Auction-Based Application Launching

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing applications are provided. A method for providing applications may include determining a ranking for each of a plurality of applications based on an auction value of each corresponding application. In some cases, auction values may be determined by application provider bids. The method may also include determining a ranked placement of the applications based on the application rankings. The method may further include displaying the ranked placement according to a first user selection associated with the applications. The method may then include launching a selected application of the ranked placement in response to a second user selection. A system for providing applications may include an application ranker, an application placer and an application launcher.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for providing applications, comprising:
 determining a ranking for each of a plurality of applications based on an auction value of each corresponding application;   initially determining a ranked placement of the plurality of applications based on the rankings of the plurality of applications;   displaying a highest ranked application and an option configured to display the ranked placement as one or more alternatives when the option is selected; and   adjusting the ranked placement after a user input.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying the plurality of applications based on the adjusted ranked placement. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjusting comprises adjusting the ranked placement based on one or more placement factors. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more placement factors comprise the rankings of the plurality of applications and amounts of one or more bids by one or more providers of the plurality of applications. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising collecting the one or more bids before the initially determining the ranked placement. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising collecting the one or more bids after the initially determining the ranked placement. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more placement factors comprise relevancy. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising determining the relevancy by tracking installation data of the corresponding application. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising determining the relevancy by tracking churn rate data of the corresponding application. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more placement factors further comprise installation time of the corresponding application. 
     
     
         11 . A system for providing applications, comprising:
 an application ranker configured to determine a ranking for each of a plurality of applications based on an auction value of each corresponding application;   an application placer, implemented with a computing device, configured to
 initially determine a ranked placement of the plurality of applications based on the rankings of the plurality of applications; and 
 adjust the ranked placement after a user input; 
   a display viewer configured to display a highest ranked application and an option configured to display the ranked placement as one or more alternatives when the option is selected.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the display viewer is further configured to display the plurality of applications based on the adjusted ranked placement. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the application placer is further configured to adjust the ranked placement based on one or more placement factors. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more placement factors comprise the rankings of the plurality of applications and amounts of one or more bids by one or more providers of the plurality of applications. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the application placer is further configured to collect the one or more bids before the application placer initially determines the ranked placement. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the application placer is further configured to collect the one or more bids after the application placer initially determines the ranked placement. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more placement factors comprise relevancy. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the application placer is further configured to determine the relevancy by tracking installation data of the corresponding application. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the application placer is further configured to determine the relevancy by tracking churn rate data of the corresponding application. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more placement factors further comprise installation time of the corresponding application. 
     
     
         21 . A computer program product embodied on a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, execution of which causes operations comprising:
 determining a ranking for each of a plurality of applications based on an auction value of each corresponding application;   initially determining a ranked placement of the plurality of applications based on the rankings of the plurality of applications;   displaying a highest ranked application and an option configured to display the ranked placement as one or more alternatives when the option is selected; and   adjusting the ranked placement after a user input.