Data & Research

Windows Store daily downloads already 3 times higher than on Mac App Store

20,000 apps available, reports Distimo

Windows Store daily downloads already 3 times higher than on Mac App Store
Beyond an initial declaration that the platform was off to a stronger start than its predecessor, Microsoft is yet to put a recent number on the number of consumers who have picked up Windows 8 to date.

Nonetheless, figures released by Distimo suggest one of the platform's major new ventures – the built in app store – is performing strongly.

Racing ahead

In all, Distimo claims 20,000 apps have launched on the marketplace already. That puts the store ahead of the almost two year old Mac App Store, which currently boasts just 13,000 apps in comparison.

When it comes to downloads, Microsoft has also eased ahead of Apple within its first month, with Distimo claiming the top 300 apps on Windows Store are generating three times the daily downloads the equivalent 300 are amassing on the Mac App Store.



In terms of the paid volume generated, however, Distimo claims Apple is still easily ahead.

Going local

If Distimo's report is to believed, it's not the sheer strength of the Windows platform with consumers that is ensuring the Windows Store is a success, but also Microsoft's move to ensure it appeals to all audiences.

"Microsoft did a good job in giving local content more visibility in the Windows Store," reports Distimo.

"Overall, 10 percent of all applications in the rankings are locally popular only. This is even higher when we disregard the small countries. In Japan, for example, 41 percent of all top 300 applications are locally popular only, and also in Korea, where about 30 percent of all top applications are locally popular only."

So tailored is the store, in fact, that Distimo claims just 65 percent of its total are available in the US – that's compared to the 85 percent ratio in most stores. In short, a huge number of developers are launching apps in specific regions, rather than worldwide.

You can download Distimo's report in full here.

With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font.