A new report from Handango – a distribution network for smartphone applications across the BlackBerry, Palm, Windows Mobile, Symbian OS, and Linux platforms – states that gaming apps have jumped in popularity this year. In a report entitled First Half 2008 Handango Yardstick, Handango’s regular review of the global smartphone content industry, it notes that “the Games category leaped from fourth place at year-end 2007 into the second spot behind the Entertainment category, for the first time in Yardstick history.”
Together, entertainment and gaming apps account for 42% of unit sales of the top ten categories. Meanwhile, business and professional apps rank third with 15% and Productivity applications (e.g. address book and calendar) fourth with 9%. Note that these are similar trends to the iPhone App Store, where gaming also dominates. Handango also reported that the Blackberry had the most app sales. Below are the top 10 lists for each major smart phone that Handango covers, courtesy of the Yardstick report:
The top 10 best-selling applications for BlackBerry in First Half 2008 were:
1. Ringtone Megaplex (ringtones)
2. Colour Your Trackball (trackball customizer)
3. VoiceControl (voice command)
4. BBSmart Email Viewer (email enhancement)
5. SplashID for BlackBerry (information security)
6. Ringphonic Lite (ringtones)
7. Pimp My Pearl (customization)
8. IM+ (instant messenger consolidator)
9. eOffice (productivity suite)
10. IM+ for Skype (instant messenger consolidator)
The top 10 best-selling applications for Palm OS in First Half 2008 were:
1. SplashID for Palm (information security)
2. VoiceControl (voice command)
3. PocketMirror Standard (personal information management)
4. Agendus Professional Edition (personal information management)
5. Agendus Desktop Edition (Outlook synchronization)
6. Traffic – One City (traffic)
7. SplashID for Desktop (information security)
8. Ringo Pro (ringtones)
9. eWallet for PCs (information security)
10. PocketMirror Standard Upgrade (personal information management)
The top 10 best-selling applications for Windows Mobile Standard in First Half 2008 were:
1. MobiTV (streaming television)
2. Ringtone Megaplex (ringtones)
3. SBSH Facade (home screen plug in)
4. eWallet Professional Edition (personal information management)
5. Documents To Go Premium Edition (productivity suite)
6. PocketStreamer Deluxe (streaming media)
7. Agenda One (calendar manager)
8. SmartphoneNotes (note manager)
9. Jeyo Mobile Extender for Outlook (text messaging)
10. Photo Contacts Pro (phone features)
The top 10 best-selling applications for Windows Mobile Professional in First Half 2008 were:
1. Spb Mobile Shell (today screen plug in)
2. MobiTV (streaming television)
3. Spb Pocket Plus (today screen plug in)
4. Pocket Informant 8 (today screen plug in)
5. Spb Backup (file backup)
6. eWallet (personal information management)
7. Spb Phone Suite (phone features)
8. Ringo Mobile (ringtones)
9. Spb Time (clock)
10. SOTI Pocket Controller-Pro (desktop synchronization)
The top 10 best-selling Symbian OS applications in First Half 2008 include:
1. Quickoffice Premier (document manager)
2. ProfiMail (email viewer)
3. Handy Weather (weather)
4. Advanced Call Manager (call manager)
5. X-plore (file management)
6. WorldMate Professional (travel assistant)
7. IM+ for Skype (instant messenger consolidator)
8. LCG Jukebox (music player)
9. Advanced Device Locks (security)
10. Ultimate Voice Recorder (voice recorder)