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report .app/.com cross-zone analysis

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Kate

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In this exercise we are going to compare .app registrations against .com.
The same exercise can be applied to other nTLDs.

Materials needed:
  • .com zone file
  • .app zone file
I used today's zone files.
The counts are as follows:
  • .com: 133051790 unique domains
  • .app: 198097 unique domains
The goal is simple. For every .app domain registered and found in the .app zone file, let's find out if the .com 'counterpart' is registered. For the purpose of this analysis the counterpart means this: domain + 'app' + .com
For example if abc.app is registered, we check if abcapp.com is registered. We could also check if abc.com is registered, as there must be a few domains registered in .app that are available in .com (and other extensions) :xf.wink:

I will spare you with the scripting here, and cut to the chase.
Out of 198097 .app domains, 45876 'counterparts' are found in the .com zone file. That is 23.16%.
The difference is 76.84%. So that means that three quarters of all registered .app domains are not registered in their .com 'equivalents', if only for defensive registration purposes.

In my humble opinion, it is not a good idea to register a nTLD while leaving the .com counterpart unregistered. Why: bleeding traffic, defensive registration etc.

Also, buying something.app when somethingapp.com is not even registered suggests that it is a dubious investment in the first place, because the demand for the combo does not even exist in .com.
Again, just imho.

Besides, the vast majority of registered domain in .app probably don't make sense, and are not really usable for any practical purpose.
 
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The views expressed on this page by users and staff are their own, not those of NamePros.
How do you get a copy of the zone files?
 
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Yes, but you will have to submit dedicated IP addresses in your application. Only those IP addresses will have access.
 
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...the vast majority of registered domain in .app probably don't make sense, and are not really usable for any practical purpose.

Well, if you consider that a TLD has a purpose besides marketing and popularity, you might think otherwise. For .app, having a secure way to enable browser non-ecosystem programs to migrate from the Microsoft desktop to non OS specific devices, it’s a game changer.
 
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For .app, having a secure way to enable browser non-ecosystem programs to migrate from the Microsoft desktop to non OS specific devices, it’s a game changer.

What does that mean exactly? You can do what with these, that you can't do with something else?
 
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What does that mean exactly? You can do what with these, that you can't do with something else?
I think the translation is exe file to web app, with https. The answer is it has nothing to do with .app tld, at all.
 
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What does that mean exactly? You can do what with these, that you can't do with something else?

I think the translation is exe file to web app, with https. The answer is it has nothing to do with .app tld, at all.

Some TLDs will have more of a purpose. For .app, you need to agree that you will use https. Because apps will run on .app. It’s not just about marketing your “app” on .app. TLDs are designed for function, for resource location.
 
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.app its just a new .mobi/.tel ;)
 
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Some TLDs will have more of a purpose. For .app, you need to agree that you will use https. Because apps will run on .app. It’s not just about marketing your “app” on .app. TLDs are designed for function, for resource location.

So no real game changer.
 
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Also, buying something.app when somethingapp.com is not even registered suggests that it is a dubious investment in the first place, because the demand for the combo does not even exist in .com.
Again, just imho.


I agree with this @Kate
 
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Some TLDs will have more of a purpose. For .app, you need to agree that you will use https. Because apps will run on .app. It’s not just about marketing your “app” on .app. TLDs are designed for function, for resource location.
Look at the address bar, there is a https before namepros.com.
 
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So no real game changer.

Hmmm, the reason why Google will not have “conflict of interest” by being the domainate search engine that owns a TLD (.app) that will integrate DNSSEC, HTTPS and other security features is important. What is good for Google is good for the US. Google’s dominance isn’t just a couple of guys from Standford, wake up. Domainers are the grease on the rails. Who profits and who gets run over is a matter of foresight.
 
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That's why spamming is so easy ..... want website development ?
lol. getting those every day. wondered how they knew I registered a name the next day.
 
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Study is useless on the basis that it makes no sense to have brand+app.com when .com was entirely dependent on the brand name.

I own say rewards.app, why would rewardsapp.com be needed when rewards.com is the representation. Most brands or small business would snag the .com for the brand name however now with .app it makes sense to expand to .app and adopt for many more reasons than the main 5 selling points by google.

But by all means Kate keep selling two-three word .coms if they sell like hot cakes for you :) some people have different routes like me that work a lot better. Heck just this past week sold two names that aren’t even domains but act like one within Instagram for more than 75,000 for a total of two names. It’s about understanding businesses and buyers and presenting an opportunity.

Cheers :$
 
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I'm happy that 50% of my .app purchases are also registered in the .com as "domain"app.com
while the other 50% are registered in the "domain".com format.

Sometimes adding app to the end of a domain name makes it unwieldy and that seems to be the ones where is is only represented in the "domain".com format. Where it is a singular word domain, the domainapp.com is registered.

I think this is possibly a part of the reason for the large registration discrepancy between the two and possibly one that warrants further investigation.
 
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Update:
I ran another compare (still using yesterday's files).
Out of 198097 .app domains, 6392 (3.23%) have their exact matches unregistered in .com (*).
By exact match, I mean the left of the dot, this time not including the string 'app'

For example emergingtechjobs.app is registered but emergingtechjobs.com is available.

(*) However this figure is inflated, because some names registered in .app are not available in .com such as single letters or digits, and also some registered .com domains have no name servers and are therefore missing in the zone files. Domains that are on hold (suspended) are also missing in the zone files.

PS: I have observed a good chunk of Dutch domains in the diff, so they might still be registered in .nl.
 
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Thank you for this detailed work. Really useful to get a handle on things like this.
 
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@Kate. Here are my thoughts where we are headed...
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App is a standalone offering. Much like Videos, Maps, Images, News, etc which, has its own search option on Google.com. Currently, the official way to search for Apps is to go into Google Play ( on Phone or desktop) and type the keyword. The results are mostly randomly generated ( many times I see it is auto sorted by highest downloads). There is no structured way the results appear. There is no sorting option. Several apps have the exact same names. Eg: You will find several apps titled 'speed test'.

IMO Google is planning to alter this and give a defined structure to App search results. Frankly, it is long ovedue. Having a .app is the easiest way to resolve this and create a structure.

With security (https) and a structure in place, Apps will be much more safer to use and easy to find.
 
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Sorry, but that makes no sense to me, I don't see the problem that we are trying to solve here, or how .app would help.
What I see clumsy attempts to justify the existence of a TLD.
 
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IMO Google is planning to alter this and give a defined structure to App search results. Frankly, it is long ovedue. Having a .app is the easiest way to resolve this and create a structure.

How are they going to do this when there are no restrictions on who can register the TLD, or on how it can be used?

With security (https) and a structure in place, Apps will be much more safer to use and easy to find.

I've always found apps very easily on the Play Store or the App Store. Those platforms are both safe and easy to use. I don't understand how, as an app user, I'm going to benefit from looking up apps via Google, which will redirect be toward various .app sites, which will in turn redirect me toward the established platforms for downloading apps... Where's the user experience in adding all those extra steps?

In my mind, the .app names make the most sense as a TLD that app developers can use to showcase their skills and portfolios. However, as an app user, I couldn't give two craps about that! Just show me the apps so I can download and use them!

Individual users like you and me drive the app market, and we aren't going to care about .app.
 
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