From the article: "Additionally, Apple and Google have tight control over which apps make it into their inventory. These factors result in a system that is not

From the article: "Additionally, Apple and Google have tight control over which apps make it into their inventory. These factors result in a system that is not exactly an innovation breeding ground. The real innovation has already happened -- the creation of the marketplace itself." Which shows exactly where the author goes wrong. The innovation isn't in the marketplace, it's in the platform - iOS or Android. Specifically, apps allow much richer user interfaces than what you can do on the web: geolocation, movement detectors, always-with-you, gesture support and so on. They also allow much greater control over things such as usage of resources, allowing a better user experience. Quite simply, from a programmer's perspective, web apps are a long way from providing the necessary tools to come even close to equaling those available on mobile platforms. The fact that there is a marketplace where apps can be sold is probably one of the least innovative things about apps. To paraphrase - "It's the platform, stupid!"