approval but this has since been discontinued for "security reasons".

On August 1, 2025, in Chile, the General Character Norm N° 538 came into force. ^{[10] [11]} The transaction method with coordinate cards was intended to be officially removed as a transaction alternative, forcing users to download and use the official bank apps to do online transactions. This action caused complaints and concerns. Those controversies made CMF to postpone the law for August 2026. ^[12]

Auto insurance companies like Progressive, require non policy holders effected by automotive incidents their policyholders claim to submit photos and video evidence of damages exclusively through their mobile app.^[13] Affected non-policy holders can't complete the entire claim process through their website even though you can start the process online from any device and web browser.^[13]

SP Group is Singapore's primary and default electricity provider, as well as the country's only provider for gas and water for consumers. In 2022, SP Group removed the ability to manage payments from their website, forcing users to download and use their mobile app to pay bills/manage recurring payments.^[14]

As they are the country's sole gas and water provider, residents will effectively be forced to download SP Group's app eventually.

Speaker and sound hardware company Sonos has been a big practitioner of forced app download since at least 2017.^[15] Sonos makes it unnecessarily difficult, if not impossible for their customers to use their hardware without an app and/or internet connection.

Even though it is possible to use Sonos speakers without an app, initial setup has required the download and use of Sonos' app since at least May 2022.

"Yes you can (use the Sonos Roam speaker without an app). However, you will need to set it up for the first time using the app." (May 2022)^[16]

In addition, not all Sonos products support use without an app (April 2023)^[17] and even if they do, sans-app usability is only limited to one speaker.

"You can use speakers without an app, but it only applies to a single speaker. If you want to play audio across multiple speakers, you will have to use the app and there is no other workaround to this." (Dec 2021)^[18]

3D Printer manufacturer Bambu Lab forces users to bind their machines to an account via the use of an app called Bambu Handy and also forces the user to connect the machine to the internet whether they want to use LAN only mode or not. The fallout of this is that if you reset a machine and the servers are shut down the machine is a brick. [1]

E-commerce giant Shopee, which has a strong hold in online retail in South East Asia and Latin America, has integrated a soft forced app download to their customer experience.

While it is still possible to browse, shop and checkout on a web browser, coupons usable on the web experience (regardless if mobile or desktop device) are limited to "Shipping Discount" coupons only. All other shopping coupons "Discount & Cashback" are only usable with Shopee's apps on iOS and Android.

When a customer attempts to check out on a web browser, Shopee shows that Discount & Cashback coupons are not usable because "Current device does not meet voucher T&C". On closer inspection of the terms and conditions of those coupons, Shopee specifies "Device: iOS, Android". What they are referring to is you must download and use their mobile apps for those operating systems in order to use most of their coupons. As pictured, the coupons are still not available on iOS and Android devices if the customer is using their web browser, thus effectively forcing customers to download the Shopee app.

An increasing number of 'digital-native' food businesses that are app-only are making their way onto the market. For example, Luckin Coffee, a Starbucks competitor from China, with stores in Singapore and planned expansion into Malaysia and the US in 2025,^[19] only allows ordering of beverages and payments via its app. The way it works is you download the app, register an account, log in, order a coffee and pay for it, then pick it up at a Luckin Coffee location. "With Luckin, you do not order coffee over the counter like in regular Western coffee shops. Instead, you do everything online. I ordered my drinks here without even needing to talk to the Barista!"^[20]

With a food-and-beverage business that is fully committed to forced app downloads like Luckin Coffee, there is no way to order nor pay at the physical store. You must download and use the app to interact with the business.

Forced app download represents the next stage of evolution from QR code based ordering. The key differences are:

Google blocks users who enable desktop-mode to use Google Lens without the app, by showing an "Update your browser" page. Desktop-mode is necessary, because when Google Search detects the device is Android, it redirects to the Google app (or Play Store, if not installed)^{[citation needed]}