Reporters' Roundtable Podcast: App stores

This week on the Roundtable: the App Store revolution. Something funny has happened to software. While the model we all grew up with for the distribution of software was mostly to buy it through retail channels or other resellers, or maybe direct from manufacturers, another model emerged and has proven successful by Apple: the App Store. In this model, there is one and only one outlet for software, and it's run by the people who make the hardware. And, critically, you can't get a product into the store unless the hardware maker approves it.

The app store concept is spreading to other mobile platforms and may become a part of general-purpose computing and game platforms as well. It's changing how software is made, sold, distributed, and priced. To discuss these and related topics: Sebastian Rupley, editor in chief of the GigaOm network, which publishes, among other things, a great tech analysis site. Via remote from our New York office, CNET Senior Writer Maggie Reardon, who covers mobile and Web-based businesses.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Reporters' Roundtable #9: The app store business

Show notes and talking points...

How big a deal is the app store concept?

How pervasive will it become?

What did Apple do right? How did it get to more than 100,000 apps?

What's the No. 2 app store (Maggie)?

What does this do for developers?

Outlook for Android, Palm, BlackBerry, MS, Symbian?

Only two weeks ago did Apple enable trialware--free before paid. What took so long? Isn't this known as one of the great ways to market on the Net?

Discuss pricing models.

Discuss approval process.

Could it work in Windows, OS X?

What about the Web? Yahoo is considering apps on its homepage.

What about games? And in-app purchases, like Farmville?

Next time: The business of humor with Ben Huh of Failblog! Plus one other great guest to be revealed later...

Watch my Twitter feed for updates.

Feedback to our new email address, roundtable@cnet.com.

Thanks!