Pi Phase 2 - Pi Apps Platform

Pi Phase 2 - Pi Apps Platform

Our first goal in Phase 2 is building value. As discussed in our strategy overview video, to build value, the network needs to create intrinsic utility for Pi by enabling people to spend pi to exchange for real value (versus other currencies which are only representations of real value) and products at scale, be it entertainment, social connections, influence, access, knowledge or buying and selling real goods and services for Pi.

To create a full-fledged ecosystem that mirrors the breadth and scale of traditional economies, it’s impossible to have all applications built by the core team alone. So our strategy is to decentralize the development of Pi’s ecosystem through the Pi apps platform. For example, if Pi marketplaces are necessary to facilitate and scale healthy Pi transactions, members of the community or third party developers can create Pi apps of different marketplaces that vary by region, language, and types of goods and services. While the Core Team can’t be experts in all varieties of apps, our global community and external parties can be.

Pi Core Team will focus on providing the platform to facilitate others who are more specialized in the specific domains to build those apps, such as e-commerce, logistics, supply chains, gaming, real estate or financial services. In addition to the platform, Pi Core Team will only develop a few key Pi apps that are closely tied to Pi’s vision and community building. Based on our initial research, Third-party developers of decentralized applications are very excited to tap into and contribute to Pi’s ecosystem through the platform, because Pi’s philosophy of user accessibility and the large active global community are a rare resource in the crypto space.

An Apps Platform will allow third-party developers to build applications that facilitate structured transactions using PI. The Apps Platform can include both apps that are built within Pi Network called Pi Apps as well as external applications that are able to integrate Pi into their payment options, called Pi Payments.

Pi Apps will be hosted within the Pi interfaces, for example, similar to facebook applications or WeChat mini-programs. Some categories of potential Pi Apps, that can be hosted within the Pi interface include:

Pi Financial Services Apps - Apps that allow Pioneers to access the emerging world of decentralized finance. We’ve already spoken to developers building apps to allow people to own fractional pieces of real estate as well as fractional shares in companies like Apple, Google, etc.

Pi Social Media - Apps that allow Pioneers to spend and earn Pi while engaging with high quality content. We’re especially interested in integrating Pi into Pi Network’s existing chats to curate higher-quality conversation.

Pi Marketplaces - Apps that allow Pioneers to exchange goods and services. Similar to Amazon and TaoBao for goods; and Upwork, AirBnB, and Uber for services.

Pi Games - Apps that allow Pioneers to spend Pi to play fun and engaging games similar to how gamers spend traditional currency in their games.

Pi Payments will allow external applications to integrate Pi into their payment options. Some Examples of Pi Payments include:

A QR code system that allows local retailers to accept payment in Pi

Your favorite local website creates a new “Pay with Pi” button

Someday, Amazon.com could also create a new “Pay with Pi” button on its website.

We will start with a focus on applications that are built directly on Pi Network - Pi Apps. Only when we construct a robust viable Pi ecosystem through Pi Apps, can we attract external traditional industries to integrate Pi Payments into their platforms.

We will work alongside the community to identify the most promising applications to be listed on the platform. To avoid a wild-west situation where unchecked individuals try to take advantage of fellow Pioneers, the selection of apps will involve community vetting and peer reviews to try to achieve relevance, quality and trustworthiness.

The development of the Apps platform will begin in the second quarter (Q2) of 2020. The application process for third-party developers is expected to open by the end of Q2 2020. The in-app transfer pilot proved the need for an apps platform that allows safe and efficient transactions using Pi and reduces abuses. The findings of the pilot mean that we will have to slow down enrollment into the in-app transfer pilot until more apps are added to the apps platform that scale transactions of real goods and services and we design safeguards needed to prevent further abuses.

While we will be slowing down enrollment in the in-app transfer pilot, we will expand KYC after Pi Day, as KYC will still be necessary to participate in other Pi programs. Being KYC’d will no longer automatically enable in-app transfers, but will increase Pioneers’ probability of being selected for the in-app transfer pilot later as more applications are added to the platform. Being KYC’d will also be required for eligibility to run certain versions of Nodes on Pi’s testnet . We’ll present an update on the node in our next video and why it’s important for Pi.