In the history of technology, most successful formats go from a nascent birth phase to market popularity with the assistance of a Killer App. A major program, activity or use for a new technology that drives rapid adoption of the medium.
The Apple II had VisiCalc. The IBM PC had Lotus 1-2-3. With the Macintosh came PageMaker and desktop publishing. Arcade Games had Space Invaders. Xbox had Halo. VHS had porn.
Many technologies have benefited from porn, actually. It’s a pre-internet fad.
But there is no one Killer App for the iPad. There are dozens of categories of uses, thousands of apps. The iPad started out popular, then became a phenomenon. But nobody can agree on what it’s best used for.
Many of my clients ask me about the iPad. Do you have one? Yes. Do you like it? Yes. What do you use it for? I use mine largely for couch computing – web browsing, email, weather monitoring, and using Remote for controlling iTunes playback throughout the house.
Some people use it as an eBook reader with iBooks. Or as a productivity tool with Pages and Keynote, InstaPaper and Dropbox. The Cloud lets you view your files wherever you are, in or out of the office.
Many folks are using the iPad as a media viewer or TV replacement. Watching Netflix, Hulu, or (if you’re lucky) your local cable channels. Listening to Pandora or NPR podcasts – very handy during fundraisers!
It’s something to keep the kids occupied. Quite a versatile thing in fact, engrossing, engaging, and entertaining. Another kind of TV replacement.
The iPad is excellent for training and education. You can take classes, run classes, even run your whole school! It also seeing growing popularity for medical imaging and records management.
Making music is growing in popularity, there are lots of virtual instruments, recording applications, and a killer new GarageBand for iOS. iBands are no longer a novelty.
And, the latest reports are that iPad 2 makes one of the best portable gaming platforms on the market.
My clients also ask: Do you really need one? Well no, not really. Not with multiple Macs, an iPhone, and several AV systems already in my technology arsenal. But do I appreciate what the iPad can do? Absolutely. It’s a $500 slab-of-wonder. It does so many things well.
But we haven’t yet seen something which totally defines the medium. There is no one thing driving use and sales. No single answer to the question, what do you use your iPad for?
So, what is the Killer App for the iPad?
I think the answer is: the App Store. That vehicle which so easily and seamlessly allow people to add capability to their iPads. It’s the heart of the iOS software ecosystem – and which, by design, is the only (official) place to get iOS software. It’s where everything for iPad comes together for distribution, and where nearly all developers want their software to be found. Without the App Store, there would be nothing else.
The App Store is the iPad’s Killer App.
At least, today.
What do you think – what is the iPad’s Killer App? Let us know in the comments.
Adam Rosen is an Apple certified IT consultant specializing in Macintosh systems new and old. He lives in Boston with two cats and too many possessions. In addition to membership in the Cult of Mac, Adam has written for Low End Mac and is curator of the Vintage Mac Museum. He also enjoys a good libation.
26 responses to “What is the iPad’s Killer App? The App Store.”
I think the killer app has yet to come. It will be the News & Magazine store. The market is a mess at the moment, and I find it very strange that Apple has not yet created a platform for News & Magazines, as they did for Music.
For it to work, we need 3 parts: A shop, the right price and a familiar, consistent solution.
The shop should be a Newsstand, like the iBook Store or iTunes store. Somewhere where you can find, preview and purchase your favourite magazine.
Next, it must be cheap. 99c an issue, no more. Digital really is a 99c economy.
Lastly, once downloaded, all papers and magazines should behave the same. Just like the real ones (newspapers have an important news front page, sport on the back, everything else in between, and magazines have a front cover, index, articles and loads of pictures), but interpreted very different for digital. Of course, the content itself should be multi-media: text, images, audio and video. It must be able to take publishing to the next level. This is where Apple can really make a killing, providing a platform for publishers to do magazines. In fact, even non-publishers could start a magazine – it will be like Blog 2.0.
With subscriptions in place, watch how the iPads will fly off the shelves, faster than any magazine or newspaper, if all this was in place.
Two apps: Evernote and Dropbox. Can’t live without them. If I had to pick one, it’d be Evernote.
Well, I’m still surprised to hear people saying that the iPad is a totally useless device that doesn’t do anything well at all. I’d often wonder what type of brains these people have that they can’t find any use for a versatile product. Maybe they haven’t found the right app to suit their needs or something like that. There are claims that the iPad is at least partially replacing home computers for simple use. I think the iPad would be useful for those that don’t want to fire up their home computer when they can just grab some device that’s practically instant on. I’m very curious to see how many consumers adapt the iPad once Apple and Foxconn start pumping them out in quantity. I see a number of tourists using iPads on the subways and walking around in Manhattan, New York, so I guess they’re somewhat popular in various areas of the world.
Perfectly said by the way.. By the past experiences.. Tunes store (itunes), App store.. were seamless.. next should be Mag store.
Killer App – if I have to choose one – would be Star Walk. magical app, magical gadget.
Logmein Ignition. I can manage all of my servers remotely without booting up my laptop.
Oh come on!
iFart!
For everyday readers: Goodreader. For scientists: Sente. And Goodreader.
I thought Twitcher was the Killer App! You lied to me, MomCorp!
I this the “killer App” for the iPad and the iPhone was Cydia. Lot of people buy an iPad or iPhone just because they know, that there is a really easy way to get lots of free apps you had normally paying for.
Definitely Reeder.
It’s not an app per se – but I would vote for AirPlay. It’s not quite “it” maybe yet, but the potential is simply magical …
Evernote and Pulse, both have become vital apps in my everyday life. And several of the higher-end photo and art apps have as well.