Why Companies Replace Default Companion Apps with Custom Branded Apps

When companies buy hardware devices, they often receive a ready-made companion app from the manufacturer. At first glance, this seems convenient: you can sell them right out of the box. But here is the catch.

And that’s exactly the problem: these apps may showcase basic functionality, but their UX rarely fits your brand identity or addresses the unique pain points of your target audience. What’s more, they limit your ability to differentiate, upsell, or engage users beyond the basics.

That’s why more and more businesses choose to replace default companion apps with custom branded solutions. With a custom app, you control the UX/UI, feature set, and data ownership, turning a simple hardware demo into a long-term digital product that drives engagement, loyalty, and revenue.

At Stormotion, we’ve helped companies in eMobility, Fitness, and IoT build branded digital products, from Norsk Guardian with their BLE-powered battery companion app, to Egret e-scooters, SportPlus fitness devices, and STEPR’s connected stair climbing machine.

🎬 Here’s a short video testimonial from Jacob Hals, Director of Product Technology at Norsk Lithium, sharing his experience working with Stormotion:

This is the biggest challenge of white-label vs custom apps: you don’t own the roadmap.

# 2. Risk of Shared Development

Even if you manage to get new features added, there’s no guarantee they’ll remain exclusive. Many companies end up paying for improvements that are later rolled out to other clients using the same white-label app, eliminating competitive advantage.

# 3. Limited Control Over User Experience

You can adjust colors, styles, or translations, but the core UX remains the same across all businesses using that app. For industries like fitness or e-mobility, this means your end-users get a generic experience instead of one that reflects your brand and customer journey.

# 4. No Ownership of Customer Data

Perhaps the most critical limitation: usage data often stays with the manufacturer, limiting your growth opportunities. Without direct access to how customers use your device, it’s nearly impossible to improve UX, run data-driven marketing, or build personalized features.

📌 In short, these manufacturer software limitations make it risky to build your business around a white-label solution. For companies looking to scale, differentiate, and own their customer relationships, a custom branded app is the only sustainable path.

# 2. Debugging and Benchmarking

When a custom feature doesn’t behave as expected, developers can run the same action in the manufacturer’s app to compare results. This makes it easier to isolate bugs and troubleshoot issues without guessing.

# 3. Prototyping Faster

Before designing a polished custom UX/UI for hardware apps, teams can use manufacturer apps to validate basic functionality: Does the scooter connect? Does the battery report correctly? This speeds up prototyping and ensures that the branded app is built on top of a reliable technical foundation.

# 2. Features That Go Beyond Hardware

Manufacturer apps focus only on core functions like showing charge level or counting steps. A custom companion app, by contrast, can integrate:

• Subscriptions and premium tiers for monetization.
• Push notifications and reminders for higher engagement.
• Third-party integrations (e.g., Apple Health, Strava, or payment platforms).

These are the kinds of custom companion app benefits that strengthen loyalty and open new revenue streams.

📌 For companies building connected fitness platforms, we’ve also broken down how much it costs to develop an app like Peloton.

# 3. Control of Customer Insights

Owning the app means owning the customer data. You decide how to analyze behavior, track usage, and personalize experiences. Instead of relying on limited reports (or no access at all) from the manufacturer.

Just as importantly, a branded app can be built to meet your industry’s compliance standards (for example, GDPR in Europe or HIPAA in healthcare), ensuring data is handled securely and responsibly.

# 4. Scalability and Flexibility

Unlike white-label solutions, a branded app grows with your business. Whether it’s adding new devices, expanding into different regions, or introducing new digital services, your app evolves on your timeline – not the manufacturer’s.

# 5. A Long-Term Competitive Advantage

When customers interact daily with your branded app – not a generic one – your company becomes their main digital touchpoint. That creates a moat competitors can’t easily copy, and strengthens your position in fast-moving markets like IoT, fitness, and e-mobility.

Highlights:

• Support for multiple batteries and BLE protocols;
• Stable Bluetooth connection with autoreconnect;
• Smart error handling and integrity checks for battery data;
• Dynamic feature set depending on the detected battery.

📌 We’ve also explored this topic more broadly in our guide on how to develop battery management software.

Egret – Custom E-Scooter App

Egret needed a reliable long-term partner to work on their e-scooter app. Together, we worked on integrating advanced BLE communication and features that support multiple scooter models.

Highlights:

• Native modules in Kotlin and Swift for robust Bluetooth logic;
• Over-the-air (OTA) firmware update functionality;
• Scooter control features (lights, riding modes, battery/range monitoring);
• Integration of new scooter models and region-specific messaging.

📌 For a broader look at this topic, see our article on how to build an e-scooter app.

STEPR – Connected Stair-Climbing Console App

STEPR aimed to launch an innovative stairclimber with an Android-based console app. We developed the app, focusing on real-time performance and user engagement.

Highlights:

• Separate module for stable communication with the physical platform;.
• Custom OTA distribution system (without Google Play);
• StepSync – dynamic workout pacing following trainer instructions;
• Engaging features like milestones, weekly goals, and workout stats overlay.
• Entertainment functionality, including Netflix, YouTube, and Spotify.

SportPlus – Fitness Companion App

SportPlus had two options: use the white-label manufacturer’s app or build a custom fitness app tailored to hardware integration. They chose the second option since their goal was to build stronger relationships with end-users, add upselling opportunities, and stand out from competitors.

Highlights:

• Reliable Bluetooth connection with different fitness equipment;
• Multi-user account support;
• Workout controls (resistance levels, workout stats);
• Context-aware workout flow (“Buy device”, “Connect device”, “Start workout”).

Stormotion Approach

At Stormotion, our approach to companion app development for hardware devices isn’t just about writing code; it’s about solving real business problems. Our Development Codex guides us:

• Deliver solutions, not code. We make sure apps don’t just connect to hardware, but drive real user and business value.
• Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Our team prioritizes reliable BLE communication, testing, and architecture because stability is crucial when hardware is involved.
• Everyone teaches, everyone learns. We collaborate closely with clients, sharing knowledge so their teams can build on the product long term.

# 4. Monetization & Engagement Features

Businesses are increasingly using apps as revenue drivers. Features like subscriptions, premium tiers, and upselling modules are becoming standard. At the same time, gamification (milestones, challenges, leaderboards) and social features (sharing results, joining groups) keep users engaged long term.

# 5. Cross-Platform & Embedded Experiences

It’s no longer just about mobile. Companies now launch embedded Android apps on consoles (like fitness machines) alongside companion mobile apps. This trend expands how users interact with hardware products and creates opportunities for richer, screen-based experiences.

📌 At Stormotion, we approach these trends through the lens of our Development Codex. This ensures that the branded companion apps we build are not only aligned with today’s needs but are reliable, scalable, and ready for tomorrow’s innovations.