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The chances of making a successful mobile app are almost nil

venturebeat.com

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Re: The chances of making a successful mobile app are almost nil

#2
One of the lessons is to move early on new platforms, it's much easier to sell an app in a store with hundreds items than millions and when rank is influenced by sales those early sales really add up. Some of the earliest apps I bought are still listed as top paid apps.

The challenge is choosing the right next platform to bet development resources on... Any recommendations?

Re: The chances of making a successful mobile app are almost nil

#3
post #2

One of the lessons is to move early on new platforms, it's much easier to sell an app in a store with hundreds items than millions and when rank is influenced by sales those early sales really add up. Some of the earliest apps I bought are still listed as top paid apps. The challenge is choosing the right next platform to bet development resources on... Any recommendations?

Every once in a while Apple still gives developers a mini opportunity to be early in a small featured segment of apps. For a while they featured books made with iBooks Author. Now, they're probably going to feature apps with ARKit. Watch apps still seem relatively early...

Re: The chances of making a successful mobile app are almost nil

#4
post #2

One of the lessons is to move early on new platforms, it's much easier to sell an app in a store with hundreds items than millions and when rank is influenced by sales those early sales really add up. Some of the earliest apps I bought are still listed as top paid apps. The challenge is choosing the right next platform to bet development resources on... Any recommendations?

The web!

Re: The chances of making a successful mobile app are almost nil

#5
This was all true 5 years ago. When the App Store was announced, I bought a Mac and learned Obj-C and wrote a few apps. The most successful took off out of nowhere because someone wrote an article about it. It was on the top charts in my category and it paid for my truck, but not enough to retire on. It was a great ride while it lasted. I still get a little residual now and then from it. Maybe enough to buy lunch once a month.

I stopped writing apps probably 5 years ago when the market became super saturated. Like the article says, it's all about marketing. The players with deep pockets dominate and the programming Joe doesn't have a chance in hell anymore.

Re: The chances of making a successful mobile app are almost nil

#7
post #2

One of the lessons is to move early on new platforms, it's much easier to sell an app in a store with hundreds items than millions and when rank is influenced by sales those early sales really add up. Some of the earliest apps I bought are still listed as top paid apps. The challenge is choosing the right next platform to bet development resources on... Any recommendations?

Alexa!

Re: The chances of making a successful mobile app are almost nil

#8
post #2

One of the lessons is to move early on new platforms, it's much easier to sell an app in a store with hundreds items than millions and when rank is influenced by sales those early sales really add up. Some of the earliest apps I bought are still listed as top paid apps. The challenge is choosing the right next platform to bet development resources on... Any recommendations?

AR apps and websites, if you can squeeze yourself in between the behemoths.
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