The name “apps for SharePoint” is changing to “SharePoint Add-ins” & its official (https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/fp179904(v=office.15).aspx#Minor). Any references to the app with-in the SharePoint eco-system will now be termed as Add-in. This is not limited to SharePoint but also Office.

But why this change? Some reasons we get from experts,

  • Microsoft’s multi-platform support of Office client across the Windows/Mac, iOS, Android and Windows 10 environments ended terming the Office client as “apps”, and so having “apps” within “apps” was causing confusion
  • Microsoft received multiple feedback that “apps” weren’t working in the enterprise space who were building something that was valued at much more than a simple app.
The notion also needed to be consistent here with the name change across both Office & SharePoint for the Office Store perspective.

Whatever may be the reasons, we just need to update our pointers from Apps to Add-ins. Below is the table that might help you to do that.

Original name New name Applies to
apps for Office Office Add-ins Office
mail app for Outlook Outlook Add-in Office
app for Excel Excel Add-in Office
app for PowerPoint PowerPoint Add-in Office
app for Word Word Add-in Office
apps for SharePoint SharePoint Add-ins SharePoint
app part add-in part SharePoint
app web add-in web SharePoint
SharePoint App Model SharePoint Add-in Model SharePoint
SharePoint Hosted App SharePoint Hosted Add-in SharePoint
SharePoint Provider Hosted App SharePoint Provider Hosted Add-in SharePoint