Apple App Store, Intel AppUp, Microsoft Windows Phone Marketplace - three in a boat, not counting @

As is known to all iPhone owners, as well as to all those who envy or sympathize with them, the only regular way to purchase programs for iPhone is the Apple App Store .



Very many - Google gives out about half a million mentions - they also know that Intel is ready to open its own application store for netbooks - Intel AppUp Center (beta version is now available). Of course, this store doesn’t limit the freedom of users to download and install applications from any other sources on their netbooks, so they can’t be considered a complete analogue of the Apple App Store, but in many respects AppUp and App Store are similar. And not only the name :), but also the basic principles of user interaction - first of all, the fact that downloading AppUp applications is possible only through a special client program, which is planned to be pre-installed on new netbooks.



And, finally, Microsoft recently announced details of the future Windows Phone 7 platform. Namely, it will be possible for simple users to install applications on Windows Phone 7 exclusively through the dedicated Windows Phone Marketplace store. True, an interesting coincidence? :) But my thought is not about him.

')

I sincerely confess: I not only do not understand anything in marketing, but I am not at all sure that it exists :). Also, I do not understand anything in shopping, but in its existence I have no doubt that I have to make purchases, if only because working in Intel does not allow me to conduct a subsistence economy.

Therefore, I will look at online stores selling software through the eyes of a simple buyer.

And I’ll see that the criteria “what is good and what is good to fix” for online stores selling software products fully coincide with the corresponding criteria for ordinary - real food supermarkets.



Of course, customers want the supermarket to be conveniently located - an easy to remember URL, there were no queues at its cash desks - the site did not slow down, and everyone accepted everything from credit cards to pay for purchases :). But there is another important point.



If it is known that at the entrance to the nearest supermarket, you will be forced to pack your bag in plastic or take it to the storage chamber, then you will be forced to take a trolley (without it you will not sell anything), and finally show your passport to the security and show your wallet or credit card, then most likely you will not go to this store - you will try to find another one without these difficulties.



Although, under certain conditions, you will not only go to this store, but also become a regular customer there. Namely,

• if this shop is the only one in your city,
• or if there are exclusively products in it that are attractive to you (including its price).

So, in our analogy, the Apple App Store and, it seems, the Microsoft Windows Phone Marketplace are “the only stores in the city,” and therefore they are automatically provided with customers. But Intel AppUp, competing with the mass of other online stores, to attract customers will have to go the other, the only possible way - to ensure the sale of a unique very attractive range of software products. That is what Intel is trying to do .



Do you think we will succeed?