Dummies Guide to An App Store
An app store or an application store is an online portal through which you can procure software programs. All the apps are available in the app store, from where you can download the app of your choice.
The term app store refers to any online platform from where apps are sold, in layman’s terms. Examples of commonly used ones are Apple App Store, Google’s Google Play, Blackberry World, the Amazon App store, and Microsoft’s Windows Store.
1.
What is an App Store?
In general, an application store is an app that enables a user to find software and install it on their mobile or computer.
You can define it as a collection of commercial and free software, games, and utility apps approved for use on your device. You can download, install, browse, purchase, and update the software through your device’s application store.
Apps is an abbreviation of the word “applications”. In simple terms, an application is a software tool that provides additional functionality to an operating system. Apple’s Store and Google’s Play Store are the most prevailing application stores among the digital distribution platforms available today.
An application store is an online shop where you can purchase and download various software applications. The apps available on the application stores are intended for use on your mobile devices. This gives smartphone users assurance of downloading trustworthy apps from verified mobile development businesses worldwide.
Application stores are cloud-based, meaning you access the content through a free client software or a Web browser. This huge popularity of apps is making app development a lucrative business.
The term app store is a generic term for any online store and is in no way solely associated with Apple. In fact, it has been ruled as a generic term as a result of the 2011 case between Amazon and Apple.
These app stores generally offer free apps with in-app purchases to unlock specific premium features. Another option is to sell apps on the store on a subscription basis. Therefore, app marketing is a growing market which has a high scope.
When you install a subscription app, they get a trial period, usually for seven or fourteen days. After this trial period, the subscription will begin.
Noteworthy App Stores
As you already know, there are many online application stores that allow you to explore and download apps. However, some app marketplaces remain in the spotlight.
These application stores not only offer mobile apps but they also provide customized user experience like
1 Apple Store
2 Google Play
3 Microsoft Store
2.
Google Play Store for Android Apps
What is Google Play Store? The Google Play Store is an app store exclusively provided by Google for all Android devices, the Chrome web browser, and Chrome OS computers. It was launched on October 22, 2008, as Android Market.
Later the Play Store was integrated with two other Google services, Google eBookstore and Google Music to create Google Play.
Google Play Store is the most extensively used play store globally as the number of Android users is more than those of iOS users. Unlike other application stores, Google Play allows all its users to purchase digital music and e-books from the application store. You can find the Play Store on the home screen on most Android devices.
Google Play is an online store where you can go and search and enjoy your favorite apps, games, TV shows, movies, books, and more for your Android devices.
As you might already be using, it is a platform with user-friendly features. It is Google’s platform for offering various digital content to its uses. Contrary to what you might think, Google Play Store is not just an app store.
You can find all sorts of content available on the application store. Besides regular Android applications, the Google Play Store is home to music, movies, games (iOS games), books, and more. Hence, Android app development has a huge scope in domains such as eCommerce, banking, gaming, social media media and more.
It continues to dominate the market by allowing users a highly customizable experience according to their preferences.
Do all Android Smartphones Come with Google Play Store Pre-installed?
The answer is no. Google Play Store is pre-installed on smartphones that come with Google Mobile Services or GMS. There are a vast majority of phones out there in the market. But mobile manufacturers are not forced to pre-installed Google Mobile Services if they do not want to.
Consumers are used to Google Mobile Services, which include a number of pre-installed apps by Google. For that reason, pretty much every manufacturer has GMS pre-installed.
However, most smartphone manufacturers who sell Android phones will pre-installed GMS, though there are some exceptions. One of the largest smartphone manufacturers, Huawei, is banned from pre-installing GMS on its phones by the US. That is a story for another day.
3.
What Is the Apple App Store?
The Apple App Store or iOS App Store is a digital distribution platform owned by Apple where people can buy and download digital software and applications.
Apps developed by Apple are stored in the iCloud, which you can purchase from the Apple Store. iCloud is a cloud storage and cloud computing service from Apple for easy access from any signed-in device.
When it comes to iOS mobile apps, the word that comes to your mouth is the User Experience(UX design). It is the attention to detail that makes Apple App Store stand apart from the crowd.
There are more than 500,000 iOS apps available on the Apple Store which users can download and use.
Apple’s iOS App Store, launched in 2008, provides software downloads for their devices like iPad and iPhone. On iOS devices, the App Store is on the home screen. It is a core part of iOS and you cannot uninstall it.
In the case of Apple, any developer can create apps but Apple must approve it before release. This is necessary for a developer to sell the app on the Apple store.
4.
Benefits of Using an App Store
Do you know that the software operator officially approves the software available on the app store, which you download. These basic checks are done to ensure a defect-free release of the apps.
For instance, Apple inspects all software on the iOS Application Stores, and similarly Google inspects all software on the Play Store.
The code of each app is reviewed before publishing to make sure it contains no viruses or malware. The code also complies with other guidelines. The store operator then digitally signs the software for approval to prevent it from being altered without the operator’s knowledge and approval.
Other benefits of app stores
Listed below are a few of the benefits:
1 Convenience. As a user, you can search for new software in one familiar place on your device.
2 Trust. You need not trust a wide array of software vendors. Instead, you can place your trust in a single entity.
3 Consistent experience. Because the software should comply with device guidelines, separate apps have greater user experience and interface consistency. You are already familiar with the general way the software looks, feels, and operates – and hence becomes easy to use.
4 Easier updates. When an update is available for the software installed on your mobile, the application store can notify you about the same. You do not need to manually check for new updates.
5.
Apple App Store vs. Google Play
As you might know, the Apple Store and Google Play are two different platforms through which developers market and sell their apps.
Google Play, which was previously called Android Market, is exclusively for Android mobile apps. Versus iOS apps are available on the Apple Store.
If you are a developer, you would know that the Google Play Store’s approval process is considered less tedious and is comparatively easy. However, Apple’s approval process is more complex. It is not easy for a developer to get an app into the Apple store.
Moreover, Apple has strict standards and rules. Most of your apps will be rejected the first time you submit them. Apple has an app review team that provides developers with comprehensive feedback about why their app did not cross the boundary.
On the contrary, the Google Play store has more lenient standards for publishing apps. It also means that end users of Google Play might encounter more glitchy or malfunctioning apps on the platform. But interestingly, the Google Play Store generates double the downloads compared to the Apple Store.
Interestingly, the Apple store charges developers $99 per year to enroll as a developer on the Application Store. To become a Google Play developer, you only have to pay a one-time fee of $25. Moreover, as a developer, you can receive 70% of them on Google Play. Plus, you can publish unlimited apps in the future.
Conclusion
There is no denying the fact that app stores are immensely popular, especially after the pandemic. This is because of the continuous demand for Android and iOS apps globally.
Moreover, the competition between businesses to create a niche for themselves in the market is also increasing. They have become the one-stop solution for mobile developers and smartphone users.
It enables developers to showcase their apps, which are categorized in a proper way so that it becomes easier for mobile users to explore.
The growing demand for mobile apps allows the tech giants Apple and Google to remain creative and invent ways to keep their mobile users engaged. As a result, you can enjoy higher creativity in browsing and exploring apps as per your requirements.