Many credit the explosive popularity of the iPhone to the App Store - a single, easy to find, easy to access clearing house of all Apple approved iPhone Apps.  And Apple hasn’t exactly been stingy with their product approvals.

The slogan, “There’s an App for that,” will not and cannot always be true.  However, by making it central to the iPhone’s advertising campaign, Apple is declaring that they wish to encourage developers who will make programs that can run on Apple’s mobile hardware, and that they will put it out there for users to find.

There are exceptions (for example, Apple does not smile upon apps built for hacked iPhones) - but by and large, the folks at Apple want people to flesh out their portfolio of available apps.

What Goes Into a Successful App?

A quick trip through Apps for Everything section of Apple’s website will show you what sorts of programs they think are the best.

By and large these apps entertain or provide a service, though apps that allow the iPhone to be used in place of some other tool or device are also popular.

In this way iPhones are a lot like Swiss Army knives, only instead of tweezers and bottle openers they include flashlights and maps, meal advisors, fashion advisors, music players, political action reminders, remote controls, and whatever other electronic tools and toys you wish to include - and, of course, a telephone with internet access.

If there’s a tool, toy, or other resource you’d like your customers to have in their pockets, then perhaps its time for you to talk to someone about putting it all in an app.