Apple's App Store beats competition according to ABI

The tech analysts at ABI Research have named Apple's App Store the top overall app marketplace, beating out competitors Google and Microsoft. As Macworld reports, ABI's ranking takes into account two different scores, which the company calls "Implementation," and "Innovations." Apple's digital storefront scored 80.8 out of 100, while Google came in second with 72.2, and Microsoft in third with 63.9.

However, while Apple came out ahead in the overall ranking, Microsoft takes the crown in the individual Innovations category. Based on factors such as quality control and ease of use, Microsoft scored 77 out of 100, while Apple scored 76.

The Implementation category is based on measurable figures like market share, revenue, and total apps. ABI didn't reveal the individual scores for this portion of the study, but with these factors in mind -- and the fact that Apple was in second place in the Innovations category -- it appears that Cupertino made up plenty of ground with its Implementation score.