We All Live in an App Economy – [Sample from Provider B]

The proliferation of portable electronics hasn’t just revolutionized communication and entertainment — it has also had a remarkable effect on the economy. Dubbed by industry insiders as the “app economy,” there has been an explosion in the number of jobs held by people who write applications for smartphones and social networking websites. Prior to the introduction of Apple’s iPhone, this segment of the economy simply did not exist. Today, it is estimated that the app economy has created about 500,000 jobs in the United States alone.The arrival of the app economy has stimulated employment in four major sectors:

• Programmers. These are the professionals who conceive of smartphone and web apps and do the programming and coding that turn their ideas into functional applications.
• User interface designers. While programmers are responsible for developing apps to an operational stage, designers are the people who enhance their usability by creating accessible and easy-to-use interfaces.
• Technology marketers. Once an app has been developed, technology marketers are the people responsible for selling it. These professionals identify target markets and help create consumer demand through promotional efforts designed to bring the app to the multiple distribution channels, particularly download stores.
• Support personnel. There is also a growing demand for administrative assistants and other support staff to manage communications and other practical matters on behalf of the programmers, interface designers and marketers who work in this growing branch of the global economy.

The amount of money generated by the app economy each year is estimated to be in the tens of billions of dollars, providing a major jolt to the American economy — particularly in California, where the majority of these professionals are based.

This is also just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Industry insiders estimate that the app economy will grow at a rate of 30 to 50 percent by 2018, thanks in part to the anticipated expansion of cloud computing. Riding this wave of growth, Applico enjoyed unprecedented success in 2011. Our company doubled in size, and every indicator shows that we will continue to thrive in the years to come.