Mobile carrier app stores are a long way from dead. Despite the fanfare around application stores tied to specific mobile devices such as iPhones and BlackBerries, a new Nielsen survey finds ongoing loyalty to carrier stores. As of the end of 2009, half of all applications users were accessing carrier app stores according to Nielsen’s new App Playbook.
That said, the Apple App Store was the clear leader in preferred application stores in the United States and, combined with the dedicated AT&T Application Store, devices running on the AT&T network have the most popular stores.
The relatively new BlackBerry App World Store was the second most popular app store due to BlackBerry’s industry-leading installed base.
Carrier application stores come in next on the rankings due to the size of their subscriber base, suggesting users of more standard feature phones drove much of this ongoing popularity.
Nielsen’s App Playbook surveys more than 4,000 application downloaders in the United States every six months about their mobile application usage. It allows companies in the mobile ecosphere to monitor the transition and growth of the application market as mobile users shift from feature phones to smartphones.
Microsoft announced two new phones Monday, the Kin 1 and 2, aimed at the sub-25-year-old demographic that spends much of their time on Facebook, swapping text messages, and sharing images snapped on their phones. The Kin handsets pick up right where the Sidekick left off with full QWERTY keyboards and a variety of social networking and media features. Both will be available from Verizon starting in May. Pricing has not been announced.
The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 received the planned MR1 software update, which should bring Windows Mobile 6.5.2 to the experienced messenger. The update improves stability and performance and brings several new features.
