Exaptation in Platforms: A Theory of Origins, Mechanisms, and Consequences

Practice- and Policy-Oriented Abstract Beyond gradual refinement (“adaptation”), IT systems evolve through “exaptation”—the emergence of novel functionality when apps interact with evolving technological and competitive environments. This nine-year study of 625 Android apps across 63 countries shows that real options embedded in app design fuel exaptation, enhancing market performance and user retention. We conceptualize IT exaptation as distinct from adaptation. Whereas adaptation refines, exaptation transforms evolutionary trajectories. Strategic options and operational options enable developers to capitalize on emergent opportunities. For practitioners, this study explains why seemingly similar apps develop divergent trajectories when exposed to identical platform innovations. It suggests that app developers should prioritize embedding flexibility in initial designs—creating not just adaptable systems, but ones with intrinsic leapfrogging potential via exaptation.