Marketplace passes 70,000 apps

Rafe from AAS/AAWP reports that WP Marketplace (at time of writing) has seen 70,784 apps published.  28,503 in the last 90 days and 6,936 in the last 30 days.  The total number of downloadable apps varies per region, something normal to all app stores.

http://allaboutwindowsphone.com/news/item/14316_Windows_Marketplace_passes_700.php

As you can see from the graph, the number added daily is not as high as January’s peaks of 350/day, but still higher than November at 250/day. Rafe suggests that the January influx may have been due to opening of additional geographic markets to WP Marketplace. Perhaps new apps also came with the availability of new phones (new lumias)? Rafe says March/April might give a clearer indication of the growth rate.

Nevertheless, at the current rate (February) the 100,000 mark is to be reached by July 2012. Just a reminder, remember what was supposed to appear once 100K is reached?

http://mynokiablog.com/2012/02/02/leak-windows-phone-8-preview-apollo-uncovered/

Numbers isn’t what is important. What I want as a user is quality and diversity. I don’t want tons of crappy apps, I want quality. Duplicates are ok as long as they’re varied enough because they drive that type of app to improve. e.g. look at how the facebook apps at Nokia Store have been improving – all for the benefit of the consumer to have more choice. Duplicates aren’t ok if they’re pretty much identical and are there just to spam numbers (or provide little benefit to anyone).

Entertainment, tools & productivity, games and books & reference are the top category of apps.

The number of free apps has also increased in proportion from 58% to 68%. This should be welcome to those where free apps is important. The importance of this is echoed in an accidentally early Nokia video that showed the massive growth of in app advertising in ‘freemium’ apps.

I like the trial ability of some apps, I like to know what I’m buying before I purchase. Free apps are often very much easier to download. Those with ads might be a little intrusive, but it’s the price you pay for free. The better in-app ads are those that make them more subtle, the ones that don’t have them appearing there all the time. I don’t know what the stats is, but I find I click on them more because I’m less aware that I should avoid them. For paid apps, some of MS’ own titles I find are too high. I don’t want just cheap, I just want appropriate pricing. If it’s X at this store, it should be near to X at another. Not X+200%. I find it easy to purchase interesting apps marked at 79p or £1.29, above that I start to think is it worth it? I remember Ovi Store’s own initial problems were that apps were priced in a silly way.

App discovery is very, very good. It’s easy to find apps from featured and top lists from the marketplace itself (not to mention other apps to help you find good apps). A grip I have with Nokia’s store is they bury the good apps they actually have. Search seems to have improved. Previously it would fail to suggest apps if I did not correctly type the exact name or if there is a spelling mistake. That now seems to be remedied.

There is way more than enough apps for most people, and more importantly quality apps. Hopefully this will continue to attract more high quality developers, their apps and with that more customers and a welcome cycle.

Source: allaboutwindowsphone

Cheers Viipottaja for the tip!

Category: Nokia, Windows Phone