Do number of Apps really matter?

We live in the era of smartphones. Our super-fast, high performance tech toys have become integrated to our every day life. From early morning news, All day social networking to gaming, music and multimedia entertainment-our phones do it all. All these have become possible due to development of what the world lovingly calls Apps (Applications for the technical).


It wasn't that long ago when the capabilities of a phone was very much limited to its hardware and built-in goodies. There was no such thing as an app. Only app that the world knew of was BBM. But as the world shifted slowly towards using smartphones, applications came into existence.

However, it soon became a ground to compete for the various platforms. Apple's iOS always leading, open source Android on its trail and others trying to increase their tally to as much as they can. In a matter of few years, a platforms success became, if not entirely, at least almost dependent on the number of apps its application store had.

This was bound to happen. After all, the more number of apps you get to choose from, more you can make out of your smartphone. The more games you get on the store is better, the more utility apps available, the better it is,etc. After all, you don't want to see your new high-priced, top of the line smartphone being mocked upon for not having that new trending application available for it just because the application developer was not interested in making it available for your phone's platform (Do you get now why Windows Phone 8 devices are not selling like hot cakes?).

780,147- That's the number of apps available on Apple's App Store according to some recently revealed numbers. (And experts say this figure would reach a million sooner or later this year, Oh gosh!) Its nearest rival Google's Android has a few more than 700,000 apps which is not bad either since this number too is expected to increase drastically this year. Now, the rest of the party performs like this-Windows PH  marketplace has somewhere around 130,000 apps most of which have already been tweaked to run on the Windows PH 8. RIM says blackberry OS 10 would have 30000+ apps on its launch date (which is on 31st of this very month).

Well numbers favor iOS and Android but here's the interesting part-Number of apps don't always tell the entire greatness of the platform. From a user's point of view, its the quality of apps that matter. Even more than that, what matters is the presence of at least all the major apps. (By major I mean, the very useful and worth having ones, read "Whatsapp, Angry birds, Temple Run,etc) After all no user in the world download 1 million apps even in his entire life. To make it easier, he is not going to use even a 100 regularly.

So, in short, the reality is that if your XYZ platform has even all the major apps you might require in your everyday use, its more than enough. So instead of neglecting a platform or a brilliant device just because its app store does not win the number's game try comparing devices on the basis of every ground possible. Look for better hardware, better performance and when it comes to apps-just make sure your new priced tech toy would be having at least the useful ones.

[Image credit to the o. The number of apps stated above are according to stats collected from various sources]