Quote:
Originally Posted by emuelle1
I wish somebody would find a way to do something unique rather than just copy Apple. The iPhone is unique and usable, but does have a few issues and limitations. Rather than trying to make a device that delivers a comparable user experience without the limitations, everybody is just trying to copy Apple. That's why there will never be an "iPhone killer". You can't dethrone something simply by reproducing a business model.
The Apple App store works great because applications for the iPhone exist in an autocratic universe. I don't believe that an app store makes sense for any other platform because the other platforms have open development models. Apple maintains tight control over it's universe, but also has the integrated iTunes model so an app store makes sense. It makes no sense on Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, Palm, or Android. Or any other that I might have missed.
I ask the Question Joel Spolski asks "What problem does this solve?" I have a Windows Mobile phone with a 3G pipeline to the Internet and I have Google. I can find any Windows Mobile application that I need within a reasonable amount of time, unless the developer doesn't include a self-installable .cab (although everything I've bought has one available). I can't say I've ever believed the lack of a Windows Mobile (or even desktop Windows) app store was a problem that I'd like to see solved.
And as rumball mentioned, including a link to the mobile version of your web page is NOT an app store, at least not one comparable to the iPhone's app store.
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Ok, so I guess I dont agree with this at all. A REAL Windows Mobile App store would be great in so many ways, and could easily fix a lot of the big problems that Apple's AppStore has, and leverage the 3rd party market so much better to encourage more phone sales which IS one step towards Dethroning the percieved throne that the iPhone sits on.
* FULL market penetration to all WM devices would be huge. A Lot of WM users dont even know they have WM, let alone could go and find stores to buy software. And the devices that come with carrier branded stores are ignored or feared by a lot do to how carriers used to charge for applications and access.
* I develop for both, what exactly is more "Open" in the "Open development models" of WM that make this a bad solution. The percieved "lock down" on the AppStore isnt really all that restrictive. You cant sell "porn" type applicatons on the major resellers on the WM side either so you wont make much money that way. And yeah, we have more control over lower level stuff, but that just means that if we could sell to larger more connected audiences we can concievabley have even cooler applications. And we do to a large extent, but it really should have nothing to do with how they are sold. A lot of new business models for apps that are popping up around iPhone are based on Volume.
* Im glad that YOU can use Google to find Developer sites.. but the Volume of people that can or better yet 'will' is much smaller than just pointing a the appstore icon and saying go browse... You've been around this market and understand it, but the big group of "Consumer" types that are now finally getting to Smartphones wont have a clue that thats standard practice.
* And as a Developer I would LOVE to still be getting 70% deal on the WM side...!
Microsoft, bring a real AppStore on...!!
And yeah, this isn't it. I was disappointed to see this was a website disguised as an Appstore.