  Open Radio Access Networks (RAN) offer diverse economic opportunities. A
transition to a flexible, modular approach within the disaggregated RAN
framework is crucial, involving careful planning of RAN architecture and the
deployment of specialized software applications. Collaboration across sectors
is essential for efficiency and reliability, with the open-source community
driving innovation. This paper explores challenges for third-party application
developers in Open RAN. It provides a comparative analysis of solutions,
focusing on xApp development and implementation. Challenges arise in two areas:
the complexities of xApp development, particularly for advanced use cases like
beam management, and issues in low-level software implementation within open
platforms. In conclusion, key challenges must promote academia-industry
collaboration in Open RAN. This paper shares early lessons from xApp
development, guiding the field's evolution.
