Intel launched a beta version of its AppUp Center online store in January of 2010. Under the beta program developers have known AppUp as a single store front primarily supporting netbook applications developed in C/C++. Unfortunately this history does not put the overall value of AppUp in proper context. Here's a look back and forward to help you know what to expect with AppUp.

Why App Stores Matter

The launch of recent smartphone app stores is relevant. Smartphones are a new computing device that require a new service to sell, distribute and purchase apps for that device. Existing solutions do not suffice. These new phones required a single and convenient gateway to browse and purchase verified applications for that device. With this new app store model you can, at an instant anytime & anywhere, have a need for an app then within seconds have that app working on your device. No longer do you need to hunt across many websites, using a variety of installers, with disparate reviews & different methods for purchasing the app. There is one standard for distribution, search, browsing, rating, purchasing and installing applications. This makes it extremely easy and convenient for consumers and developers.

The App Store Gap

However the market is evolving. Devices will come in all flavors, sizes and shapes. A store per manufacturer, per carrier, or devices will again lead to fragmentation. What about when we get apps on our TV's, netbooks, PC based tablets, and other smart consumer electonics outside of the smartphone model? How do we get those apps as conveniently as we do on our phones. And what if I have apps purchased from my PC, or TV and now I'm the road using a netbook and I want that app? Also what if you as a developer create a new service, or capability that helps deliver solutions for the store and or developers?

What's missing is a model that allows developers to get their apps and component services into a store framework for distribution across many devices, many manufactures, and service providers, while also allowing consumers to get access to apps they may have purchased on other devices.

The AppUp Model

This is where AppUp comes in. AppUp is an app store framework designed to allow developers to submit apps or app components to stores that serve various devices and operating systems, where those apps are sold by various manufactures, service providers & retailers. And from a consumers perspective we allow for them to have the AppUp client installed on a multiple systems where their existing purchases are tracked and available for download across compatible systems.

So with AppUp you get the benefits of what Apple started with their AppStore, along with the opportunity to distribute and buy apps across manufacturers, service providers and device types.

The Start of AppUp

AppUp needed to start somewhere. For Intel netbooks represent a large existing market of computing devices that lacked apps verified to work well for a netbook. As of 2009 nearly 40 million netbooks had been sold, more than iPhones. And research predicts 150 million netbooks in the market by 2014. Within 8 months of the beta program we are well underway with over 700 netbook apps in the AppUp Center. Additionally the AppUp store allows clients to be installed using 1 account on up to 5 netbook devices. Thus each of those netbooks has access to all apps purchased under that account.

In terms of development environments we started with C/C++ and Windows support for our SDK. Again this was a starting place as Netbooks this provided the broadest solution for that community. The SDK for our beta program has been very light weight and primarily focused on establishing app initialization and authentication so to ensure the app was bought and properly licensed for use on the system running it.

Intel also recognized the need to allow our community to build on the value of the marketplace by creating services and components that will help developers build and sell their apps. With the beta program we created a developer catalog and marketplace within our community. This is already paying dividends for Intel and developers. To date we've seen solutions that are enabling a broader set of apps to get into the store than the SDK alone enables.

Broadening Developer Environments

Beyond C/C++ we have recently enable Adobe's AIR runtime, and we are very soon to release a .NET SDK. As well, Silverlight & Java are near term solutions for AppUp development.

However these supported languages and runtimes are not the boundaries of app development for AppUp. For Windows apps we allow wrappers to be implemented around any language or runtime that Windows can support. Thus if your app is not written in a language our SDKs support then a wrapper solution allows you to use one of our natively supported languages as a layer in your application for our SDK. Meanwhile your apps runs in its native environment. The message here is that choice is at the cornerstone of the AppUp model. You can develop apps using the tools, languages and runtimes that best suite your app needs.

Broadening OS, Device & Storefont Options

Currently AppUp supports Windows and Moblin aligning with the prevalent OS's for Netbooks systems. As we broaden AppUp to other devices our support for operating systems will also broaden. MeeGo is a new full featured OS that is designed to support netbooks, new smart phones, tablet devices, smart TV's and more. Intel and Nokia announced MeeGo as the next generation OS that marries the best of Moblin and Maemo operating systems. Shortly after, in May, the netbook version of MeeGo was released. In October the handset and tablet versions of MeeGo is slated to be released. Things are moving quickly and we can expect an AppUp client to follow for each of these devices.

On the store front side of things, the AppUp Center beta store launched as an Intel store. However as expressed earlier the model is to partner with manufacturers, services providers and retailers to white label or rebrand the Intel AppUp Center. As much as Intel would like to disclose what store fronts will be coming, we have to respect the relationships with our partners before we disclose a roadmap of these agreements. So stay tuned for more information on where you will find additional AppUp stores.

Show Me The Money

In the end, none of the above matters much if monetization of apps is not realized. At the moment we are in beta, soon to release AppUp more broadly so it's too early to tell how well AppUp will help developers make money. As said above we are working to broaden the number of devices and storefronts for AppUp. We believe the potential to monetize applications is ever increasing with AppUp. We also believe there is a huge opportunity for developers to create and sell solutions that help other developers monetize and distribute applications. We are seeing this already with a few of our developers expanding beyond their core business by selling services and component solutions to AppUp developers. Perhaps the best option for developers is to consider the ground floor opportunity for AppUp as it evolves beyond beta. Those who deliver the early apps and early core services & components will in all likely hood translate to earlier success for those developers.

Developer Feedback

I am very much cognizant that my words on AppUp go so far. I after all work for Intel and am part of the program. As the Community Manager I'd rather have others explain how they see it. Here are thoughts from some of our developers. The only direction provided these developers was one question, "Why AppUp?" Feel free to add your own thoughts as to 'Why AppUp?' by adding your comment and or a link to your own YouTube answer on Why AppUp?

Note: Although these developers were not paid for their perspectives on AppUp, Mike Kasprzak & Lee Bamber have both won prizes as part of the Atom Developer Challenge and Chris Skaggs is employed by Code Monkey's who is contracting with Intel to provide engineering services to port apps to AppUp.