--- title: "Intellectual Property Protection in App Industry" description: "Since the industry thrives on technological innovation, protection of intellectual property is of paramount importance for developers. The balance bet" author: "Mark Devid" published: 2016-08-20 updated: 2018-03-16 canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/blog/11200/intellectual-property-protection-in-app-industry category: "mobile development" tags: ["mobile development", "mobile"] reading_time: 3 minutes --- # Intellectual Property Protection in App Industry Since the industry thrives on [technological innovation](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/114896/how-can-we-balance-personal-privacy-with-technological-innovation-ethically), protection of [intellectual property](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/story/2246/know-these-important-facts-on-intellectual-property-law) is of paramount importance for developers. The balance between protection and sharing of technological innovation is part of a larger and often tendentious argument on [open source](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/337437/how-to-leverage-open-source-for-innovative-project-development) versus [proprietary software](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/114731/how-does-open-source-software-differ-from-proprietary-software-in-terms-of-licensing) development. **We do not attempt to deconstruct** that argument here; merely report that more than eighty per cent of developers were having a common view that intellectual [property protection](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/32855/which-laws-deal-with-intellectual-property-protection-for-horticultural-products) is a major concern for [app developers](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/12646/user-retention-biggest-struggle-for-app-developers). However, not all the developers have taken steps to protect intellectual property. This lack of seriousness could be associated with poor revenue potential from apps. Among those who have: - Some obtained copyrights or patents - While others worked with individual checks on in-app piracy using code morphing, copy protection, server–based checks, or both etc. **Developers highlighted the well-known challenging issues with a view to help unlock the potential in India’s app market. These include:** - A focus on local and regional content - An improved landscape for local app developers - Increased smartphone devices and broadband penetration - A concerted effort to boost [digital literacy](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/62190/which-company-has-tied-up-with-facebook-for-digital-literacy-initiative-digital-udaan) awareness and - An environment that supports technological innovation. \ The focus on the easy to tap urban market which typically demands popular global content must inevitably segue to semi-urban and [rural areas](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/113789/how-can-governments-address-the-challenges-of-unequal-access-to-education-in-rural-areas) for the app economy to prosper riding primarily on local and regional content. A strong verdict of the extensive consultations with app developers including Times internet, Get It Info Media, [MindStick Software](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/115570/what-is-mindstick-software-training-and-why-is-it-important), **Bellurbis and Mobile Harvest** is that Indian app developers typically concentrate most of the time on “Coding”. The emphasis on some important elements are lacking like: - Aesthetics - User-interface - UX and interaction design \ **The normative view is that this needs to change if Indian apps aim to****become internationally competitive.** The need to create and build locally relevant content was also a recurrent theme in our interactions. Not only can we unlock latent demand as a result, but also increase the number of employment opportunities beyond English language content. A bigger market for local and regional content could create good externalities even larger than those estimated until. MindStick Software for example faces challenges of a young and relatively fragmented local market. While the market potential is quite massive, achieving scale, a critical attribute for success in networked sectors, is a primary challenge. Although preliminary, our studies also indicate that other benefits of apps in general and local content in particular can provide [social cohesion](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/113164/what-impact-do-community-gardens-have-on-promoting-food-sovereignty-and-social-cohesion) and extension of communications to low income users which have large multiplier effects throughout the economy. --- Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/blog/11200/intellectual-property-protection-in-app-industry Copyright © MindStick Software Pvt. Ltd. This Markdown version is provided for developers, AI systems, and offline reading.