With more than 27,000 applications in Apple's iPhone store, it can be tough to keep up with all of the cool stuff. After all, about 100 new applications have been added every day since the store was unveiled in July.
But never fear. Redmond's Mobui thinks it has figured out an effective way to help people discover new apps. It's called AppsWeLike, and it's launching today in a private beta at the CTIA Wireless show in Las Vegas. The idea is pretty simple really. It allows iPhone application developers to insert recommendation lists of other apps within their app.
But here's the interesting twist. It also allows those application developers to earn affiliate revenue if their recommendation -- say a mobile game or music app -- results in a sale.
The company explains how it works:
Developers and publishers who join the AppsWeLike network will have the opportunity to earn iTunes affiliate program commissions on applications purchased through their referral lists. Mobui is offering the AppsWeLike network free of charge to developers and publishers in exchange for a portion of the iTunes affiliate referral commissions.
Mobui is offering the service for free during the beta period, though it may take a 30 percent cut of the iTunes affiliate revenue. Of course, many apps already have a low price point of 99 cents or so. And once Apple takes its cut of 30 percent cut, there's not a heck of a lot leftover.
But with so much clutter in the app store, it is becoming harder and harder to find the good apps without a personal recommendation. I bet we'll see more solutions like this in the future.
In fact, AdMob is working on a similar concept. TechCrunch reported two weeks ago that the mobile advertising company is looking to launch a mobile app exchange where developers could devote a portion of their ad space to promoting other apps.
Mobui's Anne Baker says there are differences, with AdMob's developers donating banner ad space for the promotion.
"Mobui, on the other hand, is letting developers insert these recommendations as lists within their application so they don't have to sacrifice valuable ad space to do it," said Baker.
Eventually, she said Mobui could turn its offering into a mobile advertising program where developers could post both recommendations and sponsored app lists.
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