We knew Google had been making nice with software developers – and now we know why. The Google Apps Marketplace has just launched, giving ISVs a way to integrate their products with Google Apps and sell them to a huge-and-growing customer base. Intrigued?
From a customer standpoint, a Google app store makes perfect sense. The Google interface is familiar to many users, and unified platforms are good for everyone. It cuts down significantly on the learning curve when a new service is added, and not having to memorize ten different passwords is always a plus.
Buying something works a lot like any other app store: click purchase, agree to the terms of service, and your new cloud service is deployed instantly.
For developers, Google’s offering a significant amount of flexibility. Your cloud application can be hosted on the platform of your choice, so long as it integrates with the Google APIs and supports OpenID for login. A $100 listing fee and Marketplace landing site later, and you’re selling to their userbase of millions.
The Google Apps Marketplace opened with 50 launch partners, including:
- Intuit Online Payroll, a purportedly full-fledged payroll system,
- Zoho CRM and Zoho Projects,
- Socialwok, the social layer for Google Apps that we reported on here…
…and many others. There are ERP apps, and electronic signature apps, and even a fax app.
So far, response seems to be very positive, with some applications already getting user ratings and reviews in the double digits – not bad for a marketplace that’s less than a day old. Who would have thought the killer app for Google Apps would be other apps?
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Tags: app store | CRM | electronic signature | ERP | fax | Google | Google Apps | google apps marketplace | Intuit | ISV | openID | socialwok | Zoho
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I think this is the next step in Google’s vision when it developed Google Chrome browser. Google is definitely going after a piece of Microsoft’s pie and I think it starts with the average user where they won’t need the full capabilities of ie a MS Office Suite, but need some of the basic features. Exciting developments ahead!
The VAR Guy thinks Google’s timing on the App Marketplace was rather amazing, considering Microsoft Channel Chief Allison Watson spent today telling VARs and channel partners how they can potentially profit from the cloud…
-TVG
I watched the whole Campfire One video series last night, and buried in there was a gem. Google doesn’t want to expand Apps to encompass every business need imaginable: they’d rather focus on the core Apps functions and provide the platform for other companies.
An Apps ecosystem. Wow.
Daeng: You’ve pretty much summed up Google’s strategy. You should start bloggin’
-TVG
Well, then, bring me on as a guest.