Killer application explained

A killer application (often shortened to killer app) is any software that is so necessary or desirable that it proves the core value of some larger technology, such as its host computer hardware, video game console, software platform, or operating system.^[1] Consumers would buy the host platform just to access that application, possibly substantially increasing sales of its host platform.^{[2] [3]}

Examples

Although the term was coined in the late 1980s^{[4] [5]} one of the first retroactively recognized examples of a killer application is the VisiCalc spreadsheet, released in 1979 for the Apple II.^[6] Because it was not released for other computers for 12 months, people spent for the software first, then $2,000 to $10,000 (equivalent to $ to $) on the requisite Apple II.^[7] BYTE wrote in 1980, "VisiCalc is the first program available on a microcomputer that has been responsible for sales of entire systems",^[8] and Creative Computings VisiCalc review is subtitled "reason enough for owning a computer".^[9] Others also chose to develop software, such as EasyWriter, for the Apple II first because of its higher sales, helping Apple defeat rivals Commodore International and Tandy Corporation.

The co-creator of WordStar, Seymour Rubinstein, argued that the honor of the first killer app should go to that popular word processor, given that it came out a year before VisiCalc and that it gave a reason for people to buy a computer. However, whereas WordStar could be considered an incremental improvement (albeit a large one) over smart typewriters like the IBM Electronic Selectric Composer,^[10] VisiCalc, with its ability to instantly recalculate rows and columns, introduced an entirely new paradigm and capability.^[11]

Although released four years after VisiCalc, Lotus 1-2-3 also benefited sales of the IBM PC. Noting that computer purchasers did not want PC compatibility as much as compatibility with certain PC software, InfoWorld suggested "let's tell it like it is. Let's not say 'PC compatible', or even 'MS-DOS compatible'. Instead, let's say '1-2-3 compatible'."^[12]

The UNIX Operating System became a killer application for the DEC PDP-11 and VAX-11 minicomputers during roughly 1975–1985. Many of the PDP-11 and VAX-11 processors never ran DEC's operating systems (RSTS or VAX/VMS), but instead, they ran UNIX, which was first licensed in 1975. To get a virtual-memory UNIX (BSD 3.0), requires a VAX-11 computer. Many universities wanted a general-purpose timesharing system that would meet the needs of students and researchers. Early versions of UNIX included free compilers for C, Fortran, and Pascal, at a time when offering even one free compiler was unprecedented. From its inception, UNIX drives high-quality typesetting equipment and later PostScript printers using the nroff/troff typesetting language, and this was also unprecedented. UNIX is the first operating system offered in source-license form (a university license cost only $10,000, less than a PDP-11), allowing it to run on an unlimited number of machines, and allowing the machines to interface to any type of hardware because the UNIX I/O system is extensible.

Usage

The earliest recorded use of the term in print is in the May 24, 1988 issue of PC Week: "Everybody has only one killer application. The secretary has a word processor. The manager has a spreadsheet."^{[13] [14]}

The definition of "killer app" came up during the deposition of Bill Gates in the United States v. Microsoft Corp. antitrust case. He had written an email in which he described Internet Explorer as a killer app. In the questioning, he said that the term meant "a popular application," and did not connote an application that would fuel sales of a larger product or one that would supplant its competition, as the Microsoft Computer Dictionary defined it.^[15]

Introducing the iPhone in 2007, Steve Jobs said that "the killer app is making calls".^[16] Reviewing the iPhone's first decade, David Pierce for Wired wrote that although Jobs prioritized a good experience making calls in the phone's development, other features of the phone soon became more important, such as its data connectivity and ability to install third-party software (which was added later).^[17]

The World Wide Web (through the web browsers Mosaic and Netscape Navigator) is the killer app that popularized the Internet,^[18] as is the music sharing program Napster.^[19]

Applications and operating systems

• 1979: Apple II: VisiCalc (first spreadsheet program and killer app)
• 1979: TRS-80, CP/M systems: WordStar 1982: ported to CP/M-86 and IBM PC compatible/MS-DOS
• 1983: IBM PC compatible/MS-DOS: Lotus 1-2-3 (spreadsheet)
• 1985: Macintosh: Aldus (now Adobe) PageMaker (first desktop publishing program)^[20]
• 1985: AmigaOS: Deluxe Paint, Video Toaster, Prevue Guide
• 1993: Acorn Archimedes: Sibelius^[21]

Video games

The term applies to video games that persuade consumers to buy a particular video game console or accessory, by virtue of platform exclusivity. Such a game is also called a "system seller".

• Space Invaders, originally released for arcades in 1978, became a killer app when it was ported to the Atari VCS console in 1980, quadrupling sales of the three-year-old console.^[22]
• Star Raiders, released in 1980, may have been a system-seller for the Atari 400 and 800 computers.^[23] Another was Eastern Front (1941), released in 1981.^[24]
• Defender of the Crown, released in 1986 for the Amiga as the first game from Cinemaware, has graphics which "have set new standards for computer game".
• In 1996, Computer Gaming World wrote that (1981) "sent AD&D fans scrambling to buy Apple IIs".^[25]
• The Famicom home port of Xevious is considered the console's first killer app, which caused system sales to jump by nearly 2 million units.^{[26] [27]}
• Computer Gaming World stated that The Legend of Zelda on the Nintendo Entertainment System, Phantasy Star II on the Sega Genesis, and Far East of Eden for the NEC TurboGrafx-16 were killer apps for their consoles.^[28]
• The Super Mario, Final Fantasy, and Dragon Quest series were killer apps for Nintendo's Famicom and Super Famicom consoles in Japan.
• John Madden Footballs popularity in 1990 helped the Genesis gain market share against the Super NES in North America.^{[29] [30]}
  • Sonic the Hedgehog, released in 1991, was hailed as a killer app as it revived sales of the three-year-old Genesis.^[31]
  • Mortal Kombat helped pushed the sales of the Genesis due to being uncensored unlike the Nintendo version.^[32]
  • Streets of Rage became a system seller for the Mega Drive/Genesis in the UK.^[33]
• Street Fighter II, originally released for arcades in 1991, became a system-seller for the Super NES when it was ported to the platform in 1992.^[34]
  • Donkey Kong Country for the SNES helped Nintendo's comeback against Sega.^[35]
• Myst and The 7th Guest, both released in 1993, drove adoption of CD-ROM drives for personal computers.^[36]
• Virtua Fighter 2, Nights into Dreams, and Sakura Wars are the killer apps for the Sega Saturn.^{[37] [38] [39]}
  • Euro 96 and Sega Rally Championship are major system-sellers for the Sega Saturn in the United Kingdom, with the latter becoming the fastest selling CD game.^{[40] [41]}
  • Die Hard Arcade and Fighters Megamix boosted the Sega Saturn's sales in the United States.^[42]
• Ridge Racer,^{[43] [44]} Tekken, Wipeout,^{[45] [46]} Tomb Raider,^[47] and Crash Bandicoot^{[48] [49]} are the killer apps for the PlayStation. Tomb Raider was released for the Sega Saturn first and for MS-DOS at the same time, but the games contributed substantially to the original PlayStation's early success. See Blache Fabian & Lauren Fielder and NG Alphas.
  • Final Fantasy VII is another killer app for the PlayStation. Computing Japan magazine said that it was largely responsible for the PlayStation's global installed base increasing 60% from units sold by November 1996 to units sold by May 1997.^[50]
• Super Mario 64 and GoldenEye 007 are the killer apps for the Nintendo 64.^{[51] [52]}
• Virtua Fighter 3, Sonic Adventure, and The House of the Dead 2 are the killer apps for the Dreamcast.^{[53] [54] [55]}
  • NFL 2K is a killer app for the Dreamcast in the United States.^[56]
• Gran Turismo 3 and the Grand Theft Auto games are the killer apps for the PlayStation 2.^[57]
• , Super Smash Bros. Melee, and Super Mario Sunshine are the killer apps for the GameCube.^{[58] [59] [60]}
• and Halo 2 are the killer apps for the Xbox,^[61] and the subsequent series entries became killer apps for the Xbox 360 and Xbox One.^[62]
  • Many video game and technology critics call Xbox Live a more general killer app for the Xbox.^[63]
  • Blue Dragon is a killer app for the Xbox 360 in Japan.^[64]
• Wii Sports is the killer app for the Wii.^[65]
• boosted PlayStation 3 sales.^{[66] [67]}
• Mario Kart 8 is a killer app for the Wii U in the UK.^[68]
• is a killer app for the Nintendo Switch.^{[69] [70] [71]}
• is a killer app for virtual reality headsets,^{[72] [73] [74]} as the first true AAA virtual reality game.^{[75] [76]} Sales of VR headsets such as the Valve Index increased dramatically after its announcement, suggesting users bought the product specifically for the game.^[77]
• Microsoft Flight Simulator was called a killer app for Xbox Game Studios's Xbox Game Pass subscription, and the Xbox Series X/S.^[78]
• Pokémon games are killer apps for Nintendo handhelds, often topping the best-selling charts for whatever system they appear on.

See also

• Disruptive innovation
• Unique selling point
• Vendor lock-in
• Use case

Notes and References

1. Web site: Killer app. Merrian-Webmaster. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. January 14, 2015.
2. Scannell. Ed. OS/2: Waiting for the Killer Applications . InfoWorld . 11 . 8 . 41–45 . InfoWorld Publications . Menlo Park, CA . February 20, 1989 . 0199-6649.
3. Kask . Alex . Revolutionary Products Are Not in the Industry's Near Future . InfoWorld . 11 . 38 . 68 . InfoWorld Publications . Menlo Park, CA . September 18, 1989 . 0199-6649.
4. Dvorak . John . John C. Dvorak . 1989-07-01 . Looking to OS/2 for the next killer app is barking up the wrong tree. Here's where they really come from. . . . 2023-03-25.
5. Web site: killer app . . dictionary.com . 2023-03-26 . Origin of killer app 1985-1990.
6. D.J. Power, A Brief History of Spreadsheets, DSSResources.COM, v3.6, August 30, 2004
7. Apple Charts The Course For IBM . PC Magazine . February 21, 1984 . October 24, 2013 . McMullen, Barbara E. and John F. . 126.
8. The Power of VisiCalc . BYTE . November 1980 . October 18, 2013 . Ramsdell, Robert E . 190–192.
9. VisiCalc: Reason Enough For Owning A Computer . Creative Computing . August 1980 . October 18, 2013 . Green, Doug . 26.
10. Book: Baron, Dennis . Dennis Baron . 2012 . A Better Pencil: Readers, Writers, and the Digital Revolution . . 94 . 9780199914005.
11. Book: Campbell-Kelly, Martin . Martin Campbell-Kelly . 2003-10-02 . The History of Mathematical Tables: From Sumer to Spreadsheets . Oxford . . 328 . 9780191545214.
12. PC compatibility . InfoWorld . February 27, 1984 . January 18, 2015 . Clapp, Doug . 22.
13. . PC Week . May 24, 1988 . 39 . 1.
14. Web site: killer, n.. Oxford University Press. Oxford English Dictionary.
15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeLBQCpCi9c&t=592
16. News: Newton . Cal . Steve Jobs Never Wanted Us to Use Our iPhones Like This . New York Times . January 25, 2019 . June 27, 2020.
17. Pierce . David . Even Steve Jobs Didn't Predict the iPhone Decade . . June 27, 2020.
18. News: BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY; A Free and Simple Computer Link. John . Markoff. December 8, 1993. New York Times.
19. Web site: The Day the Napster Died. Brad King. May 15, 2002. Wired.
20. News: Robinson . Phillip . March 2, 1992 . Next's Giant Step . January 24, 2022.
21. News: Derek. Bourgeois. Score yourself an orchestra. November 1, 2001. The Guardian. May 10, 2011. Many composers bought an Archimedes simply to have access to the program..
22. September 2007. The Definitive Space Invaders. Retro Gamer. Imagine Publishing. 41. 24–33 . April 20, 2011.
23. Star Raiders . BYTE . May 1981 . October 18, 2013 . Williams, Gregg . 106.
24. Eastern Front . Computer Gaming World . November–December 1981 . October 31, 2013 . Greenlaw, Stanley . 29–30 . review.
25. 150 Best Games of All Time . Computer Gaming World . November 1996 . March 25, 2016 . 64–80.
26. 遠藤昭宏 . ユーゲーが贈るファミコン名作ソフト100選 アクション部門 . June 2003 . キルタイムコミュニケーション . ユーゲー . 7 . 6–12 .
27. Web site: Kurokawa . Fumio . ビデオゲームの語り部たち 第4部：石村繁一氏が語るナムコの歴史と創業者・中村雅哉氏の魅力 . . August 24, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190801205701/https://www.4gamer.net/games/999/G999905/20180313040/ . dead . August 1, 2019 . March 17, 2018.
28. Westward Ho! (Toward Japan, That Is) . . November 1990 . November 16, 2013 . Adams, Roe R. III . 83.
29. Web site: The Franchise . ESPN . August 5, 2010 . January 23, 2015 . Hruby, Patrick.
30. Web site: Fahs . Travis . IGN Presents the History of Madden . IGN . August 6, 2008 . March 30, 2009.
31. Web site: The Creation of Sonic The Hedgehog. Gates. James. Culture Trip. May 4, 2018. May 21, 2020.
32. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Web site: Icons - Mortal Kombat - Part 2 . YouTube.
33. News: Sonic, Street Fighter and the 'golden age' of gaming magazines. BBC News. September 4, 2019.
34. Patterson. Eric L.. EGM Feature: The 5 Most Influential Japanese Games Day Four: Street Fighter II. Electronic Gaming Monthly. April 17, 2012. November 3, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20170314064721/http://www.egmnow.com/articles/news/egm-featurethe-5-most-influential-japanese-gamesday-four-street-fighter-ii/. March 14, 2017. dead.
35. News: Sega v Nintendo: Sonic, Mario and the 1990's console war . BBC News . May 12, 2014 .
36. Web site: August 1, 2000. PC Retroview: Myst. IGN. April 21, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20120120054557/http://pc.ign.com/articles/082/082913p1.html. January 20, 2012. dead.
37. Hickman . Sam . Virtua Sell Out!. Sega Saturn Magazine. 3 (January 1996). Emap International Limited. December 15, 1995. 7.
38. Web site: SEGA Central . https://web.archive.org/web/19961220011108/http://www.sega.com/news/releases/prices.html . December 20, 1996 .
39. Web site: Sakura Wars Strikes the Dreamcast. IGN Staff. October 19, 1999. IGN.
40. Tonight We're Going to Party like it's 1996!. Sega Saturn Magazine. 16 . Emap International Limited. February 1997. 10.
41. Sega go to the Top of the Charts!. Sega Saturn Magazine. 5 . Emap International Limited. March 1996. 6.
42. Web site: Sega Online: Buzz (Press Releases) . www.sega.com . January 11, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/19970630063324/http://www.sega.com/buzz/press_releases/june97/pricedrop.html . June 30, 1997 . dead.
43. Stuart. Levy. Ed. Semrad . Rage Racer . Electronic Gaming Monthly. 90. Ziff Davis. January 1997. 112.
44. Web site: Top 25 Games of All Time: Complete List . IGN . January 23, 2002 . January 6, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100504134205/http://uk.psx.ign.com/articles/080/080401p1.html . May 4, 2010 . dmy-all.
45. News: Hickman . Sam . The Thrill of the Chase!. Sega Saturn Magazine. 5. . March 1996. 36. And if there was one game that sold Playstation on launch, it was WipEout.
46. Web site: 20 years of PlayStation: the making of WipEout . Leadbetter . Richard . December 4, 2014 . . Gamer Network . December 11, 2014.
47. Web site: GameSpot's History of Tomb Raider . https://web.archive.org/web/20090306100124/http://www.gamespot.com/features/tombraider_hist/index.html . March 6, 2009 . . Blache, Fabian . Fielder, Lauren . October 31, 2000 . June 1, 2010 . dead.
48. Web site: Crash Bandicoot's Jeans Look Super Realistic in Remastered Trilogy . Kotzer . Zack. December 3, 2016 . Vice. February 24, 2023. Taking the classic 2D platformer 3D in a more literal fashion, jumping around obstacles along zany corridors, the [Crash Bandicoot series] quickly became PlayStation's killer app.'.
49. Book: Jaime Banks . Robert Mejia . Aubrie Adams . 2017 . 100 Greatest Video Game Characters . Rowman & Littlefield . 45 . ...Moreover, Crash was one of the first 3D characters to feature higly expressive facial animations, helping the game to serve as a "killer app" for PlayStation. . 9781442278134.
50. Web site: The Road to PlayStation 5: A CGM Story. Goh . Clement . November 16, 2020 . CGMagazine Online . February 24, 2023 . ...Called Final Fantasy VII, its combination of real-time 3D graphics and rich movie-quality storytelling gave Sony a permanent formula. [...] The PlayStation also found its killer app, selling 10 million copies worldwide and put more systems in households..
51. Web site: Hutchinson . Lee . January 13, 2013 . How I launched 3 consoles (and found true love) at Babbage's store no. 9 . June 20, 2020 . Ars Technica . en-us.
52. The 52 Most Important Video Games of All Time (page 5 of 8) . . April 24, 2007 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100404032903/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/110069/the-52-most-important-video-games-of-all-time-page-5-of-8/ . May 17, 2021 . April 4, 2010.
53. Web site: A Brief History of Dreamcast . March 2, 1999.
54. Web site: Sega Dreamcast at 20: The futuristic games console that came too soon . . November 28, 2018.
55. Web site: SEGA Needs Back on iPhone . May 15, 2009.
56. Sega Rolls On. Next Generation. December 1999. 10.
57. Final Reality . Nicholson, Zy . 11 . September 2001 . 49, 50 . Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine.
58. Web site: The Best Star Wars Games Ever Made . May 21, 2010 .
59. Web site: Super Smash Bros. "Million" in Japan . January 17, 2002.
60. Web site: September 5, 2002 . MARIO DELIVERS! Super Mario Sunshine Launches At Record Pace, Boosts Hardware Sales . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20180829072502/https://www.thefreelibrary.com/MARIO+DELIVERS!+Super+Mario+Sunshine+Launches+At+Record+Pace%2C+Boosts+...-a091071000 . August 29, 2018 . December 11, 2017 . Business Wire.
61. Craig Glenday, ed (March 11, 2008). "Hardware History II". Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008. Guinness World Records. Guinness. p. 27. .
62. News: Why 'Halo: The Master Chief Collection' Will Save the Xbox One -- The Motley Fool. Sun. Leo. December 15, 2016. The Motley Fool. December 15, 2016.
63. Book: Vintage Game Consoles . Loguidice . Bill . Barton . Matt . February 24, 2014 . CRC Press . 9781135006501 . June 3, 2020.
64. Web site: Video Game News & Reviews. https://web.archive.org/web/20071223054506/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/07/blue-dragon-sets-japan-ablaze/ . December 23, 2007 .
65. 2007's Ten Burning Questions, Answered . Wired . Kohler . Chris.
66. Web site: Nearly 500,000 for Metal Gear Solid 4 in Japan. John. Tanaka. June 17, 2008. IGN.
67. Book: Kent, Steven L. . Steven L. Kent . 2021 . The Ultimate History of Video Games, Volume 2: Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, and the Billion-Dollar Battle to Shape Modern Gaming . 2nd. Crown Publishing Group. 408-410. 9781984825445.
68. Web site: Mario Kart 8 boosts UK Wii U hardware sales 666% - CVG US . https://web.archive.org/web/20140602175424/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/465552/mario-kart-8-boosts-uk-wii-u-hardware-sales-666/ . June 2, 2014 .
69. News: Craddock . Ryan . Anniversary: Nintendo Switch Launched Four Years Ago Today . April 18, 2021 . . March 3, 2021.
70. News: Lawver . Bryan . All 17 Legend of Zelda games, ranked from worst to best . April 18, 2021 . . 2021.
71. News: Jones . Camden . Why Breath Of The Wild Fans Will LOVE A Short Hike . April 18, 2021 . . August 20, 2020.
72. Web site: McKeand . Kirk . Half-Life: Alyx review - VR's killer app is a key component in the Half-Life story . VG247 . March 24, 2020 . March 23, 2020.
73. Web site: Carbotte . Kevin . Half-Life: Alyx Gameplay Review: (Almost) Every VR Headset Tested . Tom's Hardware . March 23, 2020 . March 24, 2020.
74. Web site: Robinson . Andrew . Review: Half-Life Alyx is VR's stunning killer app . VGC . March 24, 2020 . March 23, 2020.
75. Web site: Oloman . Jordan . Half-Life: Alyx is a watershed moment for virtual reality TechRadar . www.techradar.com. March 23, 2020 .
76. Web site: CES 2020: Teslasuit Will Unveil New Haptic VR Gloves . Tech Times . December 27, 2019.
77. Parlock, Joe (December 9, 2019). "The Valve Index VR Headset Sells Out Before Christmas Thanks To 'Half-Life: Alyx'", Forbes. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
78. Web site: Microsoft Flight Simulator review: The killer app. August 17, 2020.