Blackberry App World: No news is *not* good news

Last week, I posted a quick analysis of Apple's App Store, which is on pace for over 3.2 billion application downloads by year end.  We tried to do a similar analysis for other platforms such as BlackBerry and hit a snag:  There is little or no information available for BlackBerry App World.  See below:

Blackberry App World has not released download stats

As we dug deeper, we found good reasons for this dearth of data.

First, BlackBerries sold through major network operators do not come with App World pre-installed; hence one of the key questions is how many BlackBerry users have downloaded, installed and set up App World.

Another challenge is that users can get BlackBerry apps from a variety of alternative sources, including:

• developer websites -- for example, the excellent Google and Facebook apps for Blackberries are often acquired directly from the web and sent via email link


• Handango website -- may be the leading single source for Blackberry apps


• Handango InHand -- a pretty good 3rd party app store, downloaded to many BlackBerryies after Apple's App Store became popular and before RIM's own BlackBerry App World launched


• network operators' websites -- verizon.handango.com, for instance


• network operators' app stores -- mostly focused on ringtones and games; VZAppZone and AT&T Media Mall are examples

All this choice is confusing for both end users and for application developers.

Moreover our survey of retail store personnel at major US network operators found that they were either or both ignorant or unsupportive of App World when asked about how to get apps for BlackBerries:

• Sprint personnel did not know of any way to get applications onto a BlackBerry and began pitching the Palm Pre as a better device for apps (despite the fact that at present it only has 30 apps, and it'll be late summer before the SDK has widespread availability)


• T-Mobile personnel knew there was a BlackBerry source for apps, but did not know the name or how to get it


• Verizon's sales people pushed VZAppZone as an alternative for BlackBerry applications


• only AT&T front line personnel immediately knew about Blackberry App World and described how to find and install it (is this in someway a spillover effect from their learning with the iPhone and its App Store - experience that sales people at other network operators just do not have?)

Given little or no support from network operators, App World must first be discovered and downloaded by users; like any innovation, without information there's no adoption. In addition, users must have a PayPal account or sign up for one to purchase apps on App World.

Here is a step-by-step comparison of first time use for Blackberry App World vs. Apple's App Store:

Typical App World vs. App Store first time experience

Guess which application storefront has "Billions and Billions served" and which one has so far been less than forthcoming with performance metrics?