GetJar Raises $11 Million

Fast-growing mobile app store GetJar, which says it has had more than one billion apps downloaded from its store to date, making it second in size only to Apple’s app store, has raised $11 million in a second round of funding.

GetJar’s app store includes about 70,000 apps for all of the major mobile operating systems, including Apple’s, although CEO Ilja Laurs tells us that most of the company’s growth is coming from “open” platforms where there is less of an “established and convenient place” to get apps.

He says the company, which he calls the “Wal-Mart for mobile apps,” will invest much of the new cash in building up its presence on the Android platform.

GetJar, The ‘Wal-Mart For Mobile Apps,’ Raises $11 Million | paidContent

$17.5 Mobile App Sales in 2012

Mobile App Stores: A Closer Look from Plugg Conference on Vimeo.

A study conducted by mobile analyst Chetan Sharma and sponsored by GetJar suggests the market for paid mobile apps should grow to $17.5 billion within the next three years, implying a value greater than CD-based apps in 2012, when apps sold on physical media are projected to be $13.8 billion.

App downloads will leap from slightly more than seven billion in 2009 to nearly 50 billion in 2012, representing an annual growth rate of 92 percent, the study also suggests.

According to the study, by 2012, off-deck paid-for apps will be the biggest revenue generator, accounting for almost 50 per cent of all apps revenue.

In 2009, on-deck apps available from mobile operators accounted for over 60 percent of all apps revenue, but this will fall significantly to just under 23 percent by 2012.

The average app selling price for apps in North America was $1.09, significantly higher compared to that in developing markets such as South America ($0.20) and Asia ($0.10).

According to the study, revenue opportunities in Europe are set to grow from $1.5 billion in 2009 to $8.5 billion in 2012, while in North America the figure will rise from around $2.1 billion to around $6.7 billion in 2012.

Currently, apps are most popular in Asia, with the region accounting for 37 percent of global downloads (free and paid) in 2009. North American downloaders spend the most money on apps, accounting for over 50 percent of global app revenue.

Advertising and transactions are a growing portion of the way applications are monetized, though purchase fees will represent most of the revenue for the near term.

60,000 Free Apps Now Available to Sprint Feature and Smartphones

Sprint, in a partnership with GetJar, the world's second-largest app store, now offers a catalog of more than 60,000 free applications, now available to all Sprint customers with feature phones,  RIM BlackBerry and Windows Mobile devices.

"We are opening up the world of apps to customers who may not have a smartphone," says Len Barlik, vice president of wireless and wireline services for Sprint.

"Our partnership with GetJar means that all Sprint customers will now have access to thousands of applications ranging from popular apps such as YouTube and Google Maps to more niche applications that address their business needs," Barlik says.

GetJar offers applications ranging from games and entertainment to education and health, plus . Facebook Mobile, Weather Channel Mobile, ShopSavvy and Loopt can be easily downloaded to most Sprint handsets.

Customers can simply click the link in the "downloads" category of the Sprint portal to access GetJar's site and browse the applications.

GetJar is the world's second largest app store with more than 750 million downloads to date. The company provides more than 60,000 mobile applications across all major handsets and platforms to consumers in more than 200 countries.