Heyzap launches on iPhone as the app discovery game goes social

Most discovery tools make developers their focus, pledging to push games at as wide an audience as possible.

Heyzap, which has launched on iPhone just in time for WWDC 2011, instead makes the gamer its priority, with each user's particular wants and needs catered for by an algorithm that puts both their taste, and that of their friends, right at its heart.

The idea is that Heyzap pushes games that are more likely to appeal to a player's individual likes, rather than simply promoting apps to each and every user at the same time.

Users are encouraged to check-in to any games they play, sharing their habits on both Facebook and Twitter. Such stats are then compiled and delivered as trends, highlighting the titles popular within a user's group of friends.

Rather than simply touting what's in vogue with gamers en masse, Heyzap can promote niche apps that appeal directly to each user's taste – a system it believes benefits both gamers and developers alike.

Though fresh to the App Store, Heyzap has been available on Android since March, and its SDK has already been employed in 10,000 games on Google's OS and 65,000 titles on iOS.

In total, 130 developers have been integrated into its network.

The most savvy element of its set up, however, is the rolling out of a 'mayorship' feature, similar to the approach adopted by location-based tools such as Foursquare.

Players are pushed to compete with their friends to take ownership of a title, encouraging users to engage long past the initial download.

[source: TechCrunch]