Enterprises are finding that app management might become as important as device management as they launch mobility and BYOD initiatives. Because current consumer-focused app stores do nothing to offer the type of deployment control required by enterprises, experts believe these organizations will increasingly turn to enterprise app stores or enterprise app catalogs as a way to improve distribution of both corporate custom apps and sanctioned consumer apps.

"Just like users want BYOD connected to the enterprise, now they want an easy app experience in the enterprise," said Brian Reed, chief marketing and product officer at BoxTone. He added that he thinks app stores will become a core feature for enterprises by 2014.

A recent survey by Partnerpedia, an application store vendor, found that currently about 70% of the 113 organizations polled name the Apple App Store as a top source for app purchases; almost 40% named Google Play. But technology and line-of-business leaders aren't happy with the situation, saying that they don't like to purchase through these consumer-focused stores for a variety of reasons.

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