Watch Out App Store, PocketGear is Coming for You!
Watch Out App Store, PocketGear is Coming for You! Author: Eric Everson, MBA, MSIT-SE
In a bold move that is grabbing headlines throughout the wireless industry, PocketGear, based in Durham, NC, USA announced the acquisition of its biggest rival Irvin, Texas-based Handango.com.
These two companies have been pitted as bitter rivals in the mobile app sector of the wireless industry, but by combining forces this acquisition establishes the world’s largest universal platform app portal. Everyone from iPhone users to those with the Android OS are sure to enjoy a flood of new apps available as this acquisition takes shape.
With a combined app library of over 140,000 titles, there is likely an app that is sure to get your attention. In a related position, as MyMobiSafe Verified is positioning as a leader in mobile verification services, universal (cross-platform) app portals such as this represent a key growth market. Where app portals like the App Store and Android Market have a more stringent vetting process for new apps, many sites offering universal or cross-platform mobile apps have much lower security standards in reviewing new app content.
It is important that as mobile app consumers continue to look for diverse places for new content that they look for a verified logo to ensure the secure credentials of the apps they are purchasing. With so many malicious mobile apps entering the market – from fake mobile banking apps to blatant Trojan-embedded apps – buyers must begin to question what they are loading onto their handsets – especially when downloading free apps.
Financial details about this strategic acquisition have been kept out of the media, but with so much attention in the wireless industry shifting to mobile apps, this could certainly be a multimillion dollar opportunity. It has been reported that to date, both stores together have sold over $400 million in mobile apps. Such acquisitions give hope to the many entrepreneurs in the app market that are following in the footsteps of such firms to capitalize on the “app mania” that is sweeping the world.