How did Apple’s App Store get so insanely popular?

“Earlier today, Apple announced that iPhone and iPod touch users have now downloaded over 1.5 billion applications. According to Apple, there are now also over 100,000 developers in the iPhone Developer Program and over 65,000 apps in the store. The number of actual iPhone developers might be a bit lower than Apple reports, as a lot of people only joined the paid version of the program to get their hands on the betas of the iPhone 3.0 OS, but there can be little doubt that the App store is a runaway success, both for Apple and developers,” Frederic Lardinois writes for ReadWriteWeb.

Lardinois writes, “Given this huge success of the App Store, it is worth thinking about the factors that contributed to the App Store’s success and what Apple could do to make the store even better. Even though a number of companies are trying to emulate the App Store model now, we think that a number of factors contributed to Apple’s massive success. Some of these may be very hard to replicate for other companies.”

Here are a few of the them:
• The pump was primed with the iPod, iTunes, and iTunes Store
• It’s not just the iPhone: 40 million devices include iPod touch
• Enticing app prices
• International reach: Apple has App Stores in 77 countries
• Games, games, games
• Low barrier of entry for developers
• Opportunity to make money

Some things we would like Apple to change/add:
• Improve the approval process
• Remember this iPhone app (App Store tagging for later purchase)
• iTunes Genius recommendation engine for apps
• Mark already-purchased apps

Full article here.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “James W.” for the heads up.]