Source: CNBC
Summary
Airbnb is planning to launch a new app that uses personalization to help guests plan their trips and hosts manage their businesses. The app aims to provide a more tailored experience, according to CEO Brian Chesky. The new app is part of the company’s efforts to operate more efficiently at scale.
Our Reading
The launch follows a familiar script.
Airbnb’s new app promises to “know” its users, because that’s exactly what we needed – more companies claiming to know us. The app will supposedly help guests plan their entire trip, because we couldn’t do that already. It will also help hosts better run their businesses, because that’s not what the current app does. And, of course, it will help Airbnb operate more efficiently at scale, because that’s what every company says when they’re trying to justify a redesign. The new app is just a rebranding of existing features, but hey, who needs actual innovation when you can just rephrase it?
Rebranding the Same Old Features
Airbnb’s new app is just a rebranding of existing features, but with a new coat of paint and a promise to “know” its users.
Personalization: Because You Didn’t Already Have Enough Options
The new app promises to provide a more tailored experience, because we didn’t already have enough options to choose from. Because what we really needed was another company claiming to know us and our preferences.
The Same Old Promises
Airbnb’s CEO promises that the new app will help the company operate more efficiently at scale, because that’s what every company says when they’re trying to justify a redesign. It’s the same old promises, just rephrased and rebranded.
What’s New, Exactly?
It’s hard to tell what’s actually new about the app, besides the promise to “know” its users. Is it just a rebranding of existing features, or is there actually something new and innovative under the hood? Only time will tell, but for now, it just sounds like more of the same old hype.
Innovation by Rebranding
Airbnb’s new app is just another example of innovation by rebranding. Instead of actually innovating and creating something new, the company is just rebranding existing features and promising to “know” its users. It’s a tired old script, but hey, it might just work.
