In the mobile world, tablets and smartphones are only as good as the apps they'll run. Besides, what's a tablet without apps? A fancy digital photo frame.
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There's no dearth of choice in hardware out there, and considering the pros and cons of a mobile platform's application ecosystem is equally important to purchasing the device itself. From "open" to closed, sprawling to sparse, each platform's parent company has a different philosophy when it comes to delivering apps.
Over the past few years, application markets have been popping up hand in hand with new hardware releases, all in varying states of maturity. Some, like Apple's iOS devices, have flourished. Others, like Android devices, have seen tremendous growth and promise. And still others, like RIM's BlackBerry products, have dwindled. But whatever the case is with the hardware, half the battle lies in figuring out how to beef up an app ecosystem properly, and how to catch on with consumers.
Why is an app store so important? In today's app-obsessed age, a software ecosystem defines a gadget's longevity as an investment. Customers get more value from their hardware if they have access to the latest and greatest apps. And programmers will make software for app stores that have a large audience and a viable future.
We took a look at some of the most prominent mobile-application ecosystems out there today, comparing the benefits and drawbacks of each. Before buying that next tablet or smartphone, we suggest you take a look.
Apple's App Store
For better or for worse, Apple's approach is clear: We're in control.
Well known by now as the "walled garden," Apple reviews every app submitted to its App Store. Developers are required to follow a seven-page list of strict guidelines in order for their app to be approved.
But the vetting process has its upside. Official reviews from Apple employees means an average of higher quality apps -- more wheat, less chaff.
__The Good: __
Apple worked extensively with developers from the beginning, and it shows. As of late May, the App Store is host to more than 500,000 approved applications, with over 85,000 registered developers creating apps for the platform. The iPad alone has over 90,000 native applications available for download.
If your app is featured on the App Store's front door, you've got a chance at striking it rich. Steve Demeter made $250,000 in just two months after releasing his application. The creators of MacHeist, another popular iOS game, have raked in millions.
__The Bad: __
With such a large ecosystem, it's difficult not to get lost in Apple's sea of apps. That's hard on developers -- who want to be seen, and want their apps downloaded -- as well as customers who just want to find a cool app. Despite Apple's careful curating and centralized location for apps, it's nearly the same amount of work as finding an independently distributed web app.
Apple's wait time to approve your app is also uncertain, ranging anywhere from two days to two weeks, according to independent app developer Ralph Gootee.
And of course, Apple maintains complete editorial censorship control over any and all apps submitted. So if your ideas are too racy, twisted or politically incorrect, you're probably susceptible to Apple's axe.
Android Market
Even though the gradual development of iTunes gave Apple's App Store a 10-year head start, Google's platform growth is a force to be reckoned with.
As the second biggest player in the mobile app space, Android has made staggering gains in the two-plus years it's been publicly available. In May, Google announced that the platform surpassed 200,000 apps in the Android Market, and a recent tweet from Android chief Andy Rubin claims 500,000 new device activations every single day.
The Good
Google's main draw rests on its heavily-marketed "open" approach. Although this mainly applies to the open source principles of the Android platform code itself, some of this openness ideal has spilled over into the Android Market. Unlike Apple, for instance, there's absolutely no vetting process for developers who want to submit apps to the Market. As long as developers follow the relatively lax rules Android has in its submission agreement -- no malware, no porn -- many types of apps make it in to the store that you wouldn't otherwise be able to find with Apple. Upload the app and boom -- it's available for download almost instantaneously, no waiting period required.
Not to mention the other open aspect of Android apps: alternative markets. Unlike Apple, which only lets you download applications from its official App Store -- unless your iPhone is jailbroken, of course -- Android allows the existence of app markets outside of its own. By authorizing installations from "unknown sources," you can install an app store provided by someone else, right on the phone. And through a process called sideloading, you can transfer apps you download from a website to your Android device either via USB, or by downloading the .APK file independently. Although you run the risk of installing malicious code, it's far more choice than you'd otherwise get with an iOS device.
The Bad
Despite the burgeoning platform's promise, developers still have problems making money on their apps. Eighty percent of all paid applications in the Android Market are downloaded less than 100 times, according to a study published by Destino in May.
And even with the flood of Android-powered tablets hitting the market this year, relatively few native tablet apps populate the Android Market. As of early June, only 232 apps created specifically for Honeycomb are available for download through Google's store.
The Android Market web-based presence isn't as mature as that of its main competitor. Unlike Apple, which has allowed access to its App Store via desktop or laptop since 2007, Android launched its web store in February of this year.
Google is still working out the web store kinks, too. In May, Android drastically revamped the Market's front page, highlighting top paid, free, grossing and trending app downloads, among other categories. By contrast, Apple has had much more time to mature its landing page with a three-year head start.
HP App Catalog
With the debut of the TouchPad, HP is revamping its App Catalog. This includes over 6,200 webOS applications for phones which run on the TouchPad, as well as over 300 native TouchPad applications.
With relatively little choice in hardware models in the field and a tiny smartphone marketshare, 2 percent in the U.S. at the moment, HP is the obvious underdog. But lack of hardware choice worked for Apple, and if HP can gain traction in its software platform, the company could still be a contender.
The Good
HP Senior product manager Jeffrey Ben said HP isn't in an arms race for apps. Instead, the company is taking a curated approach, highlighting the best and brightest apps (in HP's eyes) with its monthly e-publication, Pivot. Published monthly, Pivot shows up on the front page of the App Catalog as a featured section, toting 30-plus pages of app reviews, articles and interviews with webOS developers.
Essentially, HP is trying to court developers by playing up the "discovery" angle -- in a less developed ecosystem such as HP's, there's more opportunity for a developer's application to be seen. In theory, that means more opportunities for download.
And it's easier for HP device owners to find apps, too. Instead of having to sift through tens of thousands of Android or Apple applications, searching for a specific webOS app is much simpler.
The Bad
Of course, HP's strength is also its greatest weakness. With a paltry catalog of approximately 8,000-plus webOS apps at the TouchPad's launch, we're faced with far less choice than the two current front-running platforms.
Not to mention that we haven't seen much in the way of recent hardware releases from HP (which acquired Palm). May brought the launch of the HP Veer, and we should expect the Pre 3 sometime later this year. While tons of device releases aren't needed for success (cf. Apple), it's a problem for running newer, faster applications when your hardware begins to look out of date.
Not to mention the negative impact it has on developers. A lack of timely device releases means less hardware in the hands of consumers, which makes for less incentive to develop for the platform. Thus, the vicious cycle of "no apps, no traction" on the platform continues its downward spiral, and webOS has little chance to even get off the ground.
BlackBerry App World
Research in Motion has had a rough year. The BlackBerry PlayBook launched in April to lackluster reviews, a release riddled with executive missteps and most importantly, a poor selection of apps.
The Good
For customers, the BlackBerry app store should be easier to navigate since it has fewer apps: 3,500 to date. For developers, this is a good thing: Their apps have the best chance of being seen out of any of the platforms.
Payments should be easy: BlackBerry App World supports PayPal payments, so you don't have to create a Google Checkout or iTunes account if you want to buy an app for your PlayBook.
Finally, RIM created a virtual environment for Android apps on the PlayBook, so you'll have access to both BlackBerry's and Google's app markets -- though Android apps must be approved by RIM.
The Bad
With the fewest number of applications compared to the other three platforms, BlackBerry App World feels like a ghost town. What may be good for developers sure isn't a bonus for customer choice.
And despite the promise of visibility, developers seem to be losing confidence in the platform as well. The popular third-party Twitter application Seesmic announced this month it will no longer release updates for the BlackBerry operating system. If other programmers continue this trend, it's unlikely App World will ever be as prolific as its competitors.
RIM has an entire back catalog of apps developed for its BlackBerry smartphones -- none of which can be used on the PlayBook. That's a huge waste of content that potential customers can't access on their new device.
Of course, the PlayBook's biggest foible: No native e-mail, calendar and contacts apps are available for the PlayBook. That's a standard for every app ecosystem. We won't see those for RIM's tablet until a future software update, as yet unspecified.
Bottom Line:
Every app environment has its pros and cons, both for consumers and developers. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide what you can and can't live with when navigating an app market. Willing to sacrifice control for quantity and access to some of the hottest apps? Apple may be for you. Want the ability to install apps from external sources, such as unofficial app stores? Android it is. Or maybe you're interested in a smaller, easier-to-browse environment like HP's or RIM's -- though we think it's unlikely most people will choose ease of navigation over having access to more apps.
No matter which platform you go with, you can take comfort in at least one cross-platform commonality: Sooner or later, they'll all offer Angry Birds.
