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WinMo App Store


Guest Bewdy

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Hi I was just wondering whether an AppStore with integrated software downloads and account management existed for winmo devices? Something to compete with the apple AppStore, which had a large selection of software in one place.

I think there is no denying the success of the apple AppStore and wondered whether there was a similar market and application for WinMo devices.

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Guest MikeWard1701
Hi I was just wondering whether an AppStore with integrated software downloads and account management existed for winmo devices? Something to compete with the apple AppStore, which had a large selection of software in one place.

I think there is no denying the success of the apple AppStore and wondered whether there was a similar market and application for WinMo devices.

Unfortunately its one of WinMo's weaknesses that there is no unified app store available. Saying thats its also an advantage to some extent.

Windows Mobile has been around for so long in one form or another that it has amassed a huge developer base (not forgetting the people on sites like XDA devs), there are programs for your WM device out there that can do anything and everything, and if you can't find the app you're after you can always comission someone to write it for you.

As a result, the WM software marketspace is dispersed and there are hundreds of stores offering up apps, not to mention the sites filled with freeware. There are some bigger players than others, sites like Handango offer a wide selection of software from many companies, it also seem MS have setup the Windows Mobile Catalogue as an attempt to provide some kind of AppStore experience.

Unifying all this software, the devs, publishers, and soft-ware-houses into one place would be a tremendous achievement. Apple had the opportunity and intent to do this from day one of iPhone OS, and as such the 'unified App store' is much easier to set up and maintain.

The Windows Mobile platform though has several issues that would make creating such a store incredibly challenging;

1) Windows Mobile itself has been around for years, and is still built on the old Windows CE framework and kernel. While this is an advantage to developers and consumers in that writing and using apps with each successive version of WM changes very little, its now beginning to show its age when compared to more modern mobile OSs. MS are going to have to do some serious work with WM7 and future mobile OSs to address WMs current shortcomings and ensure it stays a key player in the market. Their other key challenger is rebuilding WM to meet current and future needs while ensuring as much backward compatability with the existing software catalogue and easing the transition for both consumers and developers. Microsoft (and many other companies) need to consult and listen to their consumer/developer base to make sure whatever direction they take will be welcomed by the masses not forced upon them (like they did with the Office 2007 interface, though I personally like it).

2) Hardware. Apple's success with the AppStore is partly due to the limited variation in iPhone/iPod touch hardware. WM is installed on a wide range of devices with varying hardware specs, differnt CPUs, Wifi modules, Bluetooth stacks, GPU or not, GPS or not, Accelerometer/Gsensor or not, etc. Any WM AppStore would require an extensive and ever-updated database of WM devices and their specifications to determine which devices could run which apps.

3) Freedom. Currently WM devs are free to write apps that do anything/everything and can go about this however they wish. They're not subject to a set of sanctions in the way Apple AppStore devs are. Granted this can mean we may get a few dodgy apps, or inefficient ones. But this freedom allows devs to draw on WMs assets and overcome/workaround some of its failings.

4) Bringing everyone Together. With the WM marketplace so dispersed, there would have to be a huge effort in bringing all the developers, publishers, and existing retailers together, and making them all get along. With so many competing products and companies being united 'under one roof' so to speak, things could easily go wrong. It would need proper structurung, not to mention incentives to bring in those companies who are currently 'sitting pretty' in the current situation.

If it were to ever see the web, there's the questions of user experience;

1) Ease of use would have to be paramount making navigation, purchase, refunds, rating, help and support as straight forward as possible. Also given the sheer number of apps that would be in place, many newcomers may feel overwhelmed when they discover they have 1500 diet management programs to choose from, so a good customer and official review systems is a must along with comparison tools.

2) Staying updated. Given the number of apps one can potentially have, a unified update service would be essential. A location in the store that lists a users installs and notifies of updates, integration with ActiveSync/Mobile Device Center would be equally as valuble as the manual installing/update of WM apps at present is a laborious process and one that newcomers will find intimidating and irritating.

Wow, for a post that could have simply been "No" I've certainly rambled on a bit. Interested in peoples thoughts on this though and what M$ need to do with WM to keep themselves in the mobile game.

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  • 5 months later...

i personally dont think that there will ever be a single win mo appstore like apple has. primarily because win mo is an open platform, meaning that anyone can develop for the win mo, with some know how in the business. unlike appstore, winmo developpers develop the apps for the people, ie the end users, keeping in mind that they are the ones who should really profit (i dont mean financially) from the app. while apple developpers are mainly making apps to make apple more and more rich.

besides who needs an iphone or such crap, they might look good but they are crap.

having an iphone is like locking urself in a prison with all the goodies, but no freedom at all.

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