Best Buy has launched an app search engine and directory called the App Discovery Center. Apps for both Apple iOS and Android operating systems are included in its listings. It does not include apps for WebOS.
In a statement released today, Best Buy wrote that “…the new Best Buy App Discovery Center addresses a major pain point for the growing number of people who are searching for apps for their mobile devices: the loss of both time and money trying to find the apps they want when they want them from thousands of options that are often randomly sorted.”
The App Discovery Center is powered by Appolicious. It includes both a search engine and a directory with more than 1,200 categories. Displayed on the front page are ‘Top Picks’, ‘Hot Apps’, ‘Recommendations’ and ‘Price Cuts’ for all categories, and a way to drill down into individual categories. There is also a “Blue Shirts’ App Picks”, which include app recommendations from employees at local Best Buy Stores. However, as of today, there were no recommendations from ‘Blue Shirts’ at any of our local Best Buy stores.
Each app listing includes a profile, the price, App Discovery Rating, publisher name, availability, screenshots, notes from the developer, and, if available, reviews, videos and tutorials.
“”Our App Discovery Center helps extend that level of customer support to the mobile experience well after customers may have purchased their gear. It’s a natural addition to our growing portfolio of services that make it easier for people to connect with the things and people they love,” said Wendy Fritz, senior vice president of Computing, Tablets and E-Readers at Best Buy.
The App Discovery Center is free to use and is currently available online at: http://apps.bestbuy.com. According to Best Buy, the service will soon be available as an app itself.
