14 DAY TRIAL // Google made some waves with the Chrome Web Store idea and the company is clearly on to something. Having a ‘store’ for web applications may not seem like a real necessity at first, everything is already available online, but convenience is the thing that made the Apple App Store as popular and powerful as it is today. Google is of course touting the openness of its approach, but some are questioning whether the Chrome Web Store is truly open. Since it only works in Google Chrome, reason would suggest that it’s not, and Mozilla thinks it can do better.
Mozilla’s VP for Mobile, Jay Sullivan, proposed a true Open Web App Store. “Web developers are expressing interest in an app store model for the Web that would enable them to get paid for their efforts without having to abandon Web development in exchange for proprietary silos, each with their own programming language and SDK, variable and sometimes opaque review processes, and limited reach,” he said.
“And so we’ve been actively exploring what an Open Web App Store would need to look like to ensure the long-term health and vitality of the Web as an incredibly open and accessible platform for innovation,” he announced.
He also lists several of the things that Mozilla thinks make for a real Open Web App Store. Number one is the use of open standard web technologies for web apps hosted. This means HTML5, JavaScript, and so on. This is Google’s approach as well, with one small but notable difference. Mozilla emphasizes the ‘open’ aspect of the technologies, so this means Flash is likely out of the picture.
The second requirement is that the app store be accessible from any modern web browser. All aspects of the store, the search, distribution and installing the apps, should work on any web browser, including mobile ones, as long as the browser supports it.
Another important aspect, Mozilla thinks, is a transparent “editorial, security and quality review” process. This is a direct stab at Apple’s App Store policies, which continue to confuse developers. Of course, privacy is important, Mozilla has been adamant in this, and the user’s privacy will be highly respected in the Open Web App Store.
Mozilla isn’t announcing anything yet. For now, these are just some ideas and guidelines to what an Open Web App Store might look like. The group is asking anyone with interest to get involved and discuss their ideas.