What does “the need of the hour” mean?

Question

I came across this idiom in a title, in association with a noun:

<noun of a product category> - The need of the hour

What does this mean?

Answer 1

"Of the hour" is an expression used to indicate "of the present (short) period":

• Man of the hour
• Need of the hour
• etc (?)

It doesn't literally mean an hour, but it does imply a short period of time.

Answer 2

Hour here just means a particular point in time. The need of the hour simply refers to some need at some point in time.