Top Mobile App Distribution Channels Explored

Most businesses nowadays rely on mobile apps to reach their potential customers, as their audiences migrated mostly to using apps instead of websites. Since mobile e-commerce leads to how people shop online, app distribution platforms facilitate purchases by offering a wide range of apps where users can find almost everything they need. 

After the development process and preparation for launch, the app will be uploaded to a mobile app distribution platform, to be distributed on-demand to mobile devices. Let’s find out more about the best distribution platforms for mobile apps that can help you reach your target audience.

Google Play

The app store developed by Google that serves the Android operating system is Google Play. If you develop an Android app, Google Play is the app distribution platform where you need to publish it in order to be accessible to all Android devices worldwide.

Due to its huge popularity, Google Play makes fierce competition by having a large number of apps available on it. With a great-built app, niche markets can be penetrated and success can be reached. Google Play continuously evaluates new and renowned apps and to rate them it uses social proof. If you want your app to rise to the top of its category, you should provide a great customer experience. 

You might already be aware that Android OS is probably the most used operating system, having an ecosystem of smartphones, tablets, and other Android devices accessible globally. 

Know that the work you put into creating and improving your apps is being protected with Play’s app integrity tools. To securely sign millions of apps on Google Play and make sure that all the app updates can be trusted, Play App Signing is used. This uses Google Cloud Key Management to make signing keys protected, meaning that public documentation can be reviewed and also the security practices & storage specifications used by Google to protect your keys. Cloud Key Management will soon be used for all the newly generated keys. Eligible existing keys will be securely migrated.

Take into consideration that the quality of your app will influence everything, from your engagement potential and user retention to how you get discovered and promoted on the Play Store.  

iOS App Store

The official app store for Apple iOS devices such as the popular iPhone and iPad is the iOS App Store. Their operating system is used daily by a large number of business professionals and technology-passionate people around the world, so if you create an app for iOS, the iOS App Store is where you need to publish it to reach your audience.

Having a strong, intuitive customer experience is the key to being successful in the iOS app market. Probably the most easy-to-use operating system out there, Apple offers its users exactly what they expect: powerful apps to solve niche problems with intuitive features. Your app can be competitive in the App Store if you focus on providing a high-quality digital product and excellent customer support. 

With constant updates and improvements on their operating system versions, Apple celebrates apps & games excelling in the categories of Delight and Fun, Inclusivity, Interaction, Visuals and Graphics, Social Impact, and of course, Innovation with The Apple Design Awards. The winning apps as well as the talented developers behind them will benefit from a boost of exposure and a chance to grow even more by attracting new users to their playgrounds.

Developer Mode protects users from unintentionally installing harmful software on their iOS devices, as well as reducing attack vectors exposed by developer-only functionalities. For extra protection on your loved devices, ensure you enable Developer Mode on your iPhone or iPad when testing apps on iOS 16, iPadOS 16, or watchOS 9 or later. You can always grant permission to run locally-installed apps.

Apple cares very much about the apps designed for iOS available in their App Store. So expect your app will be reviewed closely. It won’t get approved if it’s full of bugs, doesn’t follow their design & development guidelines, or has security breaches and faulty privacy policies. 

Samsung Galaxy Store

The Galaxy Store is Samsung’s own alternative app store, specially created for Samsung devices. If the app you’re building focuses on being used by Samsung device owners, then consider publishing it to the Galaxy Store. The majority of smartphones built worldwide are made by Samsung. So if your target is to reach the largest number of cell phones, then make sure your app is accepted by Galaxy Apps and published there for your audience.

The Galaxy Store has a minimalistic interface with 2 tabs on the home screen: games & apps, making it easier to choose the interest. The store previously contained wallpapers, themes, games, and more, arranged differently than what we see now, received a reshape recently that offers more focus on the app & content delivery in local languages. The Galaxy Store curates its list of apps, and game recommendations have better gaming perks while offering app-exclusive features. 

Amazon App Store

The mobile app distribution platform dedicated to Amazon products is the Amazon App Store. With several products such as the Kindle Fire and Fire Stick that use the platform, the number of devices you can target is limited to Amazon’s offerings. But keep in mind that Amazon sells a huge number of these products, and if you develop an app for them, you’ll receive access to more customers. 

Similar to all the app distribution platforms, in the Amazon App Store you will find that competition can be tough and it depends a lot on what your app is designed to do. Kindle is the default reading app owned by Amazon, so developing a reading app might not be a good idea. Major streaming services like Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime Video are all on the platform. If your plan is to enter a niche that competes with these giants, your app must focus on a very specific use case to succeed.

Amazon has recently redesigned the store by introducing Amazon Coins to make it more rewarding and attractive at the same time. This is a virtual currency meant to buy apps at discount or for free. So this feature sets the Amazon App Store apart from others. 

There is plenty of room on their app store for apps that don’t compete with major brands. Many users love using niche apps on their Kindles. Amazon’s line of fitness trackers & smart watches also has access to the store.

Huawei App Gallery

Huawei has built its own app distribution platform called App Gallery and this one is next on this list. Here you can discover all the next favorite apps and games designed for Huawei devices. 

App Gallery also offers a wide range of exclusive content, many welcome gifts that come for free, competitions, special in-game events, and prize draws that make app shopping a rewarding experience for its users. Sadly you won’t find renowned apps like Netflix, Zoom, Facebook, or WhatsApp, but APK formats for these are still available in the store. Don’t get discouraged when choosing to buy a Huawei smartphone because you’ll be able to use these apps anyway, along with many others with interesting features that will surprise you. 

Indus App Bazaar

A lot of people may not be aware of the existence of Indus App Bazaar, designed to allow users to find new & trending apps in their preferred language. With more than 400K apps in English as well as 12 Indian languages such as Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, or Tamil, the Indus App Bazaar supports ‘Made in India’ & ‘Vocal for Local’ initiatives, aiming to address the particular needs of Indian consumers that enjoy local & linguistic content. With more than 100 million users, Indus App Bazaar has delivered more than 1 billion installs + updates since its launch.

GetJar

One of the most popular Android App Stores that you might have never heard of is GetJar. Offering lots of free apps unavailable on most Android Stores, users can enjoy a lot of in-game mods that add interesting features while making the game look good.

Microsoft Store

The app store specially designed for Microsoft for its Windows users is the Microsoft Store and it serves desktop PCs, laptops, tablets, or the new Surface devices. If you have a Windows device, you will discover how the Microsoft Store keeps you connected with experiences, by helping you do more of what you love. Their catalog of apps, movies, and games has been recently expanded and redesigned for Windows 11, having all the content tested for security, device compatibility, and family safety.

The Microsoft Store is now 35% faster to open & navigate through pages, featuring a new, refined design with cool animations that smoothly guide you from one page to the next, adding subtle lighting effects that show nice details on spotlights. Product detail pages have also been updated, highlighting unique content from each developer, and keeping consistency across content types. You can also enjoy a new search experience and entertainment widgets that keep you connected with the hottest new titles, as well as with what’s trending in the media.

In Order to Be Successful, Work with Professionals!

Working with professional developers & designers will ensure the success of your app, as they can build and adapt your idea for different app stores that reach more audience. We know that each app store has its own requirements and we’re experts in creating multiple versions of your app, built with the same quality in mind before publishing it. 

 At HyperSense Software, we help businesses publish their ideas developed as apps. Contact us to find out more about what we do and how we can help you!