This something Windows Phone and BlackBerry users don’t want to admit – their beloved platforms are lacking some important apps (and few awesome games). The sheer number of apps doesn’t matter much if you can’t have what’s popular out there (presuming that popularity also includes some quality).
According to Canalys‘ report, of the top 50 free and top 50 paid apps in Apple’s App Store and Google Play Store in the US, just 34% are available in either the Windows Phone store or BlackBerry World. This is despite “substantial efforts” from Microsoft and BlackBerry to improve their positions.
The picture can be made “a little more optimistic” by taking into account apps that are specific to a particular ecosystem, or where similar alternatives are available (think – utility apps).
However, the conclusion is that the “presence of clear gaps in their inventories cannot and should not be masked.” Canalys’ Tim Shepherd goes on to add that the availability of key apps is a “factor in motivating consumers’ initial mobile device purchasing decisions, and it will only become more so.”
As a reminder, the Windows Phone Marketplace has recently surpasses 145,000 apps, while BlackBerry has managed to pass the 120,000 mark. But does it matter?