TechCrunch: iPhone killer apps are "email and the browser"

For those of you who aren't helping TechCrunch maintain its second position in the list of most popular blogs, let me tell you what the latest nugget from Erick Schonfeld (apologies, I originally attributed it to Michael Arrington) is:

The iPhone's "killer apps" are email and the web browser.

Well, there's a shock.

Granted, TechCrunch is aimed at the digerati - those who know what Twitter and FriendFeed are and use them more than five times an hour. The usage patterns of "ordinary" (and extremely important) users may vary.

Schonfeld asks "how many apps can one person really manage before becoming overwhelmed" and answers "there is a limit to how many apps you can juggle on your iPhone. It is not much different than a PC. You have tons of apps, but how many do you actually use on a regular basis? For most people, that number is probably no more than ten apps, and on a daily basis, maybe 3 or 4 tops."

The thing is, as far as I'm concerned, the "killer apps" for most people are the ones that help them get more done, keep them in contact with people, inform or entertain them. Therefore it's little wonder, on a phone whose defining glory is its near-fully-functioned web browser and email software, that these are the applications people will use the most.

Maybe none are universal killer apps (show me a bit of software on any platform which is), but there are plenty that will hit the spot for a number of users.

I've already shared my thoughts on the evolution of the App Store including the saturation of individual genres of application.

Native iPhone applications aside, I probably use seven or eight applications on a daily basis (even if only for a couple of minutes), and another few at least once a week. I'm always on the lookout for new or better applications, and there's the challenge: sifting through the App Store, working out which software to pay for, and which to avoid.

The beauty of the iPhone is that you can add a collection of applications that uniquely identify you, and help you do the things you want when mobile.

Powermat: Revolutionary Gadget Charging

Came straight to this page? Visit www.iphonic.tv for all the latest news.

Comments