Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Part-time apps developers getting rich

9to5mac.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 54 posts

Re: Part-time apps developers getting rich

#11

Post by ashu »

DenisM wrote: post #4

You can always find someone who does well and make a news article out of it. I didn't do nearly as well. :) My take on it is that you can succeed in the following ways: 1. Have an already established brand in other platforms 2. Be first in some area (too late now) 3. Somehow establish critical mass of users to have a lot of reviews/downloads. Lot's of reviews - top ratings - lts of eyeballs. 4. Have an app that peopl…

2. Be first in some area (too late now)

I don't think that will be true. Ever. You can always innovate.There are always new things to do. Or old things to do in new ways. Or so says the idealist in me.

But your other points are really good, especially the marketing one. Just making a very solid app isn't good enough for the iPhone platform. You need a carefully thought out marketing strategy.

Edit: I guess the marketing part is true about everything you do.

Re: Part-time apps developers getting rich

#14

Post by ibsulon »

felideon wrote: post #13
icey wrote: post #10

I'm still waiting to see the first iPhone mmog.

You mean Aurora Feint? http://www.aurorafeint.com/ http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2008/07/iphone_apps_we_like_aurora...

I like aurora, but unless there's something since I last updated it's just a mediocre bejeweled clone right now.

Re: Part-time apps developers getting rich

#15

Post by 13ren »

The developer gets 5.99/4.2 = 70% of revenue. A sensational deal, if you can concentrate on the non-admin (i.e. interesting/real) stuff.

If software writers are "authors", then it makes sense to have a "publisher". Surely there's a reason this hasn't taken off before...

Re: Part-time apps developers getting rich

#17

Post by icey »

felideon wrote: post #13
icey wrote: post #10

I'm still waiting to see the first iPhone mmog.

You mean Aurora Feint? http://www.aurorafeint.com/ http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2008/07/iphone_apps_we_like_aurora...

Maybe it's just me, but that seems about as much an MMO as online checkers.

Re: Part-time apps developers getting rich

#18

Post by axod »

chris_l wrote: post #5
aditya wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think it's a question of which apps are still missing. The iPhone platform (to abuse a much abused word) is pretty much in the same spot as the Facebook one was last year. This means that even though the early apps will have a definite advantage, there will always be an opportunity to make a 'better' tip calculator (contrived example) and new opportunities will open up as the platform matures. IMHO, iPhone ap…

Thanks, that sounds interesting. > like mass transit directions The problem with that is the (potential) specificity for a town, which dilutes the user numbers. I'm not sure how many I could get here in Munich where I can test it on a daily basis. Any New Yorkers have ideas for how such a service should work for their city?

But the question is, why would you choose to solve that with an iphone app, instead of just a website?

I can see the point in iphone apps that use features you can't get in the browser, like access to gps or the accelerometer etc, but other simple apps seem to be there just because they can be, rather than filling any real need.

Re: Part-time apps developers getting rich

#20

Post by tstegart »

axod wrote: post #18
chris_l wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks, that sounds interesting. > like mass transit directions The problem with that is the (potential) specificity for a town, which dilutes the user numbers. I'm not sure how many I could get here in Munich where I can test it on a daily basis. Any New Yorkers have ideas for how such a service should work for their city?

But the question is, why would you choose to solve that with an iphone app, instead of just a website? I can see the point in iphone apps that use features you can't get in the browser, like access to gps or the accelerometer etc, but other simple apps seem to be there just because they can be, rather than filling any real need.

ironically enough, an iPhone app would probably be more successful. A website would require marketing, but an iPhone App does its own marketing, through its name, icon and the community word of mouth. Plus there are advantages in UI design that could make a native app more helpful in getting the info quicker.
Post reply on HN