Skip to main content

With new operating system, Apple revamps its money-making App Store

Apple Inc’s newest operating system for iPhones and iPads introduces changes to its marketplace for third-party software to satisfy app developers and add new so-called augmented reality apps.
The system, called iOS 11, is being released on Tuesday ahead of its two newest phone handsets, the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, set to start shipping to customers on Friday and November 3, respectively.The most visible changes will come to App Store. The App Store is the backbone of Apple’s services segment, which brought in $21.5 billion in revenue in the past nine months, a 19 percent increase over the previous year and a bright spot as overall sales grew only 5 percent.
The store has been redesigned to give app developers more space for images and text to describe their software. Developers have long grumbled that their software is hard to find in Apple’s store unless users type in the precise name of the app or follow a link to it.
“The redesign make it much cleaner and speaks to the pain point of the store: You had so many apps that if you didn’t know exactly what you were looking for, it was really hard to find anything,” said Carolina Milanesi, an analyst with Creative Strategies.
The new store also gives prominent display to games. Games are expected to make up 75 percent of all revenue for Apple’s App Store, according to App Annie, which collects and analyzes market data on mobile apps.
Most of that revenue comes in the form of so-called in-app purchases, where gamers make purchases of tokens, gems and other digital items to unlock new parts of the game. “It’s really the gift that keep on giving from the developer perspective,” Milanesi said.
But perhaps the biggest change in iOS 11 will the debut of augmented reality apps, or AR, in which digital images float over the real word. Apple has made much of those a capabilities, but an ostensibly minor feature may help AR apps spread: Screen recording.
In testing, Adam Debreczeni, maker of an app that lets users see a three-dimensional map of a fitness activity like a bicycle ride or run they’ve gone on, was surprised at how enthusiastically users took to sharing screen recordings of AR apps like his.
“I think that’s going to help AR games go viral and get better distribution,” he said.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

‘Clean India’ mission not ending manual scavenging, activists say

MUMBAI:  A flagship government program to modernise India’s sanitation has failed to tackle the practice of low caste women clearing faeces by hand, and has even exacerbated the problem by building toilets not connected to water supplies, campaigners say. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, or Clean India Mission, with much fanfare after he took office in 2014, sweeping a Delhi street with a broom. Since then, thousands of toilets have been built across the country.But Dalit communities, especially women, are still forced to be manual scavengers, a euphemism for clearing faeces from dry toilets and open drains by hand, despite laws to end the practice. The workers have it harder now, activists said. “Swachh Bharat has diverted attention from ending manual scavenging, and makes it seem like the whole country is cleaning. But if that’s the case, then why are people still dying in septic tanks,” said activist Bezwada Wilson. “There is also no dis...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ronaldo retains FIFA award for world’s best player

LONDON:  Real Madrid’s Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo was crowned the best soccer player in the world for the second year running at FIFA’s The Best awards gala on Monday. The four-time Ballon d’Or winner won a La Liga and Champions League double with the Madrid club this year, striking twice against Juventus in the European Cup final to help Real become the first team to retain the trophy in its current format. Barcelona’s Argentina forward Lionel Messi, who has won the Ballon d’or five times, and Paris St Germain’s Brazil forward Neymar were runners up for the award voted for by national team coaches and captains plus the media and fans. The Best FIFA Men’s Player award and the Ballon d’or, which is voted for only by the media, are now separate awards. Real Madrid’s French coach Zinedine Zidane won the manager of the year trophy for his part in the club’s success. Five Real players were named in the best XI of the year, with Marcelo, Sergio Ramos, Luka Modri...
Post a Comment
Read more

Nepal slump to 3-0 defeat vs Tajikistan in AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers

KATHMANDU:  Nepal crushed to 3-0 humiliating defeat against Tajikistan courtesy of three penalties in the AFC Asian Cup 2019 Qualifiers played at the Hisor Central Stadium in Dushanbe on Tuesday. Nepal had to defeat the hosts to keep their chances alive of progressing into the next round, however, their faint hope evaporated after porous defense conceded three penalties.With today’s result, Tajikistan have climbed to the second spot and increased their chances of making into the next round, while Nepal remain at the bottom of the table.
Post a Comment
Read more