Apple is changing computing forever

The concept of the hardware provider doing testing on Apps before they are published is totally new and is being copied by others e.g.) Nokia. This approach ensures that users get good quality Apps and that their hardware performs well. This will encourage the user to stay with the hardware and to upgrade to the next version of the product. This brings a major change in software development. The App Store from Apple and copies e.g.) Nokia Ovi Store also give a great marketplace to software developers and allow us to get directly to the customer in a way that was not possible previously. As the markets increase in size and get more sophisticated they will have to evolve to have more advanced categorisation. At the moment even Apple’s App Store has a very basic text search which must evolve into something more structured.

The investment in the App Store must be substantial, let’s hope that this model can be feasible for Apple and others to ensure we all get high quality Apps for the long-term. It is interesting that Apple do not allow either porn or gambling on the App Store. These are two of the largest markets in mobile. These industries will surely drive the growth of other platforms e.g.) Android, Nokia etc. It is interesting to note that 3/4 of all Android users are male whereas around 55% of iPhone users are male. Some correlation with the availability of porn and gambling sites might possibly be a factor?

Android devices are lower cost; perhaps male shoppers are more price sensitive and less fashion sensitive? The iPhone certainly has a more luxury and fashionable feel when compared to the Android devices.  And what is Microsoft doing? Windows mobile 7 is due to be released soon. Microsoft have been trying and failing in the mobile market for many years. No amount of marketing can persuade consumers to use Microsoft mobile devices. As for Nokia, well they are just selling simple phones, aren’t they? Nobody I know has ever downloaded a new App on their Nokia, changing that will need a huge change in attitude for the typical Nokia user.  It looks like: The future is bright, the future is Apple.