#221: Shaping the future of app distribution: trust, growth, and regulation with Shalom Michaeli, Managing Director, Alternative App Stores at Digital Turbine

Dec 2, 2024

Shalom Michaeli, Managing Director of Alternative App Stores at Digital Turbine, leads the conversation on the transformative era of app distribution. He discusses the groundbreaking changes spurred by EU regulations allowing third-party app stores on iOS. Trust-building strategies for alternative platforms are highlighted, emphasizing the need for partnerships and user engagement. Shalom also shares insights on the competitive dynamics between Android and iOS, along with the future impact of AI on mobile technology. This session is a must-listen for tech enthusiasts!

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ANECDOTE

Shalom's Career

Shalom Michaeli built the European division of an app startup called Interactive.
After acquisitions by Fiverr and Digital Turbine, he now leads the Alternative Stores division.

INSIGHT

A Perfect Storm

Three factors are driving change in app distribution: new regulations, developers' need for growth, and new technologies.
These factors create a 'perfect storm' for the app ecosystem.

INSIGHT

Building Trust

Building consumer trust is crucial for alternative app stores.
Strict app review processes, quality over quantity, and a positive user experience are essential.

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A quick trivia question - what was significant about the year 2008 technology-wise? It was the year when Bitcoin was introduced, and Spotify was launched. Am I missing something here? Right - both the Apple App Store and Google Play stores were launched that year. It was about the introduction of the new software distribution model for developers. Then followed the witty slogan from Apple: “There is an app for that!”, and both platforms began to count and brag about the number of apps released on those stores.

Moving forward, the status quo that was established was Apple only had one app store - an exclusive distribution channel for iOS developers. On the other hand, Google had multiple third-party app stores for Android, on top of the Google Play store. For a while, it felt like it was going to be like that forever.

And then “forever” ended. On March 5th of 2024, Apple released iOS 17.4, enabling third-party app stores on iOS devices within the EU, complying with the EU’s regulation.

On this episode, we have Shalom to talk about shaping the future of app distribution: trust, growth, and regulation.

Today’s Topics Include:

Shalom Michaeli bio
What is Digital Turbine
The impact of European regulations and new tech on the future of third-party app stores
Essential strategies for alternative app stores to build consumer trust while scaling their presence globally
How Digital Turbine uses research and partnerships to prepare for the future of app distribution
Android or iOS?
Leaving his smartphone at home, what features would Shalom miss most?
What features he would like to see added to his smartphone?

Links and Resources:

Quotes from Shalom Michaeli:

"You know what, building consumer trust is crucial for alternative stores to compete with Apple and Google. Because the goal is not only to bring the user to install once or purchase once from your alternative application. The goal is to get a repeatable customer base that coming over, engaging, installing, spending, coming over again because they had a good interaction, because they had good experience."

"This is this is a perfect storm the way I used to call it and for an app developer and for the entire ecosystem. Because this is the time when three elements in my opinion are coming all together. The regulation changes like DMA and few others that are happening across the world in different countries. The second point is developers' needs for growth. And the third one is available technologies."

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Business Of Apps - connecting the app industry since 2012