Appsfire is a provider of mobile advertising and member of the Mobile Network Group.[1] Until the end of 2013,[2] it was a mobile app discovery and promotion platform that allowed users to find mobile apps for iOS and Android, and provided tools and services for developers to market their apps.[3][4][5] It was cofounded by its CEO, Ouriel Ohayon, the former editor of TechCrunch France, and its CTO and COO Yann Lechelle.[3][4][5] There have been more than 10 million Appsfire app downloads since its launch.[6] The company’s products have recommended 1.5 billion apps to its users, and it has more than 1.5 million daily users.[6] The company is based is Paris, France, Tel-Aviv, Israel[4] and Sunnyvale, California, U.S.
Mobile advertising is a form of advertising via mobile (wireless) phones or other mobile devices. It is a subset of mobile marketing.
A mobile app or mobile application is a computer program or software application designed to run on a mobile device such as a phone/tablet or watch. Apps were originally intended for productivity assistance such as Email, calendar, and contact databases, but the public demand for apps caused rapid expansion into other areas such as mobile games, factory automation, GPS and location-based services, order-tracking, and ticket purchases, so that there are now millions of apps available. Apps are generally downloaded from application distribution platforms which are operated by the owner of the mobile operating system, such as the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store. Some apps are free, and others have a price, with the profit being split between the application's creator and the distribution platform. Mobile applications often stand in contrast to desktop applications which are designed to run on desktop computers, and web applications which run in mobile web browsers rather than directly on the mobile device.
iOS is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that presently powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. It is the second most popular mobile operating system globally after Android.
History
In 2009, Ouriel Ohayon and Yann Lechelle founded Appsfire.[5]
Jean-David Blanc is a French entrepreneur, founder of AlloCiné, business angel, film producer, writer and jazz musician.
Xavier Niel is a French billionaire businessman, active in the telecommunications and technology industry and best known as founder and majority shareholder of the French Internet service provider and Mobile operator Iliad trading under the Free brand. He is also co-owner of the newspaper Le Monde, and co-owner of the rights of the song "My Way" and owner of Monaco Telecom. He is deputy chairman and chief strategy officer for Iliad.
In 2011, Appsfire received $3.6 million in Series A round of funding from IDinvest, a French venture capital firm.[5][7] That same year, Appsfire hit 2 million users worldwide.[7]
A series A round is the name typically given to a company's first significant round of venture capital financing. The name refers to the class of preferred stock sold to investors in exchange for their investment. It is usually the first series of stock after the common stock and common stock options issued to company founders, employees, friends and family and angel investors.
Venture capital (VC) is a type of private equity, a form of financing that is provided by firms or funds to small, early-stage, emerging firms that are deemed to have high growth potential, or which have demonstrated high growth. Venture capital firms or funds invest in these early-stage companies in exchange for equity, or an ownership stake, in the companies they invest in. Venture capitalists take on the risk of financing risky start-ups in the hopes that some of the firms they support will become successful. Because startups face high uncertainty, VC investments do have high rates of failure. The start-ups are usually based on an innovative technology or business model and they are usually from the high technology industries, such as information technology (IT), clean technology or biotechnology.
In 2012, Appsfire bought the app Appstatics, which helps developers track the ranks of their app in the iOS App Store and Mac App Store.[8]
In 2015, the platform was acquired by the Mobile Network Group.[1]
Concept
Appsfire provides mobile app discovery service for iOS and Android.[3][7][9] The company builds applications and services that help find and recommend mobile applications that are relevant to each user; it can also find apps that are available for free or reduced in price.[7] It ranks the apps by quality (App Score) rather than by the number of downloads.[7]
In addition, Appsfire also offers tools for app developers to market their apps.[7][9] Companies such as Barnes & Noble, Paramount Pictures, and Spotify have used the platform to promote their applications.[7]
Products
Appsfire 4.1, released in 2013, is a free mobile app that helps users find relevant apps and app deals.[10][11] It recommends apps based on user’s declared taste, and provides search results by app name, developer, category, or need.[10][11] Users can share their activity on Facebook and Twitter, and view what their friends have bookmarked, saved, or downloaded.[10][11] Each recommended app has a “Badge” feature that uses icons to indicate different aspects of an app, such as bestseller status, or if it is similar to another app.[10]
In 2011, Appsfire introduced App Scores in their mobile app, a quality rank for apps.[12][13] The app ranks applications on a scale from 1 to 100 with 100 being the highest score.[12] It is based on an algorithm that takes into account the consistency, frequency, and velocity of app ratings taken from users’ download information, and combines that information with developer reputation and web mentions to determine the app’s score.[11][12][13] App Scores gives a global view of an app’s performance.[12] It can evaluate a new application’s value even if it does not have reviews or a ranking in the app store, and it can reveal lesser-known, high-quality apps.[12][13] The app offers an alternative discovery system to the rankings of the app stores.[13][14]
Appsfire’s App Booster Software development kit (SDK) is a marketing toolkit that allows developers to increase the engagement with their users.[14][15] The SDK provides a two-way inbox for developers; it can send push and in-app notifications and cross-promote their other apps.[15] It also provides a native feedback system with the corresponding analytics.[15]
Appstatics tracks rankings of iPhone, iPad, and Mac apps in their respective App Store.[14][15] Developers can find the app they want to track and consult with the reviews and ratings of every app in every country without creating a different local account in the app store.[14][15]
Awards and recognition
In 2011, 148 App named Appsfire the "Best App Ever for Best App Bargain."[16] In 2013, The Next Web named Appsfire the French startup of the year.[17]
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