App store

An app store is a special place on the internet where you can find and download little programs, called apps, for your phone, tablet, or computer. Apps are small and good at doing one thing, like taking pictures, playing games, or helping with schoolwork. They are different from bigger computer programs because they are made to work well on smaller devices.

Before, people got apps from many different places. Now, most apps come from special stores 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, see what other people think about them, and buy them if you want.

App stores also help keep things safe. They check apps before you can download them. They make sure the apps follow the rules and work well with your device. This helps you have a good time when you download and use new apps on your gadgets.

Basic concept

An app store is a special online shop where you can find and download programs, 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 types 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, people could download software for different computers using services like Micronet 800. These services charged for online time and sometimes for the software.

Before app stores, people got software from floppy disks, CD-ROMs, or by downloading it with web browsers. Many computers used tools called package managers to help organize and update software.

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 their earnings.

In 2008, Apple launched the App Store for the iPhone, making it easy for people to buy and download apps. 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 asked the government to make this name official in 2008.

Later, Apple asked Amazon.com and GetJar to stop using similar names for their services. But in 2013, a court said Apple could not own the name "app store" because it is a general word that people use for many services. After this, Apple stopped trying to claim the name.