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Why you should (not) create a mobile app

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Re: Why you should (not) create a mobile app

#11

Post by programminggeek »

You could probably apply much of this logic to building a webapp or native app for that matter. The rules all apply everywhere, it is just a matter of how mature the market is.

Mobile is still new. Tablet is VERY new. Motion/kinect is basically nonexistant. So, understanding where the market is should change the way you target it.

Launching an app on the app store is probably akin to launching a blog in 2002-2005. There was competition, but it was still relatively little compared to now, but there was still enough competition that you had to hustle to get noticed. Launch a blog now and nobody cares. You have to make them care.

If you think pushing an app is hard now, wait 5 years.

Re: Why you should (not) create a mobile app

#12

Post by ZaneClaes »

benburton wrote: post #10

Is it difficult to have PHP display a splash page for 500 errors?

=\ I've been talking to HostGator support for 30 minutes and all I've managed to get from them is "500 errors are caused by too many processes running at once." Wow, thanks HG for that little gem right there. Sigh.

Re: Why you should (not) create a mobile app

#13

Post by codebot »

ZaneClaes wrote: post #9
shareme wrote: post #8

unfortunately the data out there contradicts this.. 1. For some reason people like to download apps for their mobile devices..some is social, etc. 2. While not getting rich, but several thousands per month is nothing to discount or ignore at this time. 3. Its not the idea, but people, execution, MARKETING, etc.

1) Sure. But they want good apps that do something useful. So what's your point? 2) I can state for a fact that the vast majority of the apps do not make more than $100 per month, both from my own experience and talking to other developers and to large companies. Pareto's principle at work. 3) That's exactly what I said in the article...

I think there is a big difference between a business paying an iOS developer $100-200 an hour to make an app and a software developer releasing an app in their spare time. I'm in the process of doing the latter. I've got an idea for an app which I believe is new and original and I hope I make more than $100 a month. Really, I'm hoping for 1000 sales a month in the first few months but that might be overly optimistic.

I'd be fine with $100 a month though. Really, as long as I make $100-200 overall I will recoup my original investment and have learned a valuable professional skill.

I think marketing is going to be a problem. Becoming lost in the appstore seems like it could be an issue.

Re: Why you should (not) create a mobile app

#14

Post by thwarted »

benburton wrote: post #10

Is it difficult to have PHP display a splash page for 500 errors?

The server displays the error pages, not PHP. Its not that hard to customize, and you can have a script do it, but once the misconfiguration page is being shown, your configuration is screwed up anyway. This kind of error usually results from your script not interfacing with the server correctly (like not sending the response code in the right format).

Re: Why you should (not) create a mobile app

#15

Post by dhbanes »

ZaneClaes wrote: post #12
benburton wrote: post #10

Is it difficult to have PHP display a splash page for 500 errors?

=\ I've been talking to HostGator support for 30 minutes and all I've managed to get from them is "500 errors are caused by too many processes running at once." Wow, thanks HG for that little gem right there. Sigh.

http://www.linode.com/index.cfm

Re: Why you should (not) create a mobile app

#16

Post by salbright »

programminggeek wrote: post #11

You could probably apply much of this logic to building a webapp or native app for that matter. The rules all apply everywhere, it is just a matter of how mature the market is. Mobile is still new. Tablet is VERY new. Motion/kinect is basically nonexistant. So, understanding where the market is should change the way you target it. Launching an app on the app store is probably akin to launching a blog in 2002-2005. Th…

Good article.

While I don't follow the app market that closely, it seems as if all of the new apps I see aim to enhance very specific functions of human life. Five years from now, with a mature market, seemingly just about every moment of my day could be enhanced by the use of a mobile application.

When this time comes, how am I suppose to organize and manage all of these applications? I have enough going on in my life without having 500 different applications to manage. Are any companies working toward aggregating related applications to create "definitive" applications?

For example, I play guitar. I don't want to have 50 different apps for tuning, techniques, music theory, etc. I just want a single "definitive guitar app" that covers everything. The same principle could be applied to daily functions across the board.

Who's doing this?

Re: Why you should (not) create a mobile app

#17

Post by dpcan »

Agreed, when I am approached to create a game or app for someone the idea is just dead on arrival. The worst part is, the people coming to me are friends, and it's terribly hard when I have to break their hearts. Usually it's not me being mean, it's me saying, hey, let's go to the App Store and see what else is out there like this - and usually, there are 10 pages of similar apps that nobody has ever downloaded.

People have game ideas all the time too - but they want to make MONEY with their game, and to do that, you need a strategy more than just a concept.

Re: Why you should (not) create a mobile app

#18

Post by rumblestrut »

ZaneClaes wrote: post #12
benburton wrote: post #10

Is it difficult to have PHP display a splash page for 500 errors?

=\ I've been talking to HostGator support for 30 minutes and all I've managed to get from them is "500 errors are caused by too many processes running at once." Wow, thanks HG for that little gem right there. Sigh.

Presuming you're using WordPress, this will help: http://thingsthatarebrown.com/blog/2010/05/dont-get-fireball...

Re: Why you should (not) create a mobile app

#19

Post by ZaneClaes »

codebot wrote: post #13
ZaneClaes wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1) Sure. But they want good apps that do something useful. So what's your point? 2) I can state for a fact that the vast majority of the apps do not make more than $100 per month, both from my own experience and talking to other developers and to large companies. Pareto's principle at work. 3) That's exactly what I said in the article...

I think there is a big difference between a business paying an iOS developer $100-200 an hour to make an app and a software developer releasing an app in their spare time. I'm in the process of doing the latter. I've got an idea for an app which I believe is new and original and I hope I make more than $100 a month. Really, I'm hoping for 1000 sales a month in the first few months but that might be overly optimistic.…

True, and yes, marketing is always a problem. If you need any help, feel free to contact me through the site or by leaving a comment there.
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