ABSTRACT The ecosystem of software platforms is emerging as a dominant model for software-based services. Following the trend of open innovation, platforms extend product boundaries by encouraging many complementary apps to join them and organize an innovation ecosystem to satisfy the needs of heterogeneous users. In such innovation ecosystems, apps update and evolve continuously. Considering the ubiquitous nature of software updates, scholars have examined the impact of updates on the diffusion and market performance of focal software. However, few studies examined the moderators for the effectiveness of update speed. Apps, like organisms, do not exist in a vacuum. The success of one app depends not just on its own efforts but also on its interaction with other innovations in the ecosystem. Informed by the ecology theories, this study theorizes how the effectiveness of app update speed is influenced by ecological factors. Using longitudinal data about apps in a browser platform, we obtain several important insights. First, update speed has a significant positive effect on app performance. Second, frequent platform update and intraspecific competition weaken the effectiveness of update speed. Third, interspecific mutualism and developer capability strengthen the effectiveness of update speed. This study contributes by advancing the overall understanding of value software updates as well as providing novel insights about the interdependence in innovation ecosystems.

中文翻译：

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适者生存：了解软件平台生态系统中更新速度的有效性

摘要 软件平台生态系统正在成为基于软件的服务的主导模型。平台顺应开放创新的趋势，通过鼓励众多互补的应用程序加入并组织创新生态系统来满足异构用户的需求，从而扩展产品边界。在这样的创新生态系统中，应用程序不断更新和发展。考虑到软件更新无处不在的特性，学者们研究了更新对焦点软件的传播和市场表现的影响。然而，很少有研究检查调节器更新速度的有效性。应用程序，就像有机体一样，不是凭空存在的。一款应用的成功不仅取决于其自身的努力，还取决于它与生态系统中其他创新的互动。根据生态学理论，本研究对生态因素如何影响应用程序更新速度的有效性进行了理论分析。使用有关浏览器平台中应用程序的纵向数据，我们获得了几个重要的见解。首先，更新速度对应用性能有显着的积极影响。其次，频繁的平台更新和种内竞争削弱了更新速度的有效性。第三，种间共生和开发者能力增强了更新速度的有效性。这项研究有助于促进对价值软件更新的整体理解，并提供有关创新生态系统相互依赖的新见解。更新速度对应用程序性能有显着的积极影响。其次，频繁的平台更新和种内竞争削弱了更新速度的有效性。第三，种间共生和开发者能力增强了更新速度的有效性。这项研究有助于促进对价值软件更新的整体理解，并提供有关创新生态系统相互依赖的新见解。更新速度对应用程序性能有显着的积极影响。其次，频繁的平台更新和种内竞争削弱了更新速度的有效性。第三，种间共生和开发者能力增强了更新速度的有效性。这项研究有助于促进对价值软件更新的整体理解，并提供有关创新生态系统相互依赖的新见解。