Though Apple arguably achieved a significant first with the launch of its App Store in July 2008 it is certainly not the only company currently with their own App store (interestingly the word ‘App’, coined by Apple, was accepted into the Oxford English Dictionary as long ago as 1985).
Since its launch, the App Store has enjoyed tremendous success. There are now over 100,000 Apps in the store, which logs over 10,000 downloads a day. But the market for smartphone apps is heating up. So let’s take a look at some of the contenders who are going to be snapping hard on Apple’s heels.
| Who | What is it? | How many? |
| Blackberry App World |
Probably Apple’s biggest competitor. This store was only opened a little over a year ago and has since proven itself to be more than a worthy adversary to Apple. Developers receive 80% of revenue made from sales and Blackberry charge developers a one off $20 fee for their code signing key and then $200 per 10 submissions. | Back in 2009 there were over 2000 apps, but you can be sure that this number has since significantly increased. |
| Google Android Market |
With Google behind it and a growing fan base this new App provider is fast gathering pace, in quantity of Apps and popularity. Developers receive 70% of revenue made from sales and must pay an initial sign up fee of $25. |
According to AndroLib.com there are currently 35,169 Apps. In October 2009 this number was 11,284 which shows the amount of growth in just half a year. |
| iTunes App Store |
The model to which other stores aspire; the Apple App Store recently exceeded 100,000 Apps. Developers receive 70% of the revenue made from sales. Apple charge developers $99 a year for a developer programme and software certificate with unlimited submissions. | 100,000 and growing. Despite only serving the iPhone, the iPod Touch and now the iPad, the exclusivity of the Apple store to these extremely popular devices makes it incredibly appealing to developers. |
| Nokia Ovi |
Ovi, meaning ‘door’ in Finnish, is a little under a year old. This store is a growing competitor with support from third party services such as Flickr, making it one to watch in the future. Developers receive 70% of the revenue made from sales and they charge developers an initial $50 sign up fee. | Launched in 2009 with 2,500 Apps. |
| Palm Software Catalog |
Recently bought by Hewlett Packard for $1 billion in order to “help [Palm’s webOS operating system] expand more aggressively in the fast-growing market for smart phones and connected mobile devices.” Although the whole range of Palm Smartphones are not currently available in Europe there is already the Palm Pre which operates on the Palm WebOS and offers their own catalogue of applications. Developers receive 70% of the revenue made from sales. Palm charge developers a yearly fee of $99 with an additional fee of $50 per App. | With under 400 Apps the choice is still limited on the Palm’s software store. |
| Samsung Apps |
Not even one year old yet, Samsung have launched themselves into the Apps market foray. Developers receive 70% of the revenue made from sales. Currently there are no initial or ongoing costs with distributing software through Samsung Apps. | There are 765 Apps (to be precise). |
| Vodafone 360 |
Vodafone’s answer to everything tries to brings together all the features of Smartphones and social media in one Avatar-like touch screen interface. Developers receive 70% of the revenue made from sales. Could not find developer information on their site. | Already over 7000 Apps in Vodafone’s Apps and Extras store. |
| Windows Mobile Marketplace |
A software platform for mobile devices, run by the global giant that is Microsoft. Developers receive 70% of the revenue made from sales. Windows charge $99 a year for five Apps, with each App after this costing $99. | With a meagre 246 Apps when launched, this store for mobile devices running on the Windows OS has grown slowly since its November 2009 opening. |
In terms of usability which App store comes out on top? In order to help you answer this question I look at what’s good and what’s not in each of the major App stores.
| Who | What’s good? |
What’s not? |
| Blackberry App World |
Good range of Apps, from the useful to the purely time wasting. Simple to use site with instructions throughout for first time users. | Payment for Apps is made through the clunky Paypal site. Fewer ‘cheap’ Apps in the £0.99-£2.00 range than on other sites. |
| Google Android Market |
Offers a no questions asked 24 hour returns policy. Developers are not limited, like with Apple, to using the official App store although Android Market in general is more lenient that the iTunes App store. Wide range of quality, free Apps. | You need to view Android Market on a handset to be able to see all the Apps and pricing. No buy online feature. |
| iTunes App Store |
It’s similarity in appearance to iTunes, means a greater familiarity with the App Store’s interface. Very wide range of choice with many Apps completely free to download. | Due to their strict guidelines, Apple has an almost dictator-like final say in what does and doesn’t become an App. Remaining strictly faithful to their own programmes (Safari, iTunes, Quicktime) can sometimes frustratingly causes compatibility issues. |
| Nokia Ovi |
Wide variety of content including Apps, music and video. Very little vetting of content (good or bad, you decide). | Is the Bebo of the App store market (and that’s not a good thing). Many fun Apps but less in the way of useful ones and suspiciously high ratings on Apps such as ‘Psycho Scream’ and ‘Hip Hop Hippo’. |
| Palm Software Catalog |
Lots of free trials available. | When compared with other sites their Apps seem dated and distinctly overpriced i.e. an alarm clock App for £10. Very little in the way of free downloads. Need to sift through a large gulf of rubbish software to find the quality Apps. |
| Samsung Apps |
Simple to use App store interface. Lots of free Apps. | Caters for a younger audience so there is less the way of practical Apps. Limited compatibility and range of Apps (there is no Facebook App). Some bizarre looking games including the utterly bamboozling ‘Smiles Zen (Italiano-Omnia II)‘. |
| Vodafone 360 |
Lets you manage your contacts and view information such as their Facebook status all on one screen. If your contacts (or employees) are using 360 you can locate their exact whereabouts using a stalking tool, similar to Google latitude, to pinpoint their exact location. | Vodafone are trying to reinvent the wheel. Your contacts need to be on 360 in order for you to be able to use all of its features. |
| Windows Mobile Marketplace |
Excellent compatibility (unsurprisingly) with Microsoft Office, including Outlook and Word amongst others. As with all the stores, this one has a good choice of games. Very simple site and user interface. | Painfully slow to load and has an old-school Windows 97 feel to the Windows Phone shop. Compared to the other stores has fewer free Apps and not only are most of the Apps over priced but they’re also oddly priced (£3.69 or £12.19). |
Currently most of the App stores are so similar in name, pricing and content that there is very little to tell them them apart. However, image is everything. Despite Blackberry’s tempting developer rates, Apple still manages to eclipse the competition with its media and marketplace dominance, as well as the sheer number of apps available.
It seems that, for now at least, despite there being a greater array of apps now with their own dedicated providers, it will be some time before someone manages to take a major bite out of Apple.
Pingback: There’re other mobile app download sites besides just iTunes « mozoot-mobile.biz
This is a wonderful comparison. It’s great that it is detail-oriented. I have been looking for something like this all week.