Ever since the App Store launched in 2008, Apple’s dominance in terms of apps for both the iPhone and the iPad has been an accepted truism in mobile. Now, though, as Google commands an overwhelming 80% of the smartphone market, and its Play Store is officially larger than the App Store, the two companies are grappling to secure exclusive titles.
Apple is determined to fight to defend the aura of App Store supremacy, and the Wall Street Journal has now learned that Cupertino is ready to pay for this position. Don’t blame it, though - so is Google (and Amazon, as a matter of fact).
Apple and Google are both making a considerable effort to woo game developers in order to get high-profile titles exclusively on their platform first. The reward? In exchange for a few months of exclusivity, game developers get their titles placed on a prominent place in the featured section of the App Store and Google Play store, a position that could boost downloads up to ten fold.
So far, though, it seems that Apple is the one that’s more aggressive and successful with the task of wooing developers. Just remember titles like “Plants vs Zombies 2” and the “Cut the Rope” sequel that both launched first on the Apple App Store. EA, the creator of PvZ 2, agreed to a two-month exclusivity agreement with Apple in exchange for a prominent position in iTunes, while ZeptoLab, the developer behind Cut the Rope got a 3-month exclusive agreement in exchange for a similar reward.
This marks a huge change, at least on Apple’s part - Cupertino used to have an editorial team that would normally evaluate apps based on the quality of execution to determine whether an app is worth being promoted in iTunes’ featured section. Now, though, that team is much more influenced by whether or not that title is exclusive for the platform.
Google, on its part, is trying to do two things: get exclusives, but also strengthen the Android brand. With Samsung dominating Android sales, many have suggested that the Korean company might dilute the message that it is actually Google’s Android that powers its products. Google is obviously aware of that, and is offering discounts on things like Android-shaped in-app purchases in apps. The popularity of Google's platform, however, is alone convincing enough for developers like French Gameloft to launch their titles on iOS and Android simultaneously.
In addition to the big tow, Amazon with its Android Appstore is also wooing developers in an attempt to secure exclusive titles for its platform, making for an even more competitive app environment.
Games are the single most important category of apps, both for users who spend the most time in them, but also for developers and phone makers. After all, the mobile app market was valued at $16 billion last year, 70% of which came from games. The stakes are obviously high, but what we’re wondering is whether having a game like “Plants vs Zombies 2” matters to you: would you base your decision to buy or not to buy a phone on game availability?
source: Wall Street Journal (paywalled)
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Apple is determined to fight to defend the aura of App Store supremacy, and the Wall Street Journal has now learned that Cupertino is ready to pay for this position. Don’t blame it, though - so is Google (and Amazon, as a matter of fact).
Apple and Google are both making a considerable effort to woo game developers in order to get high-profile titles exclusively on their platform first. The reward? In exchange for a few months of exclusivity, game developers get their titles placed on a prominent place in the featured section of the App Store and Google Play store, a position that could boost downloads up to ten fold.
So far, though, it seems that Apple is the one that’s more aggressive and successful with the task of wooing developers. Just remember titles like “Plants vs Zombies 2” and the “Cut the Rope” sequel that both launched first on the Apple App Store. EA, the creator of PvZ 2, agreed to a two-month exclusivity agreement with Apple in exchange for a prominent position in iTunes, while ZeptoLab, the developer behind Cut the Rope got a 3-month exclusive agreement in exchange for a similar reward.
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Games like PvZ 2 have agreed to launching as iOS-exclusive |
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Others, like Asphalt 8, though, decided against exclusivity |
This marks a huge change, at least on Apple’s part - Cupertino used to have an editorial team that would normally evaluate apps based on the quality of execution to determine whether an app is worth being promoted in iTunes’ featured section. Now, though, that team is much more influenced by whether or not that title is exclusive for the platform.
Google, on its part, is trying to do two things: get exclusives, but also strengthen the Android brand. With Samsung dominating Android sales, many have suggested that the Korean company might dilute the message that it is actually Google’s Android that powers its products. Google is obviously aware of that, and is offering discounts on things like Android-shaped in-app purchases in apps. The popularity of Google's platform, however, is alone convincing enough for developers like French Gameloft to launch their titles on iOS and Android simultaneously.
In addition to the big tow, Amazon with its Android Appstore is also wooing developers in an attempt to secure exclusive titles for its platform, making for an even more competitive app environment.
Games are the single most important category of apps, both for users who spend the most time in them, but also for developers and phone makers. After all, the mobile app market was valued at $16 billion last year, 70% of which came from games. The stakes are obviously high, but what we’re wondering is whether having a game like “Plants vs Zombies 2” matters to you: would you base your decision to buy or not to buy a phone on game availability?
source: Wall Street Journal (paywalled)
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