[pauldanielash]

Apple announced today the App Store had passed the 100,000 mark, with more than 2 billion individual downloads in the 481 days since it went online with just 500 applications on July 11, 2008. At the same time, a new study revealed that few of these apps are ever installed.

Apple was understandably excited about the big numbers. They've made the huge number of apps available on iTunes a centerpiece of their strategy to differentiate the iPhone from its smartphone competitors. Apple’s senior vice president, Phil Schiller, crowed:

“The App Store, now with over 100,000 applications available, is clearly a major differentiator for millions of iPhone and iPod touch customers around the world. The iPhone SDK created the first great platform for mobile applications and our customers are loving all of the amazing apps our developers are creating.”

Despite the happy talk, Schiller is aware of, and has responded to, the back and forth between Apple and developers about the seemingly arbitrary and capricious policies governing what apps will and will not be accepted on the App Store. The ongoing Google Voice controversy is another case in point: the growing perception is that designing an iPhone app is a huge risk for developers, who may have to submit and resubmit their apps again and again because they were rejected for reasons that are never clearly explained.

On top of that, there's a real likelihood that your app just won't sell even if it makes it on the App Store. A study done by AppsFire found that only 20,000 of the 100,000 apps will ever actually be downloaded and installed. Further, if your app is not in the top 1,000 the widest dristribution you can hope for is 1.67% of all iPhones and iPods.

So if the diversity of applications isn't the competitive advantage Apple says it is, what's the iPhone's killer app? A study from marketing research firm comScore suggests a possibility: touch. Their report shows that the number of touchscreen-enabled phones grew by 159% last year - with a third of that number represented by the iPhone. With arguably the best touchscreen interface out there, Apple is clearly dominant in this area: the next most popular touchscreen phone is the LG Dare, with market share a quarter that of the iPhone's at 8.7%. Android may yet challenge Apple's title, which is why it would behoove Apple to continue improving its interface - with help from non-App Store developers - rather than filling iTunes with more and more apps.

image via AppsFire

[thevmax]

Reminds me of Bruce Springsteen's song "57 Channels" and nothing's on!

[robbpell]

im gonna go make an app that when you open it all it does is close! 100,001!

[lom51]

ok, so you have a 1 in 5 chance of your app being downloaded, somehow i think developers are going to become scarce soon

[Fallguy]

I wonder how many SAPS are out there thinking they could be a developer and create "THE BEST APP EVER !" only to find out they spent the cash and couldnt get a single download .

[discostar]

Originally Posted by robbpell

im gonna go make an app that when you open it all it does is close! 100,001!

LMFAO!

Seriously though, yeah, I mean, if I'm BUYING apps, teeny-tiny little programs for my phone. I'm only going to buy the top rated ones. Even if it's just 99p.

[southfrisco]

Apple can promote all they want about the amount of apps in their app store. Fact is a lot of those 100,000+ apps are not being installed for a reason. A lot of them are terrible and not very useful.

#1 reason I will keep my iPhone for now is the jailbreak community. I am more willing to spend my money on an app that can do something helpful through the Cydia store than one that uses an Apple skinned UI accepted through the App Store.

If Apple ever breaks the jailbreak and I can no longer customize my phone I would drop the iPhone in a heartbeat and go with an Android based phone. That is a fact Mr. Schiller.

LockInfo, Cycorder for my 3G, Orbit, SBSettings, Stack, Yourtube, ActionMenu, SpringSorter, StatusNotifier, 3G Unrestrictor, Bosspaper and qTweeter are just some of the Cydia apps I use. Most of these would never see the light inside the Apple App Store.

Edit: To add if I were a developer I would seriously look into developing for the Cydia store right now. The competition is almost non existent compared to the App Store. At this time if you come out with something decent you could make some serious bucks there.

[gthugballin]

cool apple has lots of apps... right now i could careless...i want a new 3.2 update lol. or 4.0 .

[CaptainChaos]

A huge part of their problem is the Top 20 Apps. I could care less about a fart app outselling all other apps.

I would like to see the top apps of all categories.

[gladesmellzgood]

Originally Posted by southfrisco

Apple can promote all they want about the amount of apps in their app store. Fact is a lot of those 100,000+ apps are not being installed for a reason. A lot of them are terrible and not very useful.

#1 reason I will keep my iPhone for now is the jailbreak community. I am more willing to spend my money on an app that can do something helpful through the Cydia store than one that uses an Apple skinned UI accepted through the App Store.

If Apple ever breaks the jailbreak and I can no longer customize my phone I would drop the iPhone in a heartbeat and go with an Android based phone. That is a fact Mr. Schiller.

LockInfo, Cycorder for my 3G, Orbit, SBSettings, Stack, Yourtube, ActionMenu, SpringSorter, StatusNotifier, 3G Unrestrictor, Bosspaper and qTweeter are just some of the Cydia apps I use. Most of these would never see the light inside the Apple App Store.

Edit: To add if I were a developer I would seriously look into developing for the Cydia store right now. The competition is almost non existent compared to the App Store. At this time if you come out with something decent you could make some serious bucks there.

+1

[nighthawk283]

WOw thats a lot of apps, and also i believe a lot of them aren't download

[GIRLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL]

The last two apps I got from the appstore was PS Mobile and R.Racing GTI.

That's an example of how much garbage infests the appstore. Only a fraction of the total number of apps are worth the download, and even PS mobile isn't all that. Mill colour is just as good. It's not like you can put 100,000 apps on your iPhone at once anyway.

[PaperCross]

The only app I have on my 3GS is Facebook. I tried iDisk from app store, but once I got iFile from Cydia, i dropped iDisk in a heartbeat. Without the JB community, i would have dropped the iPhone too.

[thetoothfairy]

I agree a lot probably have not been downloaded. I hate how itunes is now if you are looking for a new app anyways. I can't believe how it is now to find the game categories.

[mikerlx]

iPhone sucks out the box so jailbreak/unlock make u love it who has the time in a lifetime for 100,000 apps to enjoy?