You’re an Android developer and you’re ready to distribute your app and/or game. Where do you go?
The obvious choice would be to go for mainstream app stores, which house millions of apps. Although its user count is ever so high, the competition of other apps and games can make it hard for mobile app developers and their games to get noticed — let alone downloaded and played!
The solution? There are many—including OEMs, independent app stores, and aggregators. Here are many of the ways app developers can benefit from these marketplaces and their emerging audiences:
The pros and cons of OEMs
Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are manufacturers that produce parts, equipment, and software, that are then marketed by another company. Some of the most known OEMs include Microsoft (for Windows), Dell, Sony, ASUS, HP, Acer, Lenovo, and so on.
According to Expertek, OEMs can help app developers reach new industries or geographical markets, and provide expert consulting services regarding each. They can also help with branding and marketing of the product, as well as supply a specialized integration method for the product in question.
That said, OEMs are known to work in bulk and high order quantities, resulting in often costly partnerships — something many app developers who are starting out often cannot afford.
“Alternative app stores have advantages for developers that perhaps larger mainstream app stores cannot offer.”
Independent app stores as an alternative
Alternative and independent third-party app stores have advantages for app developers that perhaps larger mainstream app stores cannot offer. These include the smaller scale of apps and games, leading to less competition and more visibility for mobile app developers and their products, as well as the ability to reach specific, new, and emerging markets.
Some examples of such app stores are Aptoide, the largest independent Android app store with over 250 million users which allows Android developers to set up and manage their own Android Stores. Aptoide has no geo-restrictions, meaning you can search for any apps and games anywhere in the world.
Cherry Mobile, established in 2009, is one of the most prominent Android manufacturers in the Philippines and beyond, and then there is Multilaser, which focuses on the Brazilian market. Multilaser is a tech gadget store that has its own Android app store. Of course, there are also many more independent third-party app stores out there!
“Aggregators are platforms that help developers distribute their apps to various app stores and markets at once.”
Why aggregators are the way to go
In addition to independent app stores, there is also another, and arguably an even more attractive, option available for developers — aggregators. These are platforms that help app developers distribute their apps to various app stores and markets at once.
Examples of such aggregators include Catappult, a blockchain distribution solution that allows Android developers to unleash their apps to millions of users in top Android app stores with just one single APK and a single account. Catappult also automatically integrates AppCoins billing SDK with zero coding efforts, and gives at least 75% of the IAP revenue back to the developers — and since it all takes place on the Blockchain, full transparency is guaranteed!
As an app developer, you can access Catappult.io and check where your app would be distributed — see here!
Unity Distribution Portal (UDP) allows app developers to distribute their games to various app stores with only one single hub. By setting up games on the UDP, developers no longer have to individually and repetitively integrate their games with various app stores. UDP helps them reach local markets as well as connect with millions of users around the world through their participating UDP stores (Catappult being one of them!).
So what do you think, which option would you go for? Let us know in the comments below!
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