Will the Google's CEO still be an Apple's Director?

When reading this article, I was just aware that Eric Schmidt, the Google's CEO, has also been a board director of Apple since 2006! 

Anyway, as reported in the article, there is concern from FTC USA on the competition fairness between Google and Apple pertaining to Eric's position in those two companies. Related to Android v.s. iPhone, although I believe that there is no direct competition in this case, there is a huge indirect competition. As we know that Google is basically an advertising company, about 98% revenue from ads and Android does not give any cent to Google directly, except from the potential ads revenue via Android-based phones. Moreover, Android is not "own" by Google, but it is an open-source promoted by the OHA. The only matters is that if Android-based phone can eat the iPhone pie to be the main player in the game. To achieve this success, Google is not the player, but it is the OHA (ecosystem) itself. So I think I agree to what Schmidt said that Apple is not the 'primary competitor' for Google. They can even work together like they have shown for the success of Google apps on iPhone, which in turn increase the iPhone popularity in their users.

Anyway, who knows what is happening actually. Lets just see...

The Mobile Apps Store Wars!

I tried to summarize on the online mobile app store as follow.

Initiated by the Apple's iTunes App Store as a centralized online store of the iPhone/iPod application that bridge the developers and users, such model are followed by others that heating up the online mobile apps business arena. Up to now, here are the list of mobile apps store available:

1. The Apple's App Store: The apps are available either as paid or free apps, none as what is known as free trial apps. Apple will check all apps submitted by developers before those apps can be listed on the App Store. Developer will get 70% of each sold app, while Apple will take the remaining. According to business week news, by last Jan 16, there are about 15,000 apps avalable at the App Store and that have been downloaded a total of 500 million. The news told an interesting fact (?) that 17 millions iPhone users have downloaded as much apps as the 1.6 billion non-iPhone users have done. Apple used this claimed fact to tell all apps developers that it is much more worth to develop just a single app for iPhone rather than to develop apps for others. I would say that this is true for the golden-age of iPhone, i.e. before the coming of Android, or others with their correspoding apps store. 

2. The Android Market: Although currently there are about 1000 apps available in the store,  many believes that the number will jump staggeringly after the paid apps comes within Q1 2009, which probably within next week. Different with the Apple's App Store, Google allows developers to upload their apps to the Market without initial checking-up as Apple does. This will encourage developers to upload their apps with lesser restriction. Similar to App Store that developers will gain 70% of the revenue, but in this case Google will not take any cent.  The remaining 30% is instead used for the billing (operator) and transaction fee. 

3. The Windows App Store: Windows does not has its own online store so far, but they are planning to launch, probably within next week where the Barcelona GSMA Mobile Conference will be held. However, this website claimed as the "App Store" for Windows mobile apps. There are around 2500 apps available in the store available to around 950 mobile devices. The website is based on PocketGear.com, a leading windows app seller. Developers will obtain 60% of the sold app, while 40% goes to the store as stated here.

Anyway, I just curious whether they think another name other than "App Store". 

4. The Palm Software Store: Similar to Windows, this website is claimed as the Software Store for Palm apps. There are 5000+ apps available for 95 Palm-based devices. The pricing structure is also follow 60%/40% as in the Windows App Store above.

5. Samsung Application Store: This is a beta version of Samsung's own apps store, although it's also based on Pocket Gear but with a Samsung official website. As of now, there is no information about how is the pricing structure. However, since it is still under Pocket Gear.com, I think it follows the same 60%/40% scheme as above.

6. RIM Application Storefront: RIM is planning to come up with its own Blackberry app store, called the Storefront by March 2009. Interestingly, RIM will give away 80% of each sold app revenue to the developers, while it will retain the 20% rest. This is a compelling valu to the developers by RIM, compared to others. Although Blackberry is more known as an enterprise smartphone so far, I think it is also trying to reach the consumers market by having this Storefront.

7. Nokie is also going to combat with its online app store within next week as reported, probably during the Barcelone Mobile Conferenc timeframe. Lets just see.