Skich is the next competitor to take a swing at the new alternative app store market

With Apple's ecosystem now more open than ever, a wave of new alternative app stores has emerged, each vying to become the first successful alt app store on iOS. The latest contender, Skich, has entered the fray with a strong focus on gaming, aiming to differentiate itself from competitors like Apptoide by emphasizing gaming over other types of apps.

Skich's unique selling proposition is its robust discoverability system, which is built around three key features: a recommendation system, a swipe-based discovery mechanism, and a social system that includes lists showing what games friends and users with similar tastes are playing. These features may seem familiar to those who use Steam, which isn't necessarily a drawback. The Epic Games Store for iOS, for example, has been criticized for lacking the social and discoverability features that are standard on platforms like Steam and, to a lesser extent, GOG.

Big Fish, Small Pond? While Skich's focus on discoverability is a compelling advantage, it remains to be seen whether this alone will be enough to carve out a significant market share. In today's competitive landscape, new app stores need to offer compelling reasons for users to switch from their established platforms.

Epic Games Store entices users with free games, while Apptoide broadens its appeal by including a variety of apps beyond gaming. Skich's gamer-first approach certainly has potential, but its success is far from guaranteed.

The growing interest from major publishers, such as the recent collaboration between EA and Flexion, suggests that we may be heading towards a future where alternative app stores could challenge the dominance of official storefronts. Skich's journey will be one to watch as it navigates this dynamic and rapidly evolving space.