Apple debuted the first episode of its reality series Planet of the Apps last week and followed it up with episode two this week. When first announced, the show was met with a wide variety of responses, with some criticizing the concept of the show and others saying reality TV isn’t where Apple should be directing its attention.

Now that the first two episodes are available, what are your thoughts on Planet of the Apps?

Planet of the Apps is essentially a show much like Shark Tank or Dragon’s Den and focuses on app developers and entrepreneurs pitching their ideas to a panel of potential partners. In the case of Planet of the Apps, the panel consists of Will.i.am, Gwyneth Paltrow, Gary Vaynerchuk, and Jessica Alba.

If the developer secures a partnership with one of the panelists, they have direct access to their help and resources, but the real test comes with a pitch to Lightspeed Ventures, a venture capital firm looking to invest in startups. The pitch to Lightspeed occurs six weeks after the initial pitch to Alba, Vaynerchuk, Will.i.am, and Paltrow, so the developer and celebrity partner have time to make adjustments and improvements to the application.

Thus far on Planet of the Apps, a few different ideas have been featured. For instance, an AR-based app called “Pair” was featured, which allows users to visualize how furniture might look in their home before purchasing it. Other featured apps include “Companion,” which aims to increase safety while walking alone, “Tracks Battle Squad,” a social fitness app, and more.

  • Companion: Mobile Personal Safety
  • Pair – Brin the showroom to your home
  • Dote – The Mobile Mall
  • Tracks Battle Squad
  • Twist – Live events with a dating Twist
  • Walc
  • Skootch: The Word Game
  • SILO – Focus and Study Timer to Boost Productivity

After watching the first two episodes of Planet of the Apps, I’m actually pretty impressed. To me, it’s a more tech-heavy version of Shark Tank without cheesy QVC products. My biggest complaint thus far would be that some of the panelists aren’t necessarily tech-focused putting some apps out of their wheelhouse of expertise. Nevertheless, it’s definitely a show I’ll keep watching.

What do you think of Planet of the Apps thus far? Let us know in the comments and poll.