Canada: America’s mobile app guinea pig? Yes, please…

What is this Hulu you speak of, eh?We don’t get Hulu. Or Spotify. Or Pandora. Our version of Netflix sucks.

Yep, when it comes to technology, we seem to get the short end of the stick here in Canada, at least compared to our neighbours to the south.

But according to one expert, that is about to change.

Doug Renert, co-founding partner of Silicon Valley accelerator fund Tandem Capital, has noticed a peculiar trend that may help warm our icy digital ghetto. Renert, in an article for VentureBeat today, says Canada has become ” America’s mobile app guinea pig”.

Renert says the trend began with smaller companies, such as Tandem portfolio company Bash Gaming, who soft-launched a casino game here, then spent several weeks optimizing it for a more broad-based launch. The game eventually became a top seller. This method was noticed by larger companies such as Nintendo, who launched the Wii Mini earlier this month in Canada.

Canada’s population and proximity make it a perfect testing ground, explains Renert:

“With 10 percent of America’s population, Canada provides a risk-free test market. Competitors and the media likely won’t get wind of failed launches or top performers in the mobile app stores of the Great (but relatively quiet) White North. And developers and marketers can tune apps to their hearts’ content until everything is primed for a successful launch in the “Promised Land” of red, white and blue.”

Renert says he can’t help but be a bit jealous of Canadians, who are now getting first crack at all the new toys.

So how will Canadians feel about this? Well, considering there is still no hockey to pass the time, I, for one, welcome our new mobile app overlords.

You can view Renert’s article here.

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