App Stores for Everyone!

With the recent release of the Palm Pre, reviewers are buzzing. Most of the reviews have been very positive, claiming that the Pre may be the iPhone killer. Or just a preview of what Apple needs to add to the next iPhone. There has been one complaint though… a very limited app store. It is clear that Apple has set the bar for what a smart phone should be, should do, and how it should work. But, really? Does every manufacturer need an app store? Thus far we have: Apple’s App Store, RIM’s BlackBerry App World, Nokia’s Ovi application store, Google’s Android Market, Sun Java’s Java Store and now the Palm App Catalog (in beta). On the horizon, Verizon has announced plans for an app store, so has Symbian, and Microsoft is rumored to be beefing up their Windows Marketplace Mobile.

With all these choices ‘where oh where’ will I buy my mobile apps? The glut of app stores seems to muddy the picture as much as help the consumer. Have a phone that runs on Android, go to the Android Market. How about a Nokia, head on over to the Ovi application store. Need a new app for your brand new Palm Pre, jump on over to the Palm App Catalog. What happens if I find an app designed for a phone running Android, but I have a Nokia phone? Am I out of luck?

The way it is headed now, it looks like we will end up with more app stores and more choice. Which in many cases is good for the consumer. The real innovation, and boon for the consumer, will be when we can buy applications without having to worry about what phone we have or what operating system it runs.