iPod Apps Top 25

I’ve noticed that Philippine-made iPod touch / iPhone applications have been consistently featured in the Apple App Store’s list of Top 25 (paid apps) for a couple of weeks now. In fact, the #1 as of this writing is an application called Filipino iPhone Community or FiC, an app that allows FiC members “to check the latest posts in the [applei.ph] forums, as well as access the LiveChat feature of the site.”

Another one in the Top 25 is iManila, which is by the same developer of FiC, MangCode.com. iManila is an online directory for finding businesses, stores, etc., retrieving contact information and other details from EYP. (I hope they’ll come up with a directory for Davao City as well as for other Philippine cities in the near future.)

It seems that the number of iPhone / iPod touch users in the Philippines is steadily increasing, and that the downloading of apps among Filipinos is now as commonplace as using ebay or Amazon. Judging by comments and reviews on paid apps posted by Filipino users in the App Store, I think it’s safe to assume that there’s a steady stream of good business happening for Apple.

Personally, I have purchased quite a number of apps for my iPod touch, from games to productivity software, even a couple of audiobooks. I’m so glad that the App Store is open to the Philippine market, unlike iTunes, which remains closed to us.

I understand that there are copyright issues covering US-published music, hence the inaccessibility of iTunes from the Philippines. But with the healthy activity going on in the App Store, wouldn’t it be good business sense for Apple to make at least certain parts of iTunes open to us? Podcasts and audiobooks, for example.

Having the ability to download more content into my iPod would certainly increase its worth as a companion gadget. More than just a device for playing music and videos, turning the iPod touch into a content-rich ebook reader would be very welcome indeed.