Has peace and quiet has become a luxury product, available only to those who can pay to receive it? As privacy becomes more desirable and is marketed as a product, could silence also become a commodity for those who can afford it?

As messaging apps reach saturation point, unconventional alternatives are rising to the surface; from Yo! – which allows users to only send the word 'Yo' – to Backchat, in which all contacts are initially anonymous. Now, fashion brand Miu Miu has launched its very own addition.

"People think it's just an app that says 'Yo,'" Yo founder Arbel told theNew York Times. "We like to call it context-based messaging.” Effectively, Yo really is just an app that says 'Yo'. So why has it already been used four million times and attracted $1 million of investment?

The explosion of interest in mobile messaging platforms has prompted heated competition to secure the largest and most loyal global user base. From LINE’s stickers to WeChat’s partnership with Lionel Messi, there’s a race to innovate, and fast.