WILLIAMEDIA

As more people recently stood inline for their shiny new iPhone 3g and first version iPhone holders downloaded the 2.0 firmware update they just might grab a tight hold on its biggest door opening product, the App store. Like in the infamous dancing ad campaigns tell us the iPod has a partner in its success iTunes, but will the App store provide that same arm candy when consumers decide to buy.

Apple did not win the ears of early digital music players consumers with only their hardware and flashy commercials, they won with the iTunes store. There are many elements in the iTunes store that make it a success including the 99 cent standard setting price tag on music but the combination of iTunes store and the iPod hardware made it the Sony Walkman digital music player of choice for modern American portable music industry.

Apple does realize this and the tells you about it in their commercials near the end with the phrase “iPod + iTunes” reminding you that the iPod is not the only part of the equation. This is something many tech journalists have discussed for awhile and based on that foundation the very logical question arises when discussing the the App store, will it make the same equation with the iPhone add up to more market share in cellphones.

In a shortened description the App Store has built in direct access to the device and its customers base that the Apps/content is for but will the developers of the Apps under Apple’s gate keeping rule be able to handle the flow and decide whats a quality app for consumers to feel safe to pay for and download.
Looking at the established iTunes music store which is now built into the iPod Touch and iPhone apple products the Record companies are the ones managing the flow of acceptable content that will make it into most consumers hands. In additon to the built in iTunes Music store there is the podcasting section within the iTunes desktop software  which does involve some pre-approval process but content is not monitored for quality but left up to the number of subscribers to decide whats good and allow bad content to disappear into the depths of the directory.

Apple certainly has learned a thing or two about managing its various iTunes stores sections. With their knowledge of the free nature of podcasting, paid nature of music, movies, TV shows they might find success. The App store is different from all three previous stores not just because Apps are small computer programs but in the difference of prices set by the developers on each app. A distinction worth noting considering that the Record industry has repeatedly complained about not having indvidual control on iTunes music prices. The App store with its variable prices might make the App Store another sucessful micro-sized free market even though its guarded by Apple in Cupertino Califronia.

Above photo provided by: flickr.com/photos/flygraphix under a creative commons license