On Wednesday, March 9, 2012, Facebook announced that it
plans to allow users to download apps via its App Center, its new online store. The App Center is currently available to
developers and Facebook has encouraged developers to get their apps in prior to
the consumer launch. Facebook’s App Center should become available to users in
the coming weeks.
What Developers Should Know
- The company plans to take 30 percent from app-generated sales.
- To date, Apple has generated more than $1.7 billion in app sales, something that has not gone unnoticed by Facebook. Guidelines for the App Center are stricter than Google, but not as strict as Apple. Facebook, like Apple, will select what applications it offers. Facebook also plans to remove apps when needed. The company will base its standards on items such as ratings and engagement.
- If Facebook does not select specific apps, developers will have the ability to build software using Facebook’s tools and promote their apps via the news feed.
The announcement times well with the company’s initial
public offering (IPO), which it will hold next week. Analysts expect the IPO to become the largest one ever for an Internet company.
This is a good move for Facebook. More users are
gravitating toward the company’s mobile site, and the company needs to increase
its ability to generate revenue as limited advertising opportunities exist on its
mobile app.
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