What the iPhone Application Store tells us about Twitter

Despite the service’s recent technical issues, the entire blogosphere seems to ooh and ahh the value of Twitter.  Even now writers and web gurus continue to hail its simple beauty: just today, TechCrunch blogger Gregor Hochmuth published a new article entitled “Why Twitter Hasn’t Failed: The Power of Audience.”

However, even though the Twitterati continue to sing its praises, some simple insights provided by the new iPhone Application Store suggest a different truth: that Twitter, and mobile social networking in general, has a long, long way to go to become mainstream.

Twitter: not even close to the top

A wealth of valuable information can be gleaned just by examining the Top 50 Paid and Free applications in the iTunes Application Store.  If you take a look at either of these lists, you’ll notice not a single Twitter application ranks within the top 50: not Twitteriffic, not Twinkle, not even an official application provided by the service itself.

Although several of these applications ranked highly within the first few days of launch, it hasn’t taken long at all for them to sink to the middle of the dogpile, excavated only by search.

Applications haven’t fared rating-wise, either; for instance, no Twitter application exists with a rating greater than four stars, which is one simple indication Twitter users want more.¹  There isn’t a wide assortment of Twitter-related applications, either.

What does this tell us?

So what do these observations suggest?  Well, one thing is certain: Twitter isn’t mainstream, not by a long shot.  To emphasize how far from the fore the service really is, consider how tech-forward an individual needs to be to purchase the iPhone in the first place– we can all agree that at this point in time, only the most gadget-crazed individuals have picked up the device.  The fact that a Twitter application is not in the Top 50 for even this elite subsection means that it has a long way to go.²

What does this suggest to me?  Despite the bloat we feel from the many pre-existing social networks, the numbers in the App store suggest that there is more than enough room for a king of social mobile networking or microblogging.

Alternative explanations

Of course, the fact that no Twitter application ranks in the Top 50 might be due to something besides a lack of mainstream adoption.  Here are a few other reasons apps may be doing poorly:

1. They’re subpar, and people don’t want to download them.
2. It’s more convenient to use web apps (such as Hahlo).
3. It’s more convenient to use Twitter’s native SMS support.
4. Users just don’t want to Tweet with their iPhones.

I’m not sold on any of these, though, and even if these were the drawbacks keeping mainstream users from Tweeting, they’re drawbacks enough.

Why I don’t use Twitter iPhone apps

My personal reason I prefer not to use iPhone Twitter applications is twofold: one, I’m disenchanted with the service to begin with, and two, I’m not happy with any of the options that are out there right now.³

Do you Tweet on your iPhone or other mobile device?  Can you suggest why you think Twitter may be a beached whale on the iPhone Application market?

1. Of course, few iPhone applications have outstanding ratings, but I’ve complained about this before. [↩]
2. The same can be said for other mobile social networking applications, too: Loopt, Whrrl, and more have all dropped way off the charts.  It’s clear no one service is finding overwhelming success. [↩]
3. I don’t like the advertisements on the free Twitterrific, Twinkle’s UI stinks, and I don’t like Twittelator’s GPS integration. [↩]

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