Handango was an online store that sold
mobile apps
A mobile application or app is a computer program or software application designed to run on a mobile device such as a phone, tablet, or watch. Mobile applications often stand in contrast to desktop applications which are designed to run on d ...
for
personal digital assistants (PDAs) and
smartphone
A smartphone is a mobile phone with advanced computing capabilities. It typically has a touchscreen interface, allowing users to access a wide range of applications and services, such as web browsing, email, and social media, as well as multi ...
s. The company was headquartered in
Irving, Texas.
History
Handango was founded in 1999 by Randy Eisenman. In 2003, it launched Handango InHand, a mobile app store that enabled users to discover, purchase, and install software directly on their mobile devices. The service initially supported
Symbian UIQ devices in 2003,
and later expanded to include other major mobile platforms:
*
Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile is a discontinued mobile operating system developed by Microsoft for smartphones and personal digital assistants (PDA). Designed to be the portable equivalent of the Windows desktop OS in the emerging Mobile device, mobile/port ...
and
Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile is a discontinued mobile operating system developed by Microsoft for smartphones and personal digital assistants (PDA). Designed to be the portable equivalent of the Windows desktop OS in the emerging Mobile device, mobile/port ...
in 2004,
*
Blackberry
BlackBerry is a discontinued brand of handheld devices and related mobile services, originally developed and maintained by the Canadian company Research In Motion (RIM, later known as BlackBerry Limited) until 2016. The first BlackBerry device ...
in 2005,
* Symbian
S60 in 2006.
Users could access application descriptions, screenshots, user reviews and ratings, and download or purchase software directly on their devices.
In February 2010, PocketGear announced that it had acquired Handango. A year later, PocketGear rebranded as Appia
and shifted its business model to a white-label,
OEM-branded app store platform.
As a result of this strategic pivot, both the Handango and PocketGear websites were shut down in 2013.
See also
*
List of digital distribution platforms for mobile devices
*
Amazon Appstore
*
App Store (iOS/iPadOS)
The App Store is an app marketplace developed and maintained by Apple, for mobile apps on its iOS and iPadOS operating systems. The store allows users to browse and download approved apps developed within Apple's iOS SDK. Apps can be downlo ...
*
BlackBerry World
References
External links
Official website
{{Software digital distribution platforms
Personal digital assistant software
Pocket PC software
Symbian software
Windows Mobile Standard software
Mobile software distribution platforms