Over the past few years, we’ve been watching on as Xyo – formerly Xyologic – tackled the task of improving how we search for apps. There’s some pretty funky technology in their platform. And so it’s good to see some real progress, with the Berlin-based company announcing a partnership with serial startup collaborator Deutsche Telekom which will see DT’s app recommendation service powered by Xyo’s smart search and advertising solution.
TopApps for Android is currently available in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the US, with countries including Poland set to follow in the next few months. The deal will also later expand to other touch points such as device widgets. Eventually, Xyo’s technology will become available to all 142.5 million Telekom subscribers around the world.
With Android app downloads now up to 2.8 billion across Europe and the US, this should represent a major leap forward for Xyo.
Matthaus Krzykowski, the company’s co-founder and head of international partnerships, said: “There are different ways that app discovery can be smarter: at Xyo we are able to map views, click paths, search queries or installs to get an ‘app persona’ for each user to recommend better apps to them – even without any social or demographic data. This type of search technology will be integrated into TopApps.”
As far as ads go, Xyo displays advertising in the right context – app install advertising can be displayed to users who are actively searching for apps with a high intent to download. Publishers will be able to book app search advertising on global Deutsche Telekom properties through Xyo.
App distribution is becoming a key battleground for telcos, device manufacturers and others, who are looking for more direct ways to interact with users – Facebook with its app install ads, for example.
Krzykowski added: “Apps are escaping the closed catalogues and top lists of the app stores. They are becoming part of the personalised streams of content surrounding us every day. The technology is out there for third parties to get into the smart app discovery game.”
Xyo, which was founded by Krzykowski, Zoe Adamovicz and Marcin Rudolf in 2010, is now looking to seal further major partnerships with global companies as its effort to monetise continue.