Symbian plans for mobile application “warehouse” with multiple stores

The mobile application store scene, which is already getting pretty crowded, is about to get even crazier. The Symbian Foundation has announced it’s intention to create a whole warehouse, which will contain as many app stores as distributors want to create.

This warehouse idea seems to stem from Symbian trying to avoid seeing apps get swamped. A problem that a lot of developers encounter is that soon after releasing their app, they see it get lost in a tide of new releases. The Symbian solution to that is to have a multitude of smaller application stores, each containing a specific type, category or genre of application.

The “warehouse” comes from the massive database of Symbian approved applications that would exist beneath these stores. The warehouse itself wouldn’t be accessible to the public - but third party companies can get a distribution API from Symbian and to set up stores, and re-sell apps from the warehouse.

Setting up a store doesn’t give you the right to grab whatever app you like and start selling it, though. The creator of the app and the store runners come to an arrangement, separate from Symbian, for prices and profits. The Foundation will recoup enough to cover costs, of course, but the bulk of the profits will go to those who stock the warehouse and those who run the stores.

What we think?

I’m generally anti-app-store proliferation. As the market becomes swamped with more and more proprietary app stores, it becomes more confusing and difficult for consumers and developers alike. That benefits no one except the app store owners, from manufacturers to operators - but even then it doesn’t do them much good because a user-experience that bad will drive sales down through the floor.

So I was surprised at how well I responded to this idea. Ok, so it fails to address a lot of the problems that exist with app stores. At the end of the day, the “warehouse” is just a larger store, and instead of selling apps it’s selling stores. There’s still nothing to stop a new Symbian App Store getting lost in the wash of all the other Symbian App Stores. It also only serves Symbian OS devices, which doesn’t help the long-suffering developers who need to re-optimise for a tonne of different platforms. BUT - at least it’s a fresh new look at the whole system. It really matches the “open market” feel to Symbian, and it out-does the Android Market. The service provider simply stepping back and letting the developers and distributors get on with the business of selling apps to willing consumers is a great step. Imagine if the GetJars and Handango’s of the world had access to a vast archive of apps that were guaranteed to be stable on either plaform.