[The enterprise has] thrown its arms around mobility big-time, and now it sees that enterprise app stores are the way to ensuring a lasting relationship. -- Jim Casey, Enterprise Apps Tech
San Mateo, CA (PRWEB) November 13, 2013
SaaS Markets (http://www.SaaSMarkets.com), a global leading business app store provider, today announced its predictions for 2014, calling it “The Year of the Enterprise App Store.” While consumer app stores such as the Apple App Store and Google Play have become commonplace, there has recently been a surge in the deployment of app stores in enterprise settings. This trend was initially driven in response to the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) and bring-your-own-app (BYOA) movements, as employees went outside their company firewalls to obtain software to help them perform their jobs. These days, however, enterprise app stores are increasingly being deployed by large companies because their utility is proving to be much greater than previously envisioned.
To help CIOs and CTOs make sense of the app store opportunities and trends that await them in the coming year, SaaS Markets offers the following predictions for what to expect in 2014:
1. More App Stores Deployed to Serve External Business Customers: In 2014, the enterprise app store will continue to take shape as large companies recognize their utilization not only for their internal employee populations, but also to serve their external business customers. For example, a global bank that deploys an internal app store with business apps for its employees might also choose to deploy an external, customer-facing app store to serve the business software needs of its small to medium-sized business (SMB) customers. In so doing, the bank positions itself as a trusted, tech-savvy leader, differentiating it from its competition.
2. The Ever-Expanding SaaS App Ecosystem: Not only is there now an app for almost every consumer need, there is also an app for virtually every business need. As the company that oversees the SaaS Commerce Network—the world’s largest network of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business app stores—SaaS Markets is keenly aware of the increased specialization of cloud-based business software. As Gartner recently highlighted, “the primary determinant of (app store) success is app supply.” If there is not a large enough choice of business apps in the enterprise app store, the store will most likely be unsuccessful with users reverting back to public app stores, a trend that could ultimately compromise any presumed security benefits of an enterprise app store.
3. The Growth of Business Mentoring Content in Enterprise App Stores: On occasion, specialized app stores are deployed with lackluster adoption rates. Why? It’s often because, even if the store offers a sufficient supply of best-in-class apps, it fails to include the right amount of business mentoring or tutorial content for the store’s users. Smart enterprises offer custom content in the form of industry news articles, videos, white papers, etc., to educate and engage users, and to keep them coming back.
4. The Increased Empowerment of the Mobile Workforce by App Stores: Enterprise app stores have evolved in various forms over the last few years, but their runaway success on mobile devices has validated the model. More importantly, this has created expectations of a certain level of quality and ease-of-use that users expect when they obtain business software in a marketplace setting. Today, app users want access to their business software at any time, from any place. While a mobile app is not always a business app, a business app should always offer mobile functionality. Otherwise, no matter how good the app, it will not be widely adopted.
5. Business App Downloads via App Stores onto Wearable Devices: The final prediction for 2014 will strike some as bold, but it is firmly rooted in public plans disseminated from Silicon Valley’s tech leaders. 2014 will be the first year you see co-workers downloading business software from enterprise app stores onto their wearable devices, such as Google Glass, Pebble, and Galaxy Gear. Much like today’s ubiquitous employee tablets, which were once almost unheard of in the workplace, wearable devices will increasingly become a commonplace choice on which employees will download their chosen business apps. There’s a reason, after all, that Google, Samsung, and the top VC firms are investing heavily in this concept.
When built right, an enterprise app store can be much more compelling than the Apple App Store or Google Play—whether deployed for external business customers, internal employee populations, or both. According to Jim Casey of Enterprise Apps Tech, “… the enterprise isn’t waiting. It’s thrown its arms around mobility big-time, and now it sees that enterprise app stores are the way to ensuring a lasting relationship.” Enterprise app stores are here, and the demand is skyrocketing. The experts at SaaS Markets have no doubt that 2014 is going to be “The Year of the Enterprise App Store.”
About SaaS Markets
SaaS Markets (based in San Mateo, CA) is the enterprise app store company, powering the largest global network of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business app stores. Through relationships with major financial institutions, technology companies, and leading brands, SaaS Markets is bringing new levels of engagement to enterprise IT leaders, employees, and small-to-medium-sized business customers (SMBs) around the world. Learn more at: http://www.SaaSMarkets.com, or call 650.458.0748.
Press Contact:
Jay Manciocchi, JD
SaaS Markets
650.521.5359
jay(dot)manciocchi(at)saasmarkets(dot)com