Windows Store shows growth, not enough to compete with Apple

Mac vs. PC – 2013 style

Windows 8 is growing in popularity and their user base is expanding, but they still remain behind the Mac App Store. Apps like Vine and Instagram are finally available on the Windows phone, but Microsoft still has a long way to go if they want to catch up to Apple.

Although Microsoft’s downloads are up around 40 percent from the beginning of the year, it still pales in comparison to Apple. According to TechCrunch, Windows users downloaded approximately 1.7 million apps daily, whereas, Apple reports their users download approximately 74 million apps daily.

It is hard to say whether this is due to the fact that Apple simply has more users, more apps, or more following, but it is clear that they are experiencing more downloads on a daily and monthly basis than Microsoft. There does not seem to be clear or current data regarding the usage and downloading data for the Windows Phones, so making a concrete comparison is difficult.

What this means for your brand

Does this mean you should not market to Windows Phone users? I do not think so. Over time, Microsoft may continue to gain more of a following; and the more users they have, the more likely app developers are going to be to create apps for the Microsoft market. Will they catch up to Apple? It is hard to say, but I am not so sure that it matters.

Sure, a competition is healthy, but Microsoft has been around a long time, perhaps it is better to look at it like Mike McCue (technology entrepreneur and founder of Flipboard): “even in the face of massive competition, don’t think about the competition. Literally don’t think about them. Every time you’re in a meeting and you’re tempted to talk about a competitor, replace that thought with one about user feedback or surveys. Just think about the customer.”

Microsoft may not be leading the pack in numbers right now, but they are still selling a good product. Apple sells a good product too. It may just be just a matter of preference.