Nokia Ovi Store said too slow, too confusing

Almost half of developers writing for Nokia's Ovi Store are unhappy with how it's run, a survey has found. Over 42 percent of those asked by Open-First think the store is "below average" compared to rivals like Apple's App Store or Google's Android market, and only 21 percent think it a better choice than the rest. The speed of the approval and posting process is considered the primary complaint as 55 percent are dissatisfied with how long it takes to reach the store.

While iOS app developers have complained of exceptional delays and app rejections that didn't have adequate explanation for a fix, delays on Ovi Store are potentially worse. One developer reported that all its apps took "months" to reach the store.

A problem unique to Nokia was device selection: at least one developer complained that Nokia had too many phone models, making it difficult to effectively target apps. The sheer variety of phones, which run into several current models in a single series alone, sometimes a mixture of touch- and non-touch designs within those series. Both Android and the iPhone have been helped by having a consistent emphasis on touchscreens and requiring certain controls.

Unhappiness with pay is also widespread, as 81 percent of developers aren't making the expected revenue. About 70 percent of developers feel compelled to write for another platform to support themselves.

The climate for Ovi compounds and partly explains the declining interest in Nokia at the high end, where the much wider selection of apps has led previously loyal customers to consider Apple and Google. Finland's largest company is hoping for a turnaround with the N8 and Symbian^3 but is also facing risk as it almost starts from scratch with future MeeGo devices. [via GigaOM]

By Electronista Staff

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iPhone, industry, Google, Symbian, Nokia, Android, Ovi, App Store, mobile phones, Apple, MeeGo