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.

While Apple Pay waits for its moment in the spotlight, Facebook may be planning a side swipe to take Apple of their feet. A recent exploitation of Facebook's Messenger app has revealed that it is poised to offer the ability to send payments via the app.

From messaging to social media to a marketplace to browsing the internet, WeChat is the app the does everything. While Western companies and app developers race to unbundle their services into efficient single-purpose apps, WeChat continues to add feature after feature.

The Apple App Store houses over one million apps. Despite once trying to do everything, apps are now being split into single purpose platforms. But how do people actually use them? And which is more useful – the Swiss Army knife approach or a tailored, single purpose app?