The App Store has always confused me.

Browsing apps today seems more like browsing the yellow pages. For users to get the best experience, they should be able to look around in a more immersive interface, without so much text. You go to Foot Locker to try on the shoes. People don’t read.

Maybe we need a full-screen carousel of app interfaces, with videos, demos and other interactive content, instead of lists and lists of icons tucked inside a single “App Store” icon. Maybe the app store should be integrated with Safari better. But one thing is for sure: for it to succeed, we need to be able to install apps as easily as visiting a website.

Ripping the user out of the app store and making her type in a password, and then making her wait for the entire app to download, and then tap again before using it, is about the most disruptive experience possible. That is no way to sell shoes.

Posted Wed 31 August 2011