Apple has changed the world with the iPhone. Developers (and users sometimes) complained there were no open APIs to build native applications. Apple noted the request and changed the world again with the App Store.
Everyone in the mobile space seems to be running now to create his own store. Google has launched its store called Market (also see a short review with some nice screenshots) and while at this time it's all free, it is going commercial next year.
RIM has its own BlackBerry Application StoreFront.
T-Mobile, who is already benefiting from Google's Market, is going to create its own based on Apple's experience.
Now Orange comes with Orange Downloads.
There are probably more that haven't announced it, or simply I haven't heard of.
BUT, did any of these guys ever think that the great thing about Apple's App Store is that it is one place and there's no fragmentation? How are these guys going to cope with this? Replicating and renaming won't solve those issues. They will all be just like the existing "Decks" or portals, simply on a pre-installed application. That will not make them win.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Everyone wants an App Store these days
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3 comments:
One could argue that Apple creating an AppStore in the first place is the very definition of fragmentation.
It's certainly the complete opposite of the openness that allowed the 'real' internet/web to become the staggering success it has, and is a huge obstacle to developers getting their "stuff" out there.
Your post hints at the typical Apple-fan attitude that if Apple do it, it must be awesome, if anyone else does it, it must suck.
Andrea,
To add some data points that may be relevant:
- Mobile operators are asking for App Stores, and so GetJar has been launching them. Please see this note in MocoNews for more information. http://www.moconews.net/entry/419-interview-getjar-is-everyones-app-store
- GetJar has found that the best way to deal with the fragmentation and compatibility issues on Java, Symbian, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, etc is through a community approach (similar to Wikipedia) in which thousands of consumers comment, test, and debug applications. Developers take this feedback, build new versions, and deliver better and better functionality. OperaMini, Google Maps, Nimbuzz, Mywaves, eBuddy, MIG33, etc are all examples. Since GetJar receives 17 million downloads/month, with top apps now reaching 10 million total downloads historically, the community seems to be working.
- Developers who take a broader approach to mobile, who want to target the whole world in addition to iPhone users, and thus gain massive traction for their app. Are finding various ways to get there, and fragmentation doesn't seem to be slowing them down. Please see this note in Mobile Marketer for more information http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/opinion/columns/2040.html
Dear ehm, Anonymous,
if we wanted to talk about what *I* think is the best approach, I have to say that I really like the way Sun has done it with Java. There is a defined standard for application distribution and updates, it is open and any website owner can implement it and it will (in theory) work on any mobile. That's what I think would be the overall best approach.
Speaking of Apple specifically, I disagree on their common policies of "closed-ness" and the way they want to control all the flow. That's why despite how well they can do with Macs they will hardly ever compete with Microsoft and even Linux, I think. On the other hand, they have proven that with a well controlled environment and a lot of good UI, they could give the users a very simple and usable experience. The App store is easy to access, you can download apps at any time and they are immediately installed on your iPhone. If anything goes wrong, you go home, start iTunes and re-sync. That is nearly perfect. The App store application is not perfect, anyway, in fact, I think Installer.app is better, but that is a niche and I think that now that the App Store is real and there are thousands of applications, users of Installer.app and Cydia will continue to exist, but they will mostly be hackers enjoying to play with their gadget. If we talk about mainstream, the App Store has killed them all.
Back to the fragmentation point, taken to an extreme, you are right, it can be seen as the beginning of the new fragmentation, not only in device features, but also in where you can locate applications. I am sure a lot of App Store-clones will pop-up and then in a couple of years they will start to consolidate. Apple's App Store will continue to exist as long as there will be iPhones, the point will be if the iPhone can really continue to grow or it will stop and exist in its own (relatively small) ecosystem. The others (Nokias, Sony Ericssons and all the operators) will simply pick whatever solution suits them best, once the wave of "App Store-coolness" will be over.
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