Operators cite relevancy, cost as keys to app store success

Despite the growing consumer appetite for mobile applications, operators run the risk of failure if they attempt to replicate the App Store model pioneered by Apple, according to a new study conducted by independent analysis firm mobileSQUARED on behalf of mobile messaging and web infrastructure solutions provider Airwide. Although all operators queried for the survey indicated plans to maintain a measure of control in their own app store environments, 45 percent of respondents said they expect to directly control fewer than 10 percent of available apps and services, while 36 percent said they plan to control 20 percent to 30 percent. The study contends that this dynamic could significantly increase the level of fragmentation that developers and publishers will need to address if they wish to deploy their services across multiple operators and multiple handsets.

In addition, 55 percent of operators cite download relevancy (or the lack thereof) as the most critical factor behind the creation of a successful app store, while 18 percent pointed to cost as the dominant factor. A number of operators also expressed their belief that effective marketing is also crucial for the success of the app store model, praising Apple's emphasis on iPhone application discovery and downloading as an example of how strong marketing can overcome many of the educational obstacles faced by operators when launching new services. In a separate survey conducted among 1,000 mobile subscribers in the U.K., mobileSQUARED found only 24 percent of respondents even know what an app store is, although upon learning of the benefits offered by the app store model, more than 50 percent of subscribers said they would want to have a virtual storefront available from their handset.

For more the app store study:
- read this release [1]

Related articles:
Study: Mobile media access [2] still vexing subscribers
Study: Users want practical mobile applications [3]