A Brave New World

In early 2010, Apple introduced the iPad tablet. Skeptics believed it was simply a large version of the already popular iPhone and iPod Touch and that it would simply die out because nobody would want—or even use—such an oversized and overly expensive toy. Apple had hit its roadblock; its last straw as a technological competitor.

But that’s not what happened. Apple began the new decade with a revolutionary new product that would create a new frontier in the ever-expanding world of computer science and telecommunications.

Nearly two years later, the iTunes App Store has more than 500,000 apps available, including more than 100,000 built specifically for iPad. The apps are so varied that there’s virtually an app for everything, and for good reason. Apps are in high demand among consumers; they love having the ability to download freely what they like based upon their interests.

The niche marketing that is made available to companies by this high demand is remarkable. The bottom line is this: If you have an app in the App Store, you are making yourself available to your target audience in an exciting and revolutionary way. You are making business-to-consumer or business-to-business relationships available to your clients in mobile format, 24-7.

With the arrival of Amazon’s Kindle Fire and Barnes and Noble’s Nook Tablet, the target audience broadens with less expensive devices. By creating an app into the Amazon or Android Marketplace, you’ll be able to expand your outreach.

Here’s what it means to you: We are all standing at the doorway of a brave new world. And there will never be a better time to step through.