Neutron :: Bomb

The major similarities are that all the application stores cater to the individual operating systems and the devices that run them, the companies supporting the stores provide SDKs for the software developers, and the stores themselves are available on the handsets.

Of course, there are some major differences, and anyone following this industry knows that Apple is the 800 pound gorilla in the room. Apple has over 25,000 applications available, Android Market claims 'in the thousands', and the rest? in the hundreds. It is clear that these other mobile application ecosystems needs to catch up in application volume, and they most likely will (especially phones running Blackberry, Symbian and Windows Mobile, since the install base is huge).

But, the one thing I point out is this: Apple has iTunes.

With the exception of Nokia, who does have a Windows only PC client to discover, download and manage applications, NONE of the other application stores are providing a PC/Mac client. This is a big disadvantage, as most consumers spend copious amounts of time using laptops and desktops, providing ample time to discover new and useful applications, and then immediately downloading (and PURCHASING) the applications right there and then.

There are companies such as Seattle's AppStoreHQ (www.appstorehq.com) that are attempting to make discovery easier for mobile applications, and gathering information on the apps is manageable, regardless of the device/OS ecosystem. The problem lies in the fact that AppStoreHQ can only provide discovery for all the Apps except for the iPhone Apps; only iPhone Apps has as method of purchasing online that is widely used. There is a strong disconnect between discovering a mobile application online and then proceeding to use the device for purchase. And of course, Apple has provided back-end software to ensure that your purchases on the device and on the desktop match up (you are not able to buy apps twice!).

Finally, to further illustrate why it has (and will maintain) the dominant position in the mobile application marketplace, iTunes already had a massive installed user base, so the transition to discovering and downloading apps for the iPhone was natural. No training needed. Now, go ahead and try to get a Blackberry app from the Blackberry App World. Let me know how it goes...