Are apps the new music single?

January 22nd, 2010 | by LaSean Smith

Apps stores – they’re popping up everywhere. The mobile space is littered with them. Now they’re creeping into the living room and your HD television. The question is will they last? Will there be 2-3 winners? Dozens of niche players? Will they all die?

Amazon is launching an app store too. Their new Kindle Development Kit (KDK) got me to thinking. Surely Bezos had to squeak this out the door before Apple’s news next week. But they raise a broader question. Are consumer apps just a new form of content? And if so, are they more like music, film or television? They feel most similar to music. You buy them for cheap and use the same bits over and over. Video games feel more like movies. And web content (e.g. popular blogs) feel like television. This isn’t a perfect fit, but it’s interesting how it all lines up. If apps are similar to selling record music that begs a new question? How long will consumers treat them as something valuable? Something they’re willing to pay for with cash?

I don’t have an answer, but anyone betting on an app store should be looking for one.