research2guidance :: The Apple App Store and the Android Market (now Google Play) continued to gain momentum during 2011. They both added a significant amount of content and attracted increasing numbers of downloads – more than 1 billion per month each by Q4 2011. Looking ahead, 2012 will likely see more consolidation:
The app store “duopoly” is growing: The Apple App Store and Google Play (Android Marketplace) show no signs of slowing as the number of apps, users and download numbers continue to snowball.
More stores will exit the market: Microsoft has already announced it will shut down the Windows Store for Mobile altogether in May to focus on the Windows Marketplace. Other stores – e.g. Mobihand – have appeared to be under financial duress and are looking for new monetization strategies or to be acquired.
At this point, any new market entrant will need to provide something fundamentally different to what Apple and Google are offering, or invest a significant amount of money (e.g. Microsoft’s investment in the development of the Window’s Phone Marketplace). One possibility for new entrants is to target niche segments of the market.
Continue to read Grace Gair, www.research2guidance.com
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