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Google launches .app domains with built in HTTPS

In 2015, Google spent $25 million to secure exclusive rights to .app domains. At the time, a number of concerns were voiced regarding Google’s handling of this ownership, considering the breadth and exponential relevance of the .app domain within the digital tech industry. Three years of careful preparation later, Google has officially launched the .app domain name, and any worries that once existed have been effectively quelled.

As of May 8^th, 2018 individuals and companies alike can purchase the majority of .app domain names for a modest $12-$14 per year, which is exciting news for those interested in application development for several reasons. Firstly, an .app domain inherently improves the marketability of an application-based company by clearly distinguishing its services as concerning a specific app, so visitors can better identify and remember the service in question. But the utility of an .app domain doesn’t end there – Google has also designed these domains to include built-in SSL protection, meaning that any website registered with .app benefits from added cybersecurity in the form of automatic digital encryption, which helps ward off potential threats such as bugs and hackers, all at no extra cost.

This security bonus is also relevant within the sphere of Search Engine Optimization, as Google has been confirmed to give preference to websites beginning with HTTPS (an indicator of SSL protection) in comparison to just HTTP. Considering the scope and affordability of the aforementioned benefits, Google’s new .app domains are an absolute no-brainer for any and all involved in the world of digital applications, because as Google’s ventures tend to do, the .app domain may very well redefine the way apps are marketed and shared across the web.