1/ This post highlights how far we are from mass adoption of DApps and got me thinking more about what might a "killer DApp" look like.
2/ First, there is the common argument that it only makes sense for an app to be decentralized if it requires a significant level of censorship resistance. This limits the number of potential use cases to DEX, prediction markets, gambling etc which we are starting to see today
3/ @lsukernik adds an important distinction here in separating sovereign grade vs platform grade censorship resistance which Ethereum provides for developers anxious to build on a platform that can't decide to censor or kill your application at will. medium.com/@LarrySukernik…
4/ While platform grade censorship resistance can be applied to more use cases and is attractive to developers, this value proposition is mostly invisible to average users so doesn't drive adoption especially if the DApp is harder to use.
5/ For a DApp to gain mainstream adoption, it must be 10x better, faster, cheaper than a centralized equivalent. The best way to do this is by building public infrastructure that unbundles network operators removing the need for large amounts of rent they charge
6/ @KyleSamani writes about this here with the argument that most centralized businesses claim to be p2p networks but in reality they are mediated by operators that use their tech and brand to aggregate supply and resell it with a tax that is their profit multicoin.capital/2017/10/06/blo…
7/ It's likely that it will be a long time before a fully decentralized DApp or DAO could completely replace every function of a killer centralized app like Uber. However, it's important to consider the opportunity for centralized apps built on top of decentralized protocols 1st
8/ @0xProject has demonstrated an interesting hybrid model that is gaining traction within the DEX use case that combines centralized companies as relayers on top of a decentralized protocol and could be applied to other use cases
9/ This model keeps the strengths of centralized companies (creating brands, acquiring customers, providing customer service) while automating away a significant part of the technical stack for executing trades making this public infrastructure
10/ This lowers the barrier to entry removing the need for every company to rebuild the same infrastructure allowing them to operate leaner and specialize in user experience, while sharing liquidity between each other creating a strong protocol network effect
11/ Let's explore this model for a future "killer DApp" like autonomous vehicle ride-sharing. Ethereum could serve as the base layer with @foamspace on top providing secure and decentralized proof of location.
12/ There could then be an open protocol built on @foamspace that functions similar to 0x providing a set of smart contracts for accepting a ride, locking up ether and releasing it to the car when you have reached a destination.
13/ Any autonomous vehicle software provider like Google or Tesla could then integrate with it and any company or investor could buy and maintain fleets of self driving cars adding supply to the network.
14/ Centralized companies could serve as relayers creating good interfaces, specializing in attracting demand for certain use cases (office commute, luxury, etc)
15/ They could provide insurance and customer service while pooling vehicle liquidity between all users of the protocol earning 1 - 5% in referral fees for driving demand
16/ This model wouldn't be that different than the business model for many dominant companies today like Google that monetize through lead generation except instead of driving customers to other companies they would be driving them to a protocol.
17/ The ability to earn ownership or governance rights in the protocol for contributing resources (cars or riders) could also kickstart the network and accelerate adoption
18/ End users would win by being able to use a rideshare service that would be a fraction of the cost of completely closed network alternatives driving significant adoption.
19/ Ultimately, a "killer DApp" may not look like a DApp at all as protocols could remain behind the scenes and users would continue to interact with new centralized apps offering the same ease of use and reduced costs by leveraging public decentralized infrastructure
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