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MacChat: App Store too much of a good thing?
THERE’S no question Apple’s groundbreaking iPhone and iPod touch platform is the one to beat for emerging portable devices.
In only 2½ years the iPhone has come from nowhere to command up to 30 per cent of the smartphone market in some countries, and competitors are scrambling to emulate its design.
A large factor in the iPhone platform’s success has been the App Store, which is ironic considering Apple’s original intention was for users to only run web applications rather than downloadable, stand-alone programs.
The App Store has enjoyed explosive growth with the number of apps nearing 100,000, and thousands approved each week.
But has the rapid rise come at a cost? Does the App Storeand by extension the iPhone and iPod Touchrisk becoming a victim of its own success? Let’s consider the evidence ...
Quantity over quality: While its Mac platform has traditionally had fewer but higher quality apps than Windows, the situation is reversed with Apple’s mobile platform. The company may trumpet the nearly 100,000 apps in its store, but many have questionable value, from fart machines to phone number shortcuts. The more apps that keep pouring into the store, the harder it is to find the good stuff, frustrating users and developers. Some apps languish in the depths of the store without a single download.
App approval process: Developers have become increasingly frustrated by the seemingly inconsistent criteria for approving apps and the time taken to process submissions. Apple originally banned apps that duplicated existing iPhone functions but then it decided to allow web browsers, music-streaming apps and others. There also have been public run-ins with heavyweights such as Google, Yahoo and Facebook over the approval process that critics claim is under-resourced and not transparent enough.
Vertical model: Apple’s insistence on building “the whole widget” of hardware and software has resulted in superior products over the decades but, in the case of its computers, saw the company relegated to the margins of the commodified PC industry. It didn’t stop the iPod from gaining majority share of the music player market, but the jury is still out on the more mature and complex mobile phone industry. While Windows Mobile is slipping, Google’s Android platform could be a strong contender, being rolled out on multiple brands of handset. But while the iPhone might not become the marketshare king, it will probably command the biggest profits.
Devalued software: The App Store has sparked something akin to a gold rush, with every man and his dog making iPhone/iPod touch apps. However only a small number have made serious money, and the sheer volume of free or under-$10 apps has made it even harderusers are unwilling to pay much, even for apps that might be worth it.
What do you think? Has the App Store grown too big too fast? Tell us below
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