Comments on: Why RIM's App World Is Key to Its Long-term Success

By: The Wide-open Door to the Mobile Enterprise

The Wide-open Door to the Mobile Enterprise — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 14:01:35 +0000

[...] handsets (81 percent), and it’s a huge concern for a company whose prospects will increasingly hinge on BlackBerry App World. In fact, BlackBerry drew little more interest than Windows Phone 7, which won’t come to market [...]

By: How Microsoft Can Get Back in the Mobile Game – GigaOM

How Microsoft Can Get Back in the Mobile Game – GigaOM — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:35:18 +0000

[...] where users are confronted with a dizzying number of offerings on the cheap. Microsoft — like RIM — could set its Marketplace for Mobile apart from the crowd by combining high-end enterprise [...]

By: McGuire’s Law » Blog Archive » Observations: Applications - October 9, 2009

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:12:46 +0000

[...] Why RIM’s App World Is Key to Its Long-term Success [...]

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:27:11 +0000

Actually, AppWorld has proven to be a great growth driver for us, but not because people pay for our app, but because we can use our free app to drive sales of various services we offer.

In contrast, GetJar and others have proven to be absolutely useless, both for driving downloads and for acquiring interesting customers. Iphone’s AppStore is too unpredictable – with a 4 month approval time for our app last time. And Android customers seem in general to be uninterested in paying for anything ever and not only that, they complain about ads.

That said, RIMM really needs to do some work on AppWorld – more quickly approve apps, provide ways to respond to comments, etc… But it shows good promise.

By: Mark Sigal

Mark Sigal — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:36:42 +0000

I would underscore Tim’s point. Most people seem to equate the App Store as primarily a virtual storefront with one-click purchase, download and install as its main source of goodness.

Analogous to the auto showroom, if what rolls off the assembly line looks more like a Chrysler than a BMW, they aint gonna sell a lot of cars. That the vehicle of an iPhone App is so compelling to many is a function of the Dev Tools AND the App Store model AND the Device.

Pull out any one piece, and experientially, it is a lower life form.

Check out:

iPhones, App Stores and Ecosystems
http://bit.ly/xcP8T

For more fodder on this one.

Mark

By: becky grant

becky grant — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:08:02 +0000

With all of the open source ware being developed, I think it’s only a matter of time before we really don’t need to worry as much. It seems there is more demand for what people want VS what people are offered as the end all. There are already many hand held devices that have been modified to use linux systems and apparently work quite well. I think developers should focus on other areas, as Paul mentioned.

By: Paul Jardine

Paul Jardine — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:15:04 +0000

There’s ultimately only room for 2 or 3 operating systems in the mobile arena, much like in the PC space. I don’t expect that RIM has a long term future (as an operating system), as it is too expensive to keep it up to date. Maybe there are enough Blackberries around to sustain it for some time, but it’s hard to see them keeping pace with the Android camp or even Apple.
RIM need to decide what their core competence is; device design or building unique services within their ecosystem. If they choose the former, then they should be looking at a migration to one of the other operating systems (and ecosystems), if the latter, then they should partner with hardware manufacturers and concentrate on the software and service.

By: Tim F.

Tim F. — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:31:47 +0000

Maybe I’m misreading, but you make it sound as if App World, the storefront, is the most important part — not everything that is required to make App World itself a success: a strong, broad API with an attractive SDK; a large, productive developer community; an efficient and practical “approval” process; a number of successful business cases, large and small; and… an attractive, efficient storefront.

The storefront itself is a difficult challenge. Apple’s App Store is far from perfect, but I don’t think it’s broken. There’s also a long way to go in improvement and innovation, but it’s not “broken” broken. Copying seems like it should be easy to me, but then again, everyone seems to be having a hard time copying. Android and Pre have their own touches but still haven’t duplicated many of the App Stores features. Maybe RIM can make a great App World. But that’s just the storefront.

Many seem seduced by the application storefront because it becomes a convenient metric. It’s a necessary and important platform outlet to the consumer now, no doubt, but it’s not necessarily the key to platform success.

By: Colin Gibbs

Colin Gibbs — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:21:20 +0000

@wk24

You’re right that VZW subscribers are pretty limited in terms of handset choices, but I think that represents a huge opportunity for RIM. If they can build a gotta-have device on the nation’s largest, most solid network, they’ll be in the catbird’s seat.

@deverwarner

I don’t mean to disparage Apple, and I’ve consistently acknowledged the company’s role as a revolutionary force in mobile data. But a linchpin of the iPhone’s success is the App Store, which teems with novelty apps sold for a few bucks apiece. I think that only demonstrates the potential that exists for players who can build a top-notch marketplace for useful, life-enhancing apps sold at a premium.

By: deverwarner

deverwarner — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:55:58 +0000

Apple didn’t build its mobile “empire” on “free or cheap gimmicky apps”. It built its empire on the strength of its interface, web browser, multimedia capability, and the fact that it was the first truly mass-market friendly smart phone to address the consumer marketplace.

If RIM can augment its messaging strength and use App World to provide much of the same fun and functionality as the iPhone, it will continue to get its piece of the consumer pie while holding off Apple in the enterprise market.

By: App Store is my favorite part of the iPhone | ro

App Store is my favorite part of the iPhone | ro — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:12:40 +0000

[...] As I was loading up my blog to post this, I saw a very relevant argument that Blackberry needs to step up their efforts in the app store. Worth a read… Share and [...]

By: Om Malik

Om Malik — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:06:59 +0000

@WK24

Given that Verizon is going to soon launch Pre and an Android phone from Motorola, we should soon see how things are going to work out for RIM over on Verizon.

By: Rich Wong

Rich Wong — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:41:51 +0000

Interesting question is whether any of the device specific ’boutique’ stores (other than iTunes) will compete with the appstore ‘department stores.’ If you look at the numbers that people like Getjar are putting up (Yes, we are an investor, so we are biased), hard to see which of the current “boutique” stores are keeping up. Chris Dury has a great preso comparing the stores and their incentive systems at … http://blog.getjar.com/developer/marketing/an-app-store-comparison/

Rich Wong
Accel Partners

By: wk24

wk24 — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:07:17 +0000

it may seem RIM is doing well with 80% of its customers being non-biz. While I’m not sure I completely believe that number. The more important aspect I think is how much of the 80% is from Verizon Wireless – where they do not have a choice of iPhone, Palm Pre or Android. Wonder how many “consumers’ choose RIIM when they can choose among these ? If I were RIM, that is what I’d worry about …

By: arwin

arwin — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:06:10 +0000

The Blackberry OS is archaic which greatly limits what can be done with app development.