App store

An app store is a special place on the internet where people can find and download programs, also called applications or apps, for their phones, tablets, and computers. These apps are small and focused on doing one thing well, like taking pictures, playing games, or helping with homework. They are different from big computer programs because they are made to work well on smaller devices.

In the past, people got apps through different places, but today most apps come from special stores made for each kind of phone or tablet. For example, there are stores for phones that use iOS or Android. These stores make it easy to find apps, read what other people think about them, and buy them if needed.

App stores also help keep things safe by checking apps before they are offered for download. They make sure the apps follow the rules and work well with the device. This helps users get a good experience when they download and use new apps on their devices.

Basic concept

An app store is a special online shop where you can find and download programs, also called apps. These apps help you do different things on your phone or tablet, like playing games, taking pictures, or doing homework. When you visit an app store, you can look through many categories of apps, read what other people think about them, and decide which ones to download. Most apps are free, but some cost money.

App stores make it easy and safe to get apps. They check the apps to make sure they follow rules and don’t have anything harmful. This helps keep your device safe. Users can also leave reviews and ratings, which help others find the best apps and help developers improve their work.

History

See also: Package manager § App stores

In the early 1980s, services like Micronet 800 let people download software for different computers. These services charged for the time spent online and sometimes for the software itself.

Before app stores, people got software from floppy disks, CD-ROMs, or by downloading it using web browsers. Many computer systems used tools called package managers to help organize and update software. These tools worked mostly through commands typed into a computer, but some had easy-to-use graphical interfaces.

Later, special stores for mobile phones appeared. In 1999, NTT DoCoMo created i-mode, an online store for mobile apps in Japan. This store let app creators keep most of the money they earned.

In 2008, Apple launched the App Store for the iPhone, allowing people to buy and download apps easily. This success led other companies to create their own app stores, like Google Play for Android phones.

Smartphone app stores

In 2003, Danger Inc. added a catalog called Download Fun to T-Mobile Sidekick phones, letting users download ringtones and apps directly to their devices.

In 2006, Nokia started offering downloadable apps for its Symbian smartphones through Nokia Catalogs, later called Nokia Download!.

Other app stores

The Ubuntu computer system added a graphical software manager called the Ubuntu Software Center in 2009, which later allowed buying certain apps.

"App Store" trademark

The term "app store" became popular because of Apple's App Store for iOS devices. Apple tried to claim this name as a special brand name and asked the government to officially recognize it in 2008.

Later, Apple took action against Amazon.com, which used a similar name for its service for Android devices, and also against another company called GetJar. But in 2013, a court decided that Apple could not own the name "app store" because it is a general term that people use for many similar services. After this decision, Apple stopped trying to claim the name.