Many commentators are critical about the small number of Applications in the Windows 8/RT ecosystem.  What I fail to see is their mention that the Windows 8/RT platforms are new…thus the number of applications is not at the same level as more “mature” platforms such as Apple’s iPad and Google’s Android.

Where Microsoft and Apple differ is the latter has provided a platform where the iPhone and assorted iPad devices share the same operating system and thus the same application base.  In Microsoft’s case, the Windows Phone 8 platform and the Windows 8/RT “metro” applications do not share the same operating system although they are similar.  The result: different compilations at best and some redesign at worse.

But another factor is key…how many applications does one need.  If there are 10,000 applications available (a very small number on any platform) how many are you going to use???  I have tablets on multiple platforms – iPad 1, Nexus 7, Motorola Xoom, and Microsoft Surface RT.  My average number of applications installed is generally about 50 and the ones I use frequently are probably less than 10.  So if the ecosystem has 10,000 or 100,000, as long as the few I use the device for are available, I’m OK…its the functionality that is import.  (Note: I sometimes install applications to see their functionality and then don’t use it much afterward)

In time, as the number of sales grow, the number of applications will likewise grow.   Look more to the device characteristics and operating system than the application suite…for that will follow for successful devices and operating systems.

ED