Breaking Down Barriers: Android Maketplace Update

Perhaps even more than the white earbuds, the Apple ecosystem is associated with the "App Store." If we take a step back, an application store could exist for any operating system or piece of harware. There's nothing special about the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad in this respect, but when we hear "apps" we immediately think "Apple." In fact this association is so tight that Microsoft is currently suing Apple to revoke its trademark. Microsoft claims (rightly, in my opinion) that the term app store is generic and should not be eligible for a trademark by one particular company.

Putting controversy aside, let's look at why the Apple App Store is so successful. From the time the App Store launched in July of 2008 to January of 2011, users downloaded over 10 billion (with a B) apps. That's more than an app per person on Earth. As with most of Apple's success, the root cause is user experience. When I asked a friend why he thought the App Store is so much more successful than any other app distribution channel, he said that nothing was quite so "seamless." I think that's a good term to describe Apple's obsession with user experience.

Apple's ecosystem thrives on ease of use. The App Store is a cornerstone of this approach. Searchers can sort apps by price, popularity, genre, and rating. They can read reviews and see screen shots. With a click of the button, they can download the app and begin using it. Lets compare this to the chronic laggard that is the Android Marketplace.

The entire Android ecosystem is open, so theoretically anyone could create a distribution channel for Android apps. Indeed, many third party app distributors exist. This fragmentation itself is a source of confusion that may turn some users off. However, Google sponsors one particular app marketplace called the Android Marketplace, and people see it as the default distribution chanel for Android apps. It serves the exact same function as the Apple App Store does in the iOS ecosystem.

If both app marketplaces serve the same function, then why does the Apple version kick the Google version's butt? I think the answer lies in the seamless user experience mentioned above. Users constantly complain about the Android Marketplace claiming that it is difficult to find and download apps. That shouldn't be a problem anymore.

Last week, Google rolled out a much needed update to the Android Marketplace. Users can now filter apps easily by price, device compatibility, relevance, and popularity. Perhaps most importantly, users can install the applications on their devices with the click of a button. Even when the user is browsing the Marketplace on their laptop, when they press install, the app "automagically" starts downloading on their Android device. Pretty seamless.

Several other updates that Google announced such as bookmarkable url's, in-app payments, and currency support will allow the Marketplace to better compete with the App Store. You might be wondering why I seem to think these small improvements are a huge deal. I'm glad you asked.

Platforms live and die by their applications. When the first personal computer, the Apple II, debuted, literally millions of businessmen bought it solely because it was the only computer that ran VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet program. Operating systems can be miles ahead of their competitors, but if they don't have the applications to run on them, then what's the point? The ability for users to browse, install, and use apps almost without thinking is a huge advantage for whichever mobile platform can pull it off. With its overhaul of the Android Marketplace, Google has broken down one more barrier preventing people from signing up for Android.