Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: smartphone, app, store | Themes: Smartphones
3. Android Market: Current Sales
While it is difficult to measure the success of the Android Market since it has only been available since October, most analyst estimates claim the Android Market isn’t performing nearly as well as the Apple App Store in its first few months, while developers are slow to bring applications to the store.
According to online research firm Medialets, Google’s Android Market serviced the download of about 500,000 apps in its first three days of operation. At first glance, that may seem substantial, but when one considers how Apple dispersed 10 million apps from its App Store’s first three days of availability, it becomes blatantly clear that Google has some work to do if it wants to catch up to the current leader in the mobile application marketplace.
Google has also never released actual Android app sales figures. Because of that, we can only estimate the real number of downloads since the store’s inception and measure it based on the Android user-base and known analyst estimates.
That in mind, it’s safe to say that Google’s Android Market sales are substantially lower than its competition's sales due to three main reasons.
First, only one Android-based phone is available and HTC, the company behind the T-Mobile G1, estimates it will ship 1 million units in 2008. That may be a substantial number to some, but when it comes to application attach rates and to comparisons in the market, it’s actually quite small.
Second, the Android Market is woefully behind its competitors in terms of available apps. Unlike the thousands currently available on the Apple App Store, the Android Market only offers hundreds of apps with far less variety. In essence, customers are offered substantially less choice. Due to a lack of apps and a large number of G1s in the wild, Android Marketplace sales are relatively low and substantially lower than its competition.
As mentioned, there’s no way to measure the exact number of app downloads or exact sales figures. But based on the evidence provided by analyst estimates, as well as raw figures provided by Google and its partners, it’s safe to say current Android Market sales lag far behind those of Apple.
But according to Google, more and more developers are joining on to the Android software platform every day. This means positive word-of-mouth about the program is spreading in the developer community. Each app at the Market sells for $10 or less, but like the iTunes store, developers get to keep 70% of the revenue. This incentive (like Apple’s model) bodes well for Android.
Sales score: 3/5
- Previous page Android Market: The Store Experience
- Next page Android Market: Devices
I believe the most successful application store would be the Internet. It's been allowing you to download things for a good many years for your PC, your laptop, your phone, your PDA, your GPS, etc. These app stores are just proprietary and stealing people's money.
How is it fair to rate an online app store suchas RIM's that is Developer driven, when the only App-capable handset has been out for a matter of weeks, vs how many Iphones have been in existence as well as Ipod Touches?
Of course if a company developes an official app store after delivering millions of handsets, it will takeoff better than started an app store soon as you start handset sales.
Not like I give a damn about RIM's though. Just saying
Interesting how you are quoting numbers from October. Since then, all have video/music players. Stores are now online that provide much improved applications for the G1. They are very promising. There in lies the secret to the G1. It allows for developers to compete. The G1 is basically a small linux pc in your hand. The Iphone and Rim products are Mac and Windows mini PC's, but locked. Their app stores perform better simply by controlling the app sources and charging for most of them. A built in monopoly, if you will. G1 is truly open. With some basic knowledge of Linux / Android, anyone can write a program. It is very much a phone for the I.T. professional/hacker/enthusiast. Telnet, wifi tracking, war driving, server access,email, port scannning and network trouble shooting are just the tip of the iceberg. The ability to add or exchange memory without buying a new phone is huge.The usb function of the G1 is understated. The Windows OS can be mounted by the G1 allowing the exchange of files. Great for back up, mp3files and the like. The G1 could be used to restore and fix a hard drive with a simple user app that allows line commands. The Iphone is a great product and very user friendly. The typical Iphone user doesn't understand half the features and isnt aware of the true potential of the Iphone. They just want it to do the things they need it for. Makes perfect sense. The real mystery is the lack of Flash player availability for all of these devices. Iphone and RIM won't allow it. G1 will. Adobe wants to. The browsers are crippled without it! The market is wide open for these products. They are changing the world.
I'm sorry but this is ridiculous. As Claimintru pointed out, the Blackberry has only been on the market for a month. If you wanted to do a comparison, it should have been everyone's standings in their first month. To give such dismal scores as 1 and 2 for simply not being on the market as long as the others is wildly unprofessional. Also, when you mention "By that logic, some might say that Google and RIM are on the same level since they both offer just one device that’s capable of working with their respective stores", what other way is there to look at it? The G1 doesn't automatically get a leg up for any reason. Last I checked, 1 was equal to 1. The iPhone barely gets a leg up, but the iPod touch should be included as you correctly did. However, in defense of the G1 and the Storm, both are newcomers compared to how long Apple has been creating devices to work with their applications.
Maybe another question to ask is :
"Can your app store knockoffs beat my app store knockoffs".
Our knock off, like several others, aims to make it easier for people for find apps for their iPhone and iPod Touches. The ecosystems growing up around these new phones is amazing. Hopefully, all together we can serve the users better and help the developers of these apps make a good living.
iphone/itouch app store?
it's is a mess. When it first come out, it's just a bunch of random apps in a few categories order by name and there is no option to sort by other way.
yes, there is basic keyward search and top 25 free and paid apps...
but that's about it. user review...just like amazon...nothing new here
What's so good about the store? I don't get it.
iphone/itouch apps store is successful all because of the good apps on it. The store front is a mess...and there are so many bad apps...
it's getting longer and longer to scroll through all the junk everyday.
They should sub category all the apps so we seach by app function keyword rather just by name.