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It's a given that the iTunes AppStore has revolutionized the way mobile content is conceived, created and distributed. A number of factors have contributed to this perfect storm: Apple's creation and ownership of a revolutionary device, its ownership of a widely available distribution channel with millions of signed-up users, and the innovative approach of creating a whole new developer community dedicated to the device. These have led to the stellar stats, with which we are all now familiar: Over one billionn downloads; 40,000 applications in the AppStore, and 50,000 registered developers.
So how does Nokia's rival Ovi Store square up on paper?

Reach
Well, with Ovi available to an estimated 50m Nokia device owners worldwide, there's certainly some scale to capitalize on, but it's still less than twice the Apple universe if you include the iPod Touches. Also with Nokia's relatively low penetration in the critical US market there's a distinct possibility that the content offering will be limited.

Accessibility
For Ovi Store to be a success in the short term, it has to be really straightforward for existing users to find and engage with. While trying to download the store on to an N96 I have a typical Nokia experience - filling in a long registration form, struggling with the text entry, and then finding that the anti-robot CAPTCHA image has failed to render so it's all in vain anyway. A number of other people at MIG have had the same experience. Compared to the iPhone experience of 'switch on phone, open App Store' this is already too painful to bother with.

Uploading
From a developer point of view, the interface could be easier to use. While uploading an app to Voda's Betavine, O2's Litmus or GetJar is simple, Ovi threw up many objections to our java app. The user guides were opaque and so the process required significant trial and error to figure out the issue - Ovi did not like some of the meta-data associated with the app. In the end we gave up, but we could have made the necessary changes to proceed.

Content
Content is quite varied, ranging from basic ringtones and wallpapers through to utilities, business tools and social networks. While nothing close to the iTunes, it's a decent selection for such a new offering. The iTunes AppStore influence is very clear, with a star rating system, reviews, and recommended apps.

Downloading
The download process is relatively easy.  Once the download is complete, the app installs. Close the app and you are taken back to Ovi. One quite startling oversight though is that there is no guidance on handset compatibility. MIG's N82 user downloaded content not suitable for his device with no warning.

Summary
While the Ovi Store looks great and talks a good game, it's some way behind the competition. Perhaps the issue is this:  For years the iPod has been a content playing and downloading device, and the iPhone is just an extension of this. Nokia is still at its heart a phone manufacturer, and it may take many iterations of Ovi to change this.