Apple App Store Tops 500 Million Downloads

But arn’t they all $1. If the BB apps were $1 we would have similar numbers.

we? “If the BB apps were $1 we would have similar numbers.” No we would not, not even close. Why make such outlandish statements? Being a BB enthusiast is one thing, great, but reality should prevail. Know BB announced back in Oct 08 they wanted to follow Apple’s lead by starting a App store, but again there is no way RIM will out Apple Apple. A BB App store will benefit BB customer though and thats whats important.

Thing to remember is that 90+% of those apps are useless, if not more. While ‘some’ of the apps may be useful, let’s keep the numbers in a realistic perspective. It’s like Lehman Brothers announcing great earnings two years ago on paper, but the reality is that it’s riddled with junk.

After Watching a mother hand over her iPhone on a plane to her 4 or 5 year, and watching him shut up and play with it instead of being the brat he was the first 20 min of the flight, my thoughts on usefulness of some apps was forever changed.

Granted the app store runs the gamet, I’d rather have too many options then be neglected

“90+% of those apps are useless, if not more.”

Hmmmm I agree with gquaglia, maybe thats your opinion. However reality and truth clearly show and say other wise. Why the continued, desperate attempt to belittle Apple’s success’s? Do such posts make some somehow feel better about BB’s? The point is by following Apple’s lead RIM’s BB app center should be a benefit to consumers. RIM will never see the massive numbers Apple is seeing when it comes to app’s and that’s OK, no need to be upset about that. It’s good enough to know RIM is reacting positively and coming up with something which will be a value to consumers, something BB customers want.

“but the reality is that it’s riddled with junk.”
One could also claim the same with RIM’s dropping the ball on the Storm and Bold. It’s not a good sign at all when BB enthusiast’s, and worse joe and jane consumer are returning RIM’s flagship BB’s and going back to the older, more stable, more productive BB’s.

Don’t worry, be happy. If using a BB and not a iPhone is causing so much trauma switch to what makes you feel better. But when it comes to Apple and especially it’s proven and massively successful app store be thankful. RIM should be able to learn alot when it comes to following Apple’s lead making the BB app center worth while and a benefit to BB and it’s customers. Do you not think for a second that RIM’s lead on handheld devices was learned from by Apple when it came to the iPhone?

Clearly success for one doesn’t mean the other is doing poorly, one can even use and like both. When Robb posts Apple success news it doesn’t mean RIM is not successful too, neither are “useless” or “junk”.

There is no reason to get personal while trying to defend a poor post. It shows a real lack of class and grasp of reality.

Can’t come up with a “realistic” reason to desperately try to belittle Apple’s success, or questioning Robb being fooled into posting “sexy marketing by Apple”. Desperate and continued belittling of Apple and the wild success of the iPhone and iTunes App’s Store will not help RIM produce better BB’s for us. If anything Apple’s proven success with the iPhone, and the iTunes App Store is the reason for RIM pushing forward with BB’s such as the Storm and the Bold, and pushing forward with the BB Application Center. The facts clearly show Apple’s iTunes app store’s 15,000+ app choices and 500+ million downloads is NOT at all “useless”, “junk”, or “flawed”. It would be foolish to think RIM is being fooled by “sexy marketing by Apple” and that is what’s driving RIM to develop more consumer friendly, more media friendly devices and to open the BB Application Center wishing they get even close to half of Apple’s 15,000+ app choices and 500+ million downloads in a half a year.

Robb,

“I think that an Application Center hosted by RIM independently of the carriers would be much more useful and popular.”

I agree. Keep the applications store / center independent of the service providers. The service providers have shown time and time again they are not able to remain neutral enough when it comes to allowing options on the dumbphones, it would be only worse when it comes to smartphones and service provider interference.

I think at some point RIM needs to take its OS to a whole new level to take advantage of the power available to them in their devices.

Let’s face it…the current RIM OS is basically the same old OS just w/ some eye candy cobbled on top of it. That’s one reason why the Storm is kind of disappointing in its software; the OS is really not designed to run a touchscreen only device.

Apple has a far more powerful OS, and apparently now Palm does as well.

Software determines success in computing devices moreso than anything. RIM’s advantage has always been the software the propelled its push email system, and that advantage still holds. But in all other regards RIM is falling behind software-wise.

unbelievable, that’s a lot of apps.