CultureSeptember 1, 2026

appified

AP-ih-fied

Definition

The process of converting complex real-world social or economic activities into simplified digital interactions facilitated by mobile applications.

Etymology

Derived from 'app' (a clipped form of 'application', referring to software) plus the suffix '-ify' (to make or become). It emerged in tech-focused discourse in the early 21st century to describe the ubiquity of smartphone-based service platforms.

In the news

The article uses the term to describe how modern life, including labor and risk, has been reduced to the gamified, simplified interfaces of smartphone apps, distancing people from the actual stakes of their actions.

New Drone Gods: Cao Fei Follows the Tech to the Provinces

Read the full article ↗

Artforum

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