“Microsoft’s Windows 8 app ecosystem badly needs a jolt to make it competitive with iOS and Android on tablets, an analyst said today,” Gregg Keizer reports for Computerworld. “And it’s looking like that won’t happen anytime soon.”
“‘Most of the top apps are still not supported by Windows 8,’ said Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst with Moor Insights Strategy. ‘Not only is that a major issue on its own, but Windows 8 now has a reputation for not having the right apps,'” Keizer reports. “And that reputation will stick — and the taint stink — long after the developers of the must-have apps have created something for Windows 8. ‘Even when Microsoft rounds out the catalog, Windows 8 will have a lingering perception issue with consumers,’ Moorhead contended.”
Keizer reports, “Nick Landry, a Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) and product manager at Infragistics, a New Jersey maker of user interface (UI) development tools, came up with a ‘must-have’ list based on the top 100 iOS apps… everything from ABC News and Citibank to HBO GO and Zillow [and found that] the Windows Store had just 54, slightly more than half.”
“Until Microsoft can overcome not only the app shortage — and Moorhead wasn’t talking about store tallies, which every platform backer likes to brag about — it won’t overcome both the perception that it fields a sub-standard ecosystem and the reality that it can’t deliver the most sought-after software,” Keizer reports. “‘Look at the history of Android,’ said Moorhead. ‘Even though it’s been moving up in app coverage for two years, it still has a reputation that it doesn’t have enough apps.'”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple’s ecosystems are second to none.
Developers, developers, developers!
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “James W.” for the heads up.]
How can something be “just barely half?” It’s either 50% or it isn’t.
BLN is the best suited to answer that.
My answer to that would be barely more than half is definitely better than less than half but not as good as three quarters.
If the writer had written, “just barely half,” you’d be right. As it stands, they wrote, “slightly more than half,” which makes sense seeing that they’re talking about 54%.
Though I haven’t read the whole article, only the excerpt above.
Does what you refer to come later?
And that reputation will stick — and the taint stink — long after the developers of the must-have apps have created something for Windows 8.
So, if I’m reading this right, Windows 8 has a bad case of “taint stink”. Sounds right to me.
——RM
Of course the real issue isn’t the top apps but the lack of platform-exclusive niche business an condumer apps is.
It amazes me that something as obvious as Flipboard was not shipped on Windows 8 Tablets at launch, but it wasn’t and as far as I know is not even available. Who pays these people?
The existential problem is that Microsoft has acquired the acrid smell of a dying animal. Its performance has declined for years and recently has entered into a region that can best be described as putrid. Its bellowing and bluster no longer attract much notice, and its stumbles are viewed sadly, as with an aging, rambling relative who no longer commands much respect.
Succinct and to the point as always, my dear Hannah.
Oh by the way, I sent Minka Kelly an iPhone in the expectation that she’ll roll around in the hay with me.
Laters dude. 😉
Funny, I hadn’t heard that Minka Kelly accepted gifts from stalkers. Anyway, one shouldn’t expect too much on a first date, especially in a barn. Climbing up to the hayloft might be a bit of an issue, as she’s flustery about heights.
Keizer must have missed the headline about M$ discounting and writing down the Surface. It won’t stink too much as its below the surface.
The number of duplicates on this “must have” list is ridiculous. How many weather apps, banks, and news sites does one really need???
Very good possibility that these apps from activeNick’s “top 100” could be deleted without anyone caring at all:
– Amazon Instant Video
– Bank of America (why wouldn’t you have switched to a credit union years ago ?!?!?)
– Bing
– Chase Mobile
– ComiXology
– DC Comics
– engadget
– Expedia
– Facebook
– Good Morning America
– Google Plus
– Hotels.com
– Microsoft OneNote
– MLB.com (just go to ESPN)
– PGA Tour
– PNC Bank
– Skydrive
– Twitter
– Wells Fargo
– etc
as always, YMMV. a safari bookmark will cover you on those rare cases that you feel you absolutely must tell Zuckerberg or the Eric the Google Mole all about your personal life.
I use FaceBook as a platform to communicate with friends. I seriously doubt that Zuckerberg personally cares about my life and my boring opinions on things.
Facebook is so passé. Why should one need a “platform” to communicate with your real friends?
Mr. Steve Ballmer,
Once gain, pundits and naysayers keep bashing Microsoft for lack of top notch apps. SteveB, don’t ever listen to them. They don’t know sh*t.
You are the best CEO ever!! Keep doing what you are doing at Microsoft and let Microsoft sail to where it deserve!!
“We” all love Zune, Kin, Surface RT, Surface Pro, Microsoft Bob!! We want to see more of them!!
/s /s /s /s /s /s /s 🙂
When you hear MS dissing the competition you just know that weaknesses are causing the product not to sell and not its particular strengths – such as they are.
And when you have a few percent of the market MS are going to have to subsidize the App makers to waste time producing Windoze versions.
Windows 8 has a Netflix app – I’m still annoyed Macs still doesn’t have one.
I bet if Apple started blocking Silverlight, it would only take a couple days for Netflix to release a Mac app.
Quack! Quack!
APPPPPPP-LLLLAAAAAACCCCCKKKK!!! Quack! Quack!
MS = pack of clowns