Karen Gee, a tech-savvy 40-something Connecticut resident, says she likes the store's convenience and organization. "Both stores are well done," she says. But, like Posner, Gee admits, "I tend to find new apps via iPhone blogs and recommendations from friends."

A more powerful search engine, or an app recommendation feature similar to iTunes' Genius could help direct customers to interesting or useful new software.

No previews

Unlike iTunes, which lets users hear a snippet of the songs they're shopping, all would-be app buyers have to go on are screen shots and user reviews.

"The iTunes store is way better," says Katy Arnn, a 24-year-old student at Claremont Graduate University. "Better organized, more reliable, and you know what you're getting because of the 30-second preview. Not the case with the App Store."