Show HN – Apptimize: A/B testing for native Android, iOS apps • Hacker News Board

Re: Show HN – Apptimize: A/B testing for native Android, iOS apps

#21

Post by nancyhua » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 4:30 PM UTC

tjbiddle wrote: post #17

jorlow wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you register (takes 2 seconds) there's an example project where you can see the integration steps with the exact code you need to paste in. You're right though, we should definitely add examples to the main site.

I'd recommend not forcing people to register to see generic information like this - I know HN is biased towards "Connect with Facebook to login", I would assume most are also biased towards registering to see content - I know I am.

Ok you guys are right. We're adding this to our site right now.

Re: Show HN – Apptimize: A/B testing for native Android, iOS apps

#22

Post by Rezo » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 4:35 PM UTC

huhtenberg wrote: post #18

I've got some karma points to burn, so here comes something. A list of your clients would be nice to see. So that I'd know to never install any of their apps. I hate apps that phone home. I hate apps that phone to some random analytics companies even more. I don't like companies that enable, entice and profit from this sort of behavior, a behavior that every single user would opt out from if they were asked upfront .…

How does the anonymous gathering of statistics harm you? As an app developer, this data allows me to measurably improve my apps.

I have several free (no ads either) apps in the Android market, and even in the most trivial of apps I will include Google Analytics to receive crash reports, see what screens are most popular (so I can improve my apps where it matters most), where the app is being used (for some reason one of my apps was really popular in France, I then added a French translation and the adoption really took off), what devices are most/least popular etc. If I add a new feature, I want to know if its being used or if I wasted my time, if I need to improve the discoverability of the feature etc.

Last but not least, the usage data is really motivating to me as a developer of free apps. If I release an app, and I see it being used daily, that makes me happy and motives me to keep updating it.

As far as I know, the GA data is anonymous and only shown to the developer in aggregates.

Re: Show HN – Apptimize: A/B testing for native Android, iOS apps

#23

Post by jayxni » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 5:07 PM UTC

Great team working on Apptimize! Will definitely try it for our mobile app when we make that transition from web.

Re: Show HN – Apptimize: A/B testing for native Android, iOS apps

#24

Post by gailees » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 5:14 PM UTC

Do people actually do A/B testing on iOS apps? I feel like the two-week development cycle really hinders your ability to conduct valuable A/B tests with your users in time to actually make any change.

Re: Show HN – Apptimize: A/B testing for native Android, iOS apps

#25

Post by gailees » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 5:15 PM UTC

nancyhua wrote: post #21

tjbiddle wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd recommend not forcing people to register to see generic information like this - I know HN is biased towards "Connect with Facebook to login", I would assume most are also biased towards registering to see content - I know I am.

Ok you guys are right. We're adding this to our site right now.

Thanks :)

Re: Show HN – Apptimize: A/B testing for native Android, iOS apps

#26

Post by gailees » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 5:16 PM UTC

huhtenberg wrote: post #18

I've got some karma points to burn, so here comes something. A list of your clients would be nice to see. So that I'd know to never install any of their apps. I hate apps that phone home. I hate apps that phone to some random analytics companies even more. I don't like companies that enable, entice and profit from this sort of behavior, a behavior that every single user would opt out from if they were asked upfront .…

Seriously? How do you feel about A/B testing on websites?

Re: Show HN – Apptimize: A/B testing for native Android, iOS apps

#27

Post by lobotryas » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 5:16 PM UTC

Rezo wrote: post #22

huhtenberg wrote: post #18

I've got some karma points to burn, so here comes something. A list of your clients would be nice to see. So that I'd know to never install any of their apps. I hate apps that phone home. I hate apps that phone to some random analytics companies even more. I don't like companies that enable, entice and profit from this sort of behavior, a behavior that every single user would opt out from if they were asked upfront .…

How does the anonymous gathering of statistics harm you? As an app developer, this data allows me to measurably improve my apps. I have several free (no ads either) apps in the Android market, and even in the most trivial of apps I will include Google Analytics to receive crash reports, see what screens are most popular (so I can improve my apps where it matters most), where the app is being used (for some reason one…

I agree with you 100%. What it ultimately boils down to is the need for feedback.

Publishing an app is a conversation with your users instead of throwing a message in a bottle into the ocean. You need all kinds of data and metrics not only to see how well your business is doing, but also how you can help users have a better experience with your app. For better or worse, until telepathic feedback is invented, phone-home is all we have.

Re: Show HN – Apptimize: A/B testing for native Android, iOS apps

#28

Post by nileshtrivedi » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 5:31 PM UTC

gailees wrote: post #26

huhtenberg wrote: post #18

I've got some karma points to burn, so here comes something. A list of your clients would be nice to see. So that I'd know to never install any of their apps. I hate apps that phone home. I hate apps that phone to some random analytics companies even more. I don't like companies that enable, entice and profit from this sort of behavior, a behavior that every single user would opt out from if they were asked upfront .…

Seriously? How do you feel about A/B testing on websites?

He may have simply blocked all third party cookies and javascripts so it may not be a big deal to him.

Re: Show HN – Apptimize: A/B testing for native Android, iOS apps

#29

Post by nancyhua » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 5:33 PM UTC

gailees wrote: post #24

Do people actually do A/B testing on iOS apps? I feel like the two-week development cycle really hinders your ability to conduct valuable A/B tests with your users in time to actually make any change.

You're right the app store is a barrier but people still do it. That's one of the advantages of our product, that you can start and stop experiments so you can put in as many variations as you want. Currently people just suffer through the really slow time frame.

Re: Show HN – Apptimize: A/B testing for native Android, iOS apps

#30

Post by nileshtrivedi » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 5:33 PM UTC

Rezo wrote: post #22

huhtenberg wrote: post #18

I've got some karma points to burn, so here comes something. A list of your clients would be nice to see. So that I'd know to never install any of their apps. I hate apps that phone home. I hate apps that phone to some random analytics companies even more. I don't like companies that enable, entice and profit from this sort of behavior, a behavior that every single user would opt out from if they were asked upfront .…

How does the anonymous gathering of statistics harm you? As an app developer, this data allows me to measurably improve my apps. I have several free (no ads either) apps in the Android market, and even in the most trivial of apps I will include Google Analytics to receive crash reports, see what screens are most popular (so I can improve my apps where it matters most), where the app is being used (for some reason one…

If he is using your app, it implies that he somewhat trusts you. I think it's Google that he doesn't trust. Using an app shouldn't require trusting a third party with personal behavior data.