What Does This Mean?

App-Required

[ SLANG ][ APP-CONTROLLED PHYSICAL WORLD ][ MACHINE CULTURE ]

FORCE: Machine CultureUNIVERSE: App-Controlled Physical WorldCLUSTER: Software-Gated Ownership

A device or product that cannot function at all, or loses key features, without installing and setting up its companion app first.

REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE

"Didn't realize it was app-required until I got it home and it wouldn't even turn on without setup."

LORE & ORIGIN

Describes the specific hard requirement version of appification, referenced widely in 2026 consumer complaints about products that stop working without app setup.

FIRST SEEN

2020

PEAK ERA (EDITORIAL)

Not established

CURRENT STATUS

Mainstream Gen Alpha Slang

Related To:Appification App Hostage

Leer en español →Lire en français →日本語版を読む →한국어판 보기 →Ler em português →阅读中文版 →

EQUIVALENT CONCEPTS IN OTHER LANGUAGES

Español es-ESno fixed local term →Français fr-FRno fixed local term →日本語 ja-JPno fixed local term →한국어 ko-KRno fixed local term →Português pt-BRno fixed local term →中文 zh-CNApp必装 →

AURA IMPACT ⓘ

+1 AURA

TREND STATUS

↑ RISING

EDITORIAL ESTIMATE

CULTURE CATEGORY

[ SLANG ][ APP-CONTROLLED PHYSICAL WORLD ][ MACHINE CULTURE ]

RELATED TERMS

MENTIONS OVER TIME

DOCUMENTED SINCE

2020

NOW

Radar observation data not yet available for this term.

TOP PLATFORMS

Not enough Radar data yet to show a platform breakdown.

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