Question about app development for app gap

[vEEP pEEP]

Hello,

I'm not an app developer so please excuse this probably ignorant question.

Why couldn't MS write the WP apps that are missing? Like for major banks or other most wanted apps?

Do the apps have to be written by the company specifically?

Thanks,

Mr. V

 

[xandros9]

Well, its technically possible but:

1. its taking on hard work. And seeing the state of W10M, the last thing they need is less resources going there.
2. it sets an odd, dangerous precedent
3. we all know how the MS Facebook app turned out. (not great)
4. Snapchat would put its foot down on it most likely, Google did in the past.

 

[MetronomeStudio]

Hello there,

I'm going to share some interesting information here, at least in my region.

Microsoft kickstarted a program called AppFactory in which Microsoft partner with outsourcing companies to close the app gap in smaller regions before putting it in the US. I was an intern working in that program and we tried to port some of the most popular app in our regional Android markets.

Thing is, the program fell apart. We did all the right things, we get the original devs on board and everything, except for one single flaw make the AppGap still there:

Original Apps Dev simply doesn't care. They don't actively promote their Windows Store app. This is the same to US markets - how many times you see an ad banner that has Windows Store featured alongside AppStore and PlayStore despite you know there's a first party app?

And as their own users are losing interests, the efforts in making those banking and chat apps wane. Hence the persistent App Gap.

 

[Spyros P]

That's interesting. So, was there anything produced from that AppFactory program? Is it still running?

 

[MetronomeStudio]

AppFactory has closed after we developed a dozen of apps. Although we believe the program was successful to some point at our app consistently be on top spot of most downloaded in our regional store, Microsoft did not concur and shutdown the program based on their undisclosed KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).

Something has led me to believe that Microsoft moved into engaging the developers themselves and engage them in creating the application, rather outsourcing like they did with AppFactory.

 

[vEEP pEEP]

This is sad to hear.

They made an effort and it failed?

The app gap is their biggest stumbling block.....

Confused....

 

[a5cent]

I've said it a million times already, but I'll say it again:

Trying to fix this problem by "engaging" developers is a complete waste of time. As long as consumer interest in WM remains as low as it is, there is absolutely no reason for devs to take interest. MS has been "fiddling around" trying to make app development easier and porting cheaper. While that's fine and certainly not useless, no matter how much MS optimizes dev's expenses-side, it's all for naught if the income-side doesn't provide a worthwhile ROI. WM doesn't. MS must first convince far more consumers to want WM! Then, and only then, will devs follow.

The above applies to specialty/regional apps. The types of apps WP/WM is currently most sorely missing. Apps that are already globally successful, like Google's Services or Snapchat, are another matter entirely, but I'll ignore those here.

This is not really a circular chicken-and-egg problem like everyone thinks. It matters where MS starts, and they've only ever approached it from the wrong end.

Anyway, more on topic...

MS developing/financing apps for other companies is a terrible idea. It leads to the types of apps we know all too well... lying around in a dusty corner of the store, never updated, and far less functional than the same apps on Android and iOS. That is inevitable if the company running the service doesn't care about the WM app.

Worst of all, MS taking this approach would convince almost every last app developer to drop support for WM entirely. After all, why should any company invest in making a WM app, if MS is desperate enough to shoulder the cost of developing a knock-off themselves?

Compounding the above is the fact that having your mobile app/service on iOS and Android is the only thing that really matters. The popularity of your service/app on those platforms determines a dev's success or failure. Diverting already sparse resources from those efforts, just to make a WM app, is therefore often not a rational choice to make. It's better to invest those resources into the projects that matter. That's the real problem for WM.

It's ultimately all about consumer interest and profit potential. All the people wondering more about developers rather than consumers, and how to get developers more engaged in the MS ecosystem, are asking the wrong question and missing the reality of the situation.

 

[Grammie P27]

Thanks for this thread. A lot of great info.