Multi-homing in the Apple ecosystem: why and how developers target multiple Apple app stores

Authors:
Andrei Idu;Tommy van de Zande;Slinger Jansen
Affiliations:
Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands;Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands;Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Venue:
Proceedings of the International Conference on Management of Emergent Digital EcoSystems
Year:
2011

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Abstract

The Apple ecosystem is divided into three sub-ecosystems: iPhone, iPad and Mac. This paper analyses the behavior of companies that target more than one of these sub-ecosystems, aptly named multi-homers, using statistical analysis and a short survey. The set of companies analyzed is composed of the publishers of the top 300 free and paid applications within the three ecosystems' App Stores in May 2011. Findings showed that there is a strong relationship between the number of platforms a company targets and the type of applications it publishes and the number of these applications. The most encountered trend was of first targeting the iPhone platform and then the iPad. Multi-homing from a strategic perspective is motivated mainly by a wider customer base and the portability the Apple sub-ecosystems offer.