SubscribeiTunes App Store vs. Android Market
If you follow me on Twitter, you know that I have recently had the chance to review the Motorola Droid mobile phone running Google’s Android OS. In part one of my Motorola Droid review, I would like to compare Google’s Android Market to the iTunes App Store. This day in age applications are what can make or break a mobile phones success, so it is important that a wide range of well developed apps be available for the various mobile phones.
The Basics
Both the iTunes App Store and the Android Market boast the same basic features. Both offer featured lists, top paid list, top free list, general categories, ratings, reviews, and screenshots. One feature that the iTunes App Store offers that Android Market doesn’t is genius lists. This feature analyzes your current library of applications and makes recommendations based on what you use, how often you use it, and how you rate apps. This feature is relatively new, but I find it works surprisingly well and makes great recommendations.
While the 2 application stores function similarly, they are visually very different. The iTunes App Store features a very rich visual design that was inspired by the iTunes Mobile store and the iPhone OS. For many years, Apple has been known for visually stunning designs while keeping users experience and functionality in mind. While the Android Market functions well, it is visually very unappealing. I really felt that the unappealing design really effected my overall user experience with the Market.
One other major difference between the iTunes App Store and the Android Market is the addition of a desktop application. I find browsing for apps with the iTunes desktop application is easier and quicker, and makes for a better experience. The Android Market features a very dull website allowing you to browse the applications, but it in no way compares to the feature rich iTunes desktop application. I would love to see Google integrate the Android Market more into the web.
The Apps
Since its creation in July of 2008, the iTunes App Store has been verbally attacked over and over again, for its super strict application inclusion policies. Apple, requires that all applications submitted to the App Store follow a very strict set of rules. Some of these rules make since, like no adult content, and some of them don’t, like the no Apple or iPhone imagery or verbiage rule. I understand that these rules keep the App Store apps to the highest quality standards, but at the same time, they really limit the accessibility to some specific types of apps. Android allows all types of apps in to their Market.
The iTunes App Store has been around for over a year, and a large majority of the apps have been on there for a year or more, which has resulted in multiple revisions and upgrades. As the apps age, they become more feature rich and visually refined. The apps available in the iTunes App store are very well developed and very visually stunning. The Android Market is behind in this area, but is catching up quickly. I found that the number of apps available in the Android Market is impressive, but the quality of the apps and the features they have are not on par yet with the iTunes App Store offerings. I am sure the Android Market will catch up as more and more developers expand to that platform, but for now, it is tailing slightly.
Final Thoughts
While both the iTunes App Store and the Android Market function almost identically, I feel the iTunes App Store slightly wins over the Android Market for 3 mains reasons. First, the iTunes App Store is more user friendly. They accomplish this by providing a very rich visual style, and lots of little user experience extras, like full screen screenshots, that really makes for a better user experience. Second, is the quality of apps. I contribute this to the fact that the iTunes App Store came first, allowing developers more time to refine their apps both visually and functionally. Lastly, is the combination of the iTunes desktop application and the iPhone. Apple has really done a beautiful job integrating the App Store with the computer. I do most of my App Store browsing and purchasing on my computer, and when you add the great organizing functionality built into iTunes, you have a definate winner in the iTunes App Store and Android Market comparison.
I will say though, that the Android Market might be trailing behind the iTunes App Store, but it is not behind by much. The Android Market is a perfectly acceptable app store. If they can just improve upon the 3 things I pointed out above, they will defiantly give the iTunes App Store a run for their money.
This article is Part 1 of my full series of reviews of the Motorola Droid. Below are links to the other parts of the Motorola Droid Review:
- Part 1: iTunes App Store vs. Android Market
- Part 2: Motorola Droid Review: The Hardware
- Part 3: Motorola Droid Review: The Software
- Part 4: Motorola Droid Review: Summary
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You say that the App store slightly wins over the Android store. Even though I haven't used the Android Store, I would say just in the sheer volume of apps available on iTunes is a huge differentiator that makes it really stand way ahead. How many apps are on Android?
I don't really take volume into consideration, for one main reason: Yes, the iTunes App Store has 100,000+ apps, but 998,000 of them are total crap. The Android Market is up to 12,000+ apps, and growing very very quickly.
Do all apps created for Android have to be published through the market like iTunes? How is the process of application upgrades performed? Do you have to go through the tedious process of syncing your phone to your PC, or can it be performed over-the-air too?
Unless you, and others, are talking about something else, I’m extremely confused. I upgrade my apps from the app store on my iPhone. Are you talking about consumers or developers, or someone else. Because if you are saying consumers…I very rarely sync my phone to my PC, I upgrade everything on the phone….so can you clarify about your syncing to upgrade comment?
You can install from everywhere and anywhere. Just tick the box in the settings for allowing non-Market app installs, get Barcode Scanner and you can just point your camera to a Qr code containing an URL directly to an app installer file (.apk) and click OK. Done, installed.
The Market let you upgrade apps directly, it even keeps track of updates for you. You have to upgrade it individually on Android 2.1 and earlier, but on 2.2 (latest) you can mass-upgrade.
You do not need any computer at all to do anything, you can just put your SIM-card in your fresh new Android right out of the packaging and start installing and upgrading apps (Google Maps are likely to have available upgrades out-of-the-box).
All you need is to sign in on your Google account OR create a new one from the phone.
Apps installed from outside Market can manage update checking themselves and then ask you if they should install the new version. If you agree, it downloads the .apk-file and triggers the standard install screen where you click OK.
There are alternate market apps that can do this, so you don’t need the Google Android Market.
To your first question, no you don't have to download all apps via the Android Market. I just read an article about an Adult Only Apps Store on the Android. haha As for updating, it is handled sort of the same as the iPhone. You just get notifications when updates are available. As for syncing the phone to a PC, no, in fact, there is no Android software on the computer, it is all handled directly on the handset.
Good article. Fair and balanced. As a Droid owner, I definitely envy the much more refined apps on Apple’s side. Although I don’t agree with all of Apple’s super-strict policies, their app store policy is perfect. The biggest problem with things being open is that every wanna-be with an SDK and a little programming knowledge thinks they’re the next Nintendo in the making. With much more relaxed rules on content, the Android market is, sadly, filled with mostly garbage and blatant knock offs. Utility and productivity apps aren’t quite as bad as games, which are light years behind Apple’s offerings. For example, after playing Topple on my daughter’s iPod Touch, I went searching for it in the Android market. I found a blatant rip-off, with cruddier graphics, designed not by a company (like Topple is), but by an individual who was at least kind enough to provide their G-Mail address. This is true of many of the games. There are no puzzle or strategy games in the Android market that even remotely compare to Angry Birds. My frustration with the Topple knock-off is what prompted me to seek out websites on this topic. I love my Droid, but the games just don’t come close to comparing to what’s available in the app store. Admittedly, Android is still relatively “new” because it was very lightly regarded on T-Mobile until Verizon jumped on board. So I’m optimistic things will eventually improve as it gains in popularity, but if anyone has played around with an iPod Touch or iPhone and is buying an Android device expecting the same experience, consider yourself warned.
TBH this is what put me off buying an Android phone and I brought a iPhone. I know Americans have a lot of issues with iPhone due to the fact that it is only on AT&T, but that’s not a problem in the UK, which is why I very rarely see an android phone. I think that the most of the rules for the app store are probably fair and just, although I have no clue, and they will probably make it clearer as it develops. It ensures that the apps work well, do what they should and look and made well. I have very few problems with apps and the app store. My older brother on his HTC hero on the other hand, the marketplace doesn’t even load or work properly…which is probably the main argument against Android phones and the fragmentation of their market. He’s going to reset his phone at some point though to see if it works afterwards…but if it doesn’t then he says he’s just going to leave it and upgrade to iPhone 4 when his contract expires.
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