While Apple and Google may be the big name app stores that many are used to, more and more developers are looking towards alternate stores as privacy changes are making an impact on the market and developers are feeling the sting in these oversaturated spaces. Luckily Apple and Google are not the only options when it comes to finding a home for your game, with more alternative app stores establishing themselves.

Earlier this year at the Mobile Game Awards one of our winners was AppGallery who walked away with the win in the best alternative app store category. We caught up with AppGallery’s Jaime Gonzalo, VP of Huawei mobile services Europe to find out more about how AppGallery got started and what its goals are for the future.

Pocketgamer.biz: How did AppGallery get started? What's the story?

Jaime Gonzalo: AppGallery was first launched globally in April 2018, offering consumers more platform choices to find their favourite apps and giving them the freedom to decide the way and means to enjoy their favourite content.

We understand that consumers have diverse needs when it comes to apps, so we continuously work with the top developers to bring the best and most innovative apps for consumers on both a local and global scale.

The platform now boasts a collection of 18 app categories featuring premium content curated globally, including navigation and transport, news, social media, finance, entertainment, and others. It is now in the top three app marketplaces globally and is available in more than 170 countries and regions with over 580 million global monthly active users and six million registered developers.

We ensure apps can be used seamlessly across smart devices in all scenarios anywhere and anytime, prioritising the protection of user privacy and security.

As countries all over the world highlight the importance of alternative app stores for a healthier mobile market, we are committed to working tirelessly to be that go-to Mobile App and Games marketplace across all Android phones, and hopefully all phones in the near future, for the best user experience and the platform that helps developers reach their maximum potential.

How has the app marketplace arena changed over the years?

App marketplaces have been increasingly competitive over the years, with developers, especially in the gaming space finding it increasingly difficult to reach new audiences. Developers are looking at ways to come out on top in the ongoing user acquisition war, lower the cost of retaining their hard-won customers, and achieve an improved return on their considerable investment in new and existing games.

The major challenge they face is that customer acquisition cost has increased significantly over the years due to market saturation and inflated pricing. That’s why alternative app platforms such as AppGallery are emerging and playing their part of providing developers with improved revenue-generating opportunities.

Currently, 99.9% of apps downloaded via the leading app distribution platforms are losing users monthly, pushing the costs of retention higher and higher, while AppGallery has increased in-app revenue by 300% year-on-year. Casual game growth has also increased by over 20 times over the same period, and monthly ad revenue for developers has doubled.

What does AppGallery provide that sets the platform apart?

AppGallery provides several unique features and offerings that set it apart from other app marketplaces. AppGallery offers consumers a trusted platform to download a wide range of popular global and local apps so they can easily find the app they need.

One of the most important features is our deals, offers, discounts, welcome packages, and lucky draws. This is a significant reason why most people come to AppGallery, as they are aware that they will find a good deal, often with exclusive offers that they simply cannot find in other stores, even on the same games.

We also focus on providing high-quality apps to provide our users with new and innovative experiences. We curate them through a rigorous review process to evaluate apps before making them available on the platform. This curation helps maintain quality and reliability, ensuring that users can find trustworthy and well-designed apps.

We work closely with developers globally to make global and local popular apps available for all. We make a wide range of apps across 18 categories available that cater to different user preferences and needs.

Safety and security are of top priority to us, and we want users to feel safe and secure when downloading through AppGallery. The platform has a full-cycle security and protection system, including developer real-name verification, a four-step review process, download and installation protection, and a prevention mechanism for secure app operation. These stringent measures ensure that apps on the platform are safe to download and use.

For developers, we provide them with comprehensive support, offering resources, tools, and services to help them create, publish, and promote their apps, helping them unleash their full potential on the platform. Our initiatives, such as Huawei Global App Innovation Contest (Apps UP), Shining Star Program, HUAWEI Developer Groups (HDG), and more, support them in app development and innovation and provide incentives for developers all around the world to create innovative experiences for everyone to enjoy.

How do you see the app marketplace changing and opening up in the future?

Consumers, regulators and even app developers want more options when choosing platforms to find their favourite apps. They want the freedom to choose instead of being tied down to a single platform.

Over the years, developers are also finding it increasingly difficult to reach new audiences. That’s why alternative app platforms such as AppGallery are emerging and playing their part of providing developers with improved revenue-generating opportunities.

The industry is also gradually heading towards this direction, with developers, consumers and regulators pushing for more competition to open up options and give everyone more choices when it comes to app downloads. This means the possibility of more alternative app marketplaces springing up in the future, and bringing platform-agnostic apps to everyone, no matter the brand of smart devices they own.

With the Digital Markets Act in effect, we’re positive about the opportunity that it creates. The industry will be much more open, which will give consumers. AppGallery can offer consumers an alternative platform to download the apps they love. In the process, we want to make our mark as a destination for good offers, especially for gaming, giving consumers more as they play their favourite games through AppGallery. We see this as a win for developers, consumers, and the overall industry.

What does your vision of an open and successful place to buy and sell apps look like?

I see an open and successful place to buy and sell apps encompassing of two key qualities: Strong support for developers, and high-quality content for consumers.

Developers need to be provided with strong, full-stack support so they can focus on creating top innovative apps and delivering the best user experience. This means they have to be provided with the tools, the necessary skills to use these tools, incentives, and marketable channels to help them push their products far and wide for effective user acquisition.

For consumers, being able to download high-quality content is crucial for them to make the decision to use the platform. This means being able to download a wide range of popular global and local apps, seeing their favourite apps available, as well as strong privacy and security systems in place to keep their data secure.

On top of that, having quality and variety of content, offers and incentives also play a significant role, as being a platform with apps is not enough to entice users. Hence, at AppGallery, we continuously strive to provide exciting deals, exclusive offers and rewards to make the platform more appealing and beneficial for our users.

At AppGallery, we strive to offer these to both developers and consumers so that we can build a future-proof app ecosystem that provides choices and opportunities to all.

What's coming up from you? Anything new and 'in progress' you can tell us about?

We are having an exciting quarter ahead. We are launching our AppGallery Game Fest 2023 starting on July 15 and running till the end of August. This is going to be one of the most exciting online gaming events of the year.

We have some exclusive discounts lined up for AppGallery users during the Game Fest. This includes a variety of discount coupons that go up to 100% off, with the highest amount of discount of up to 5€ off when users spend a minimum of 20€.

Partnering with us for this event are popular games like Summoners War, PUBG, World of Tanks, Dawnland, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and Lords Mobile. We have some exclusive offers from our partners waiting for you, including up to a 100% off discount on World of Tanks and a 5000x Gift Code from Dawnland.

We want Game Fest to encourage non-Huawei Android users to make a switch and choose AppGallery, as well as rewarding AppGallery users for their long-time support for us.

In addition to our Game Fest, we are heading down to Gamescom this coming August in Cologne, Germany. We will be showcasing the best of Game Fest during the event, as well as meeting our partners and connecting with the industry, nurturing relationships and exchanging knowledge to bring more exciting things to the community.