Gameloft said that its smartphone and tablet sales increased by 55 percent in the first half of 2010, to represent 30 percent of its total revenue for the period. With the company’s total revenue being EUR76.8 million for the six months, this implies sales of these products were around EUR23 million. In a statement, it said that “the expected launch of approximately twenty smartphone and tablet games during the second half of the year should allow solid sequential growth in the third and fourth quarters of 2011. In the long term, the company appears to be in an ideal position to benefit from the rapid emergence of the digital distribution of video games on mobile phones, tablets, social networks, TVs and consoles.”
Gameloft recently announced an updated portfolio of games for feature phones and handsets, which includes a mix of its in-house brands such as Real Football and Asphalt alongside licensed properties such as Harry Potter, Lego Batman and Where’s Wally?
Earlier this year, Gameloft said that it had passed the 200 million download mark via Apple’s App Store. It has said that it will use a mix of premium, freemium and subscription revenue models for future products, according to the genre of the product. Its Order & Chaos Online game generated US$1 million in revenue during its first 20 days of availability via the App Store, using a mix of up-front purchase and ongoing subscriptions.
[Developers are currently the hottest property in the mobile industry. Tens of developer programs have sprung up, aiming to woo developers. However, besides Apple, Google and perhaps Microsoft, other developer programs have had at best a lukewarm response. Guest author Gyanee Dewnarain investigates what makes developers tick and the faux-pas to avoid.]
Have you been ramping up your developer marketing efforts lately with a view to attracting more developers to your programme? How are your efforts faring? Let’s have a look at what works and what does not.
First and foremost – who to target?
Before you set out on your quest, it is important to know who you are targeting. We have all come across the perennial cliché of a developer as being the unshaven geeky guy with long hair and sandals. This image is outdated: developers nowadays are a rapidly expanding community that includes software engineers (architects, implementers, discoverers, thinkers, inventors) within small, medium and large enterprises, hobbyists or indie developers (working on open source or proprietary software), high school kids aspiring to go to MIT, commissioned developers, brands developing B2C apps, system integrators targeting B2B apps, investors funding mobile development and 100s of start-ups.
Each developer segment has varying goals and incentives and the ways of engaging with them vary too. It pays to do your research first and understand who you are targeting and how to do so. However, irrespective of the segment you are targeting, there are a few key ingredients (so-called hygiene factors) that need to be in place in your developer program for the greatest chances of success. These hygiene factors are covered extensively in VisionMobile’s Developer Economics 2010 and 2011 reports. This post focuses more on developer marketing strategies and tactics.
First Impressions Matter
The first step in a developer marketing program is to create a solid first impression. Developers expect you to invest considerable effort in the way you present your tools, APIs and documentation to them as well as the way you present their applications to your customers. This is a competitive marketplace and if you want to stand any chance of getting noticed, your offering needs to stand out from the other developer programs which are vying for developers’ attention.
It is equally very important that your messaging and your branding are consistent across all your digital assets – website, blog, storefront etc. If your branding and messaging is confused, developers’ confidence in your developer program will erode rapidly.
Developers also have an aversion to long, convoluted, legal terminologies; don’t make them read and sign long T&C’s before they can access any of the exciting stuff (code, APIs, tools and documentation). Second opportunities come seldom in this market.
The “coolness” factor
Developers like cool companies (think slide, smoothie bar, collectable pins) and cool brands and if you appear stuck-up, they will run a mile. If you want to engage with them, you have to think about the image you and your company project – you have to speak their language and dress like them. The language on your website should be simple and straightforward (cut back the marketing blurb).
While more technically inclined, developers still like devices which have mass market appeal (both from the perspective of personal interest and also from the perspective of user reach and revenue generation). Engage with other brands and channels to increase the desirability of your device, your storefront or your cloud platform.
In addition, make sure that your products are able to get developers excited (from the development tools, emulators and documentation through the storefront to the actual devices that you are selling in the market).
Encourage openness and interaction
Do not bind your developers into contracts and NDAs that forbid them from sharing useful hints and tips. Even Apple realised the mistake it was making by preventing discussions amongst its developers and had to retract its NDA three months after the launch of its iPhone developer program. You should encourage your developers to share their experiences, best practices and code snippets by creating places and opportunities for them to meet and interact with each other.
Online forums, blogs, mailing lists (both on your own website and on popular 3rd party fan websites) are must-haves. Such communication amongst developers helps build a sense of community. Developer events are equally de rigueur in any developer program. Your events should ideally favour hands-on code oriented tutorials and workshops as opposed to marketing presentations.
Learn the art of listening
Building communities means extending bridges. The mantra is – communicate, communicate, communicate; whether it’s through one to one e-mails, social media, developer forums or third party developer events. Keep in touch with your most loyal developers, as much as you can, and in a personalised manner. Formulate your message in such a way that you make them feel important; the focus should not be on your company but on them.
The worst thing you can do is have a big developer bash and disappear off the radar for a while. That might have worked a few years back but in the current market, with everyone competing for your developers’ attention, if you do not constantly keep in touch, someone else will snatch your developers away in the blink of an eye.
Honesty is the best policy
Changes to existing APIs and introduction of new APIs are a natural part of software development. However, be as transparent as you can with your developer community. Inform them about the changes that you have made to your APIs and try to have a sensible upgrade path so that there are no rude awakenings. Ensure compatibility with previous versions; this would show that you are respectful of the time and effort that developers are committing to your program. Despite facing a lot of criticism with regards to fragmentation risks across its multiple releases, Google has gone to great lengths toexplain API updates to new Android releases.
Share your vision of the future
Sharing your vision for the future is a critical part of engaging with developers. It is therefore essential that you communicate the rationale behind your business strategies, technology decisions (e.g. moving from native to web) and the future direction of your program very clearly to your developer following. Endeavour to provide your developers with the opportunity to provide their feedback, comments and suggestions. Arguably, developer programs such as BONDI and JIL failed due to their inability to communicate any tangible vision to developers. Unfortunately, WAC seems to be following a similar path.
Favour substance over style
If your platform does not ship; if your tools look good but do not deliver; if your code samples are too difficult to learn and use, your developers will churn to greener pastures. This means:
If you are going down the route of having your own platform, then you have to ensure that the tools that you provide are easy to learn and your programming paradigms enable quick coding and prototyping.
Provide APIs that are rich and that offer developers the opportunity to go the extra mile in creating truly innovative applications. These could include select hardware APIs (that are normally hidden) and in some cases network APIs such as billing, location, user profile etc.
Provide debuggers and emulators that are fast and provide accurate target device mirroring.
Make sure that your development environment includes an app porting framework and solid emulator integration.
Choice is good – provide options for advanced use cases for example both a basic command line text editor and a web based IDE.
Moreover, if you get lethargic and do not constantly look at ways of evolving your tools, being innovative with your business models, and seeking newer markets, boredom is likely to set in and your developers may start looking at other alternatives. Therefore, continuously check how your program is faring against competition. Several operators dismissed Apple and Google for more than 2 years until it was too late to figure out a positioning strategy.
Bridges to developers need constant maintenance
You’ll need to set aside a significant budget to finance various types of seed programs as well as developer competitions. Seed programs include many incentives for developing such as:
Releasing early builds of your platform/ SDK version to developers, both to get feedback about bugs and other issues as well as to give developers lead time to test software or experiment with adding new features.
Commissioning developers to develop apps specifically for your platform or port existing apps from other platforms.
Fast tracking the certification of apps for a select group of your target developers (especially useful when you need to get an app ported from a competitive platform to your own)
Distribution of free reference hardware or commercial devices to your installed base of developers in order to build loyalty.
Show me the money
Many of the developers that you want onboard (especially those with a commercial role) want to see a return on their investment. From the outset, it should be clear in your own mind how your developers are going to make money from their apps and you should communicate this in a very clear manner to them – what are the devices that you support, how many people are using those devices, how do they get their apps on those devices, how do customers find, download and pay for the apps and how, when and how much do developers get paid.
The other thing to note is that developers are smart and discerning consumers who will fact-check you before they can trust you – make sure you have the figures to back your marketing assertions.
One of the critical issues facing developers currently is “discovery” of their apps by customers. The developer programs which come up with the most original ideas to improve discovery and present new business models for increased monetisation are likely to gain traction with the largest number of developers.
Casual settings work better
When socialising with your developers, small informal events work much better than large formal conferences. Make sure that the developers and software engineers from within your company get the opportunity to interact with each and every developer, answering their questions, listening to their issues, encouraging them to interact regularly and share experiences and difficulties. So far, BlueVia has been amongst the operator developer programs that have most successfully embraced this philosophy by holding small developer events in pubs around London.
Jump onto the social bandwagon – Facebook It, Tweet It
Studies show that over 60% of people within the 15-35 age group (and that includes the vast majority of your developers) spend on average 20 hours per month on social networking websites. This is where you are likely to find them and this is the medium they will use to spread the word about you if they like you enough (viral marketing). Social media is where you need to advertise your events, inform developers about the availability of the latest release of your SDK or the latest device you are planning to launch.
Locate your Evangelists
Find out who are the people who believe in your platform – the fans, the early adopters– the people who would be willing to fly the flag for you. Check the people who write favourable blog posts about you, who comment on your blog posts, tweets, participate in your forums and Facebook or LinkedIn discussion groups. Approach them and provide them further incentives to spread the good word.
Developers listen to their fellow developers – therefore, get your early adopter developers to talk about how easy it is to create apps using your APIs and SDKs and how fast it is to certify the apps and get them published.
Reward your successful developers – promote their apps in the media, ask them to come and talk about their success stories at your events; publish their success stories on your website and in your marketing collaterals; encourage them to publish stats about number of downloads and the amount of money they’ve made.
Putting it all together
In summary – decide who you want to target, make sure the hygiene factors are in place, keep your messaging and branding consistent, keep legal blurb to a minimum, be a cool brand, encourage your developers to share experiences and best practices, value feedback from your developers, be transparent about changes to APIs and code, communicate your vision and roadmap, provide high quality tools that are on par with competitive offerings, prepare to invest, show developers the return on their investment, interact frequently with your developers preferably via small informal events and via social networks, locate and draw upon your evangelists and last but not least, reward your successful developers. Many have tried and many have failed over the years. Sometimes, a few decisions can make or break your program. Be quick to learn both from the failures and the success stories!
So many mobile applications are being developed—especially for Apple‘s iPhone—that deserving apps are languishing unnoticed in the App Store, according to app developers who gathered in Chicago Thursday.
“Discoverability is a big problem in the App Store,” said Ashish Rangnekar of Benchprep, a Chicago startup whose app helps students study for admissions exams like the SAT and GRE.
“There are a million apps now. What is becoming a problem is not building the greatest app ever but making sure the customer finds the app you’ve built.”
Rangnekar was one of about 25 mobile technology developers who gathered in a Chicago skyscraper at a meeting sponsored by eFactor, a social network for entrepreneurs. Because of the number of apps now available in the App Store, Rangnekar said, an app’s name, icon, and screenshots may be more immediately important to sales than its content or performance.
My colleague Brian Caulfield reported earlier this month on Apple’s announcement that it had sold 15 billion copies of the 425,000 apps developed for iPhone and iPad (and more recently for Macs):
Which is why the app store is packed with more software than you can possibly use — and it’s only going to get more packed in the years ahead. It’s Apple’s response to competitors who are flooding the marketplace with scores of variations on the touch-screen, media-friendly phone it first introduced four years ago.
Apple can’t fight them all with hardware, but it can do a little spamming of its own with software.
via With 15 Billion Apps Served, Apple Is Just Getting Started – Brian Caulfield – Shiny Objects – Forbes.
It’s a lesson Apple learned from Microsoft, no doubt, in the 1990s, but Apple isn’t responsible for developing every app in this avalanche, individual developers are, and the “spam” of apps, as Brian calls it, is becoming a headache for many of them.
Rangnekar advised app developers to “be smart about picking icons and names” and urged them to:
Focus on optimizing results when potential customers search the App Store, using search engine optimization techniques and careful messaging in the brief text allotted to each app
Within the app, develop features, hooks, and tools that create buzz in the media
Elsewhere, try to generate news, particularly from popular bloggers and industry newsletters on topics relevant to your app.
Benchprep tried many other common ways of popularizing its app, such as advertising on Google and cultivating user reviews, but found it’s most important to get noticed in the App Store.
iPad Goads Apple Further Beyond Android in App Development, Developers Say
Most of the developers who gathered in Chicago Thursday offer cross-platform apps, but they agreed Apple has vastly increased its dominance of the mobile technology software market.
The iPhone is the most important device to app developers right now, said Carson Conant of Mediafly.
‘I think the iPad was the killer,” said Kilton Hopkins of the App House, which helps people develop ideas into Apps.
Others said the expect Android to catch up and that Apple and Android will dominate the mobile market for years to come.
Growth in US software patent lawsuits means independent developers are turning away from it as a place to do business – as Indian software company sends warning to tech giants (updated)
British app developers are withdrawing products from US app stores because of fears over patent lawsuits. Photograph: Sergey Ponomarev/AP
App developers are withdrawing their products for sale from the US versions of Apple’s App Store and Google’s Android Market for fear of being sued by companies which own software patents – just as a Mumbai-based company has made a wide-ranging claim against Microsoft, Apple, Google, Yahoo and a number of other companies over Twitter-style feeds, for which it claims it has applied for a patent.
Software patent owners in the US have latched onto potential revenue streams to be earned from independent developers by suing over perceived infringements of their intellectual property – which can be expensive for developers to defend even if they are successful.
Now developers in Europe are retreating from the US to avoid the expense and concern such “patent trolls” are causing.
Simon Maddox, a UK developer, has removed all his apps from US app stores on both iOS and Android for fear of being sued by Lodsys, a company which has already sued a number of iOS and Android developers which it says infringe its software patent.
Simon Maddox vents his opinion of Lodsys on TwitterShaun Austin, another app developer based in Cheltenham, said that “selling software in the US has already reached the non-viable tipping point”.
And Fraser Speirs, a Scottish developer who has written apps for the Mac and iOS, remarked that he was “starting to get seriously concerned about my future as a software developer due to these patent issues”.
The growth of patent lawsuits over apps raises serious issues for all the emerging smartphone platforms, because none of the principal companies involved – Apple, Google or Microsoft – can guarantee to protect developers from them. Even when the mobile OS developer has signed a patent licence – as Apple has with at least one company currently pursuing patent lawsuits – it is not clear that it has any legal standing to defend developers.
That has led developers to take evasive action. On Wednesday Maddoxtweeted that he was removing his apps from US app stores and putting 0.575% of total revenue into a spare bank account. “Screw you, Lodsys”, he commented.
He told the Guardian that it’s “far too dangerous to do business” in the US because of the risk of software patent lawsuits.
But for US-based developers, the problems remain. Craig Hockenberry of Iconfactory, developer of Twitterrific, remarked that “Just when you think things couldn’t get any worse, they do and tweeted that “I became an independent developer to control my own destiny. I no longer do”. Iconfactory is among those being targeted by Lodsys, but earlier this week was granted a 30-day extension to reply to Lodsys’s claim.
Meawhile Kootol Software of Mumbai announced that it has sent a notice to Microsoft, Apple, Yahoo, Google, IBM, Research in Motion, LinkedIn, MySpace, Research in Motion and a number of other companies – including Iconfactory – claiming that they infringe US patent application 11/995,343 – “A Method and System for Communication, Advertising, Searching, Sharing and Dynamically Providing a Journal Feed” – which it said has also been applied for in India, Canada and Europe.
It says that patent it is seeking is an invention which “allows the user to publish and send messages using one way or two way messaging and by subscribing to posts of other users of a network. By indexing each message of each user the system provides real time search capabilities to users of the network in turn creating a unique form of communication.”
The company claims that it covers core messaging, publication and real-time searching, and that the named companies “may violate [our] intellectual property by using it for their website, networks, applications, services, platforms, operating systems and devices.”
Because the patent has not apparently been granted by the US Patent Office or any other patent office, the warning message may give the companies involved the chance to contact the relevant examiners and have the claim invalidated because “prior art” – implementations which predate the application – already exist, notes Florian Mueller, who has followed the development of the field.
Mobile Streams has announced that it has roped in Huawei for distributing its Appitalism app catalogue in selected regions. The former is a mobile content distributor looking to reach out to Huawei’s network across Asia and the Middle East.
There more than five million apps, songs, books, games and videos that can be accessed using a number of devices like smartphones, tablets, PCs as well as eBook readers, harbored in the Appitalism library. Under the umbrella of the deal, Huawei will have access, in addition to the distribution rights to the Appitalism library.
According to Simon Buckingham, CEO of Mobile Streams, they are optimistic about Huawei’s partnering them in ensuring that their app catalogue is in the hands of Asia’s top mobile operator, poised for widespread distribution in the Middle East – a region which was not previously part of Mobile Streams’ network.
Amazon.com will release a tablet product in the coming months running Google’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android platform, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal, a move that would bring Amazon into closer competition with Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and its iPad.
The report, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, said Amazon will release the as-yet-unnamed product before October. The device will sport a 9-inch display but will not have a camera, and will be designed by an Asian manufacturer. Consumers will be able to use the tablet to access videos, music and digital books they purchase from Amazon, which will allow Amazon to better compete with Apple’s iTunes and iBooks offerings.
It’s unclear if the device will feature built-in wireless connections. Amazon is closely tied to the wireless industry; the company’s first Kindle ereader launched with built-in support for Sprint Nextel’s (NYSE:S) network. ABI Research recently reported that 25 percent of Apple’s iPads in the first quarter shipped with built-in cellular wireless connections.
An Amazon spokesman cold not immediately be reached for comment, the Journal said.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos strongly hinted in May that his company will release a tablet based on Android. In an interview with Consumer Reports, Bezos said to “stay tuned” on the company’s plans for a multipurpose tablet product. He suggested that such a device would supplement but not replace the popular Kindle.
Although there has been some speculation that Amazon might license webOS from Hewlett-Packard, Amazon has given multiple indications this year that it is backing Android. Amazon formally launched its Amazon Appstore for Android in late March, offering consumers a new channel to download applications optimized for Android smartphones and tablets. Shortly after the Appstore launched, Amazon unveiled a cloud-based music service called Cloud Drive that initially targeted Android devices.
Interestingly, the WSJ report also said Amazon will release two updated versions of its popular Kindle electronic reader in the third quarter. One will have a touchscreen display and the other will not, but will be an improved and cheaper version of the current Kindle.
AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) said on Wednesday it will supply mobile broadband service to a $139 Kindle 3G, which will come with AT&T-sponsored ads and screensavers. The regular Kindle 3G will remain $189.
Google (NSDQ: GOOG) has updated the dashboard that tracks all the different installed versions of Android out in the wild, and two things are clear: fragmentation continues to be a problem although things are settling down, and Android tablets are barely on the radar screen.
Every so often Google updates a dashboard that breaks down all known versions of Android running out in the wild so that Android developers can get a more informed look as to where to place their bets. The latest update, as spotted by Android Guys, shows that while Android 2.2 is by far the most dominant version in the wild, later versions 2.3 and 2.4 are gaining steam as people continue to buy new Android phones and older phones slowly receive updated versions.
However, it also shows that most of the people who bought during the huge Android market-share surge in 2010, following the public release of version 2.2 (also known as Froyo), have yet to receive updated software. That’s one of the reasons Google convened a group earlier this year in hopes of figuring out a way to get new software onto Android handsets much faster than currently possible due to a logjam of special interests involving wireless carriers and handset makers.
And unfortunately for Android, it lays bare what we pretty much already knew: the first generation of Android tablets has landed with a thud. Just 0.4 percent of all Android devices in the wild are running Android 3.0, the version designed specifically for tablets. There are slightly more devices running Android 3.1, which Motorola (NYSE: MMI) has rolled out to Xoom customers, but there are more people using Android 1.5—released over two years ago—than people running both tablet versions of Android combined.
App developer Bithack published an open letter criticising Amazon’s Appstore, warning that “if you are a small indie development team, or possibly even alone, don’t bother with Amazon Appstore.” According to the company, which developed a game called Apparatus, problems were encountered from submission until after the app was on sale, with Amazon being unresponsive to comments made. Bithack is now directing potential customers to Android Market, with the promise to refund customers who had already paid for the app from Amazon.
According to a post on its website, Bithack’s woes started at the submission stage, with Amazon criticised for having a “very slow review process.” It was then stated that the app was “completely hidden,” with the Amazon store not having a “just in” section, and the “new releases” category being “identical to the ‘top rated’ section.” Having spoken to Amazon to get the title promoted via a “free app of the day” listing and then an entry into the “hand-picked” popular games category, 180,000 downloads were made – but this number was achieved because Amazon does not filter-out unsuitable devices according to the Manifest file. This, in turn, led to poor reviews from customers who were unable to run the app adequately – if at all.
Unlike Android Market, Amazon Appstore does not provide an easy way to communicate with users, in order to address criticisms – “when a player from Android Market emails me about a bug on his phone, I can have a fix for him published in 30 minutes, ensuring a 4 or 5 star review and a happy customer,” the company said. In addition, there is no way to send dissatisfied customers refunds. In order to post comments or reviews, developers must first purchase the game – an option not open to international developers, due to the fact that Amazon Appstore is currently only available in the US.
Finally, Bithack said that Amazon – without consultation – cut the price of the game. Coupled with poor reviews (including one accusing the app of sending data to an ad server, which the company refuted), “just made things worse, from a psychological perspective.”
A number of observers have been optimistic about the potential of the Amazon Appstore, based largely on the company’s experience of merchandising. However, some observers have noted downsides to Amazon’s developer agreement, including the ability for Amazon to make a number of decisions related to app sales prices.
In May, a pair of reports painted a troublesome portrait of the app economy on Google’s Android Market. First, mobile analytics firm Distimo found that the vast majority of paid applications were downloaded less than 100 times, and a few days later, mobile search firm Chomp reported that 97% of all Android downloads on its service were free apps. For developers, the takeaway was that if you want to generate revenue for your mobile application, you have to think outside the “paid app” box.
However, that’s not always the case. Although it may be a rare example, SPB Software has managed to have a revenue-generating hit on the Android Market with its SPB Shell 3D application, which earned the company $750,000 within its first three weeks of availability.
How could SPB do so well, when so many others are struggling. The answer is deceptively simple.Make an amazing app that people want, price it high and lock it down.
What’s SPB Shell 3D?
For those who don’t know, SPB Shell 3D is what’s known as a homescreen replacement application. This type of customization is hugely popular among Android users who relish the ability to truly personalize their phones in ways their iPhone-toting counterparts cannot. A number of homescreen replacement apps are available on the Market today, including popular programs like LauncherPro,ADWLauncher EX, ADW.Launcher, GO Launcher EX, Regina 3D Launcher, Zeam Launcher and others. Most are offered as free products with premium upgrades available on the side.
SPB Shell 3D went a different route: price the whole program high, and include everything.
So what makes SPB Shell 3D stand out? Well, did I mention it’s awesome? This program offers a 3D homescreen and built-in 3D widgets, smart folders, animated panels and more. It’s fast and frankly, it’s just great eye candy.
Gadget reviewers, who had been waiting for the app’s arrival for a year, tended to agree. SPB Shell 3D received rave reviews - Engadget said it was buttery smooth, AndroidPolice dubbed it “impressive,” and ZDNet said it was “as useful as it is gorgeous.”
It should be noted though, that the app doesn’t run as well on some devices as it does on others. It struggled a little on my Nexus S, but ran well on my HTC Sensation. That may be due to the software’s more recent optimizations for Qualcomm chipsets, but it could also simply be a case where the app just works better on more modern and powerful devices.
Case Study: 50,000 Copies at $750K in 3 Weeks
Of course, the app’s high price turns many potential users away, and you can read the complaints in the user reviews from those who expected more for their money. But for mobile developers, SPB Shell 3D is a case study worth noticing.
Three weeks into its launch, the company sold 50,000 copies of the program, to the tune of $750,000. The app is priced higher than what users typically expect on Android: $14.95. Today, SPB Shell 3D has reached 70,000 downloads.
A key component to the app’s success is the security model it uses. With proprietary technology, the app is locked down to prevent piracy. That’s why the app is listed in Google’s Android Market, but not Amazon’s. The Amazon Appstore for Android doesn’t offer strong enough security, a company spokesperson says.
In addition, the company has a business model that doesn’t force it to rely on paid downloads alone. SPB Software also licenses its technology as a white label product. For example, in Japan, it worked with Fujitsu to create the interface for NTT Docomo’s Regza Phone T-01C. What that means is even if the downloads hit a plateau, the app’s makers don’t necessarily have to lower the price to continue to grow the business – they can just focus on their partnerships.
While the app’s makers may eventually have to cut the price down if they want to grow their B2C install base, there aren’t plans to do so at this time. As an Android user, you may or may not care for the app or its price, but as an Android developer, you can’t help but be a little inspired. Some apps do sell on Android, even when priced outrageously high.
Think your app is ready for prime time? In this quick tutorial you’ll work through a pre-publication checklist. Learn about the tasks you need to complete before your application is ready for the Android Market.
There are a number of hurdles—some mandatory, some optional—that developers must overcome before their apps are ready for users. Today we investigate some of the decision points that must be considered prior to uploading your application. Once you’ve addressed these issues, you’ll be ready to move on to publish at specific venues, like Android Market or the Amazon Appstore for Android.
Step 1: Start with a Solid Application
Really, if you ask any developer what their end-game is for app development, just about every mobile developer will tell you that they just want to create a killer app. But when you ask a developer what makes a killer app, you’ll get lots of different answers—awesome concept, well executed, unique, well marketed, etc.
We like to think killer apps are like fine cuisine. Lots of different techniques can be used to prepare and serve a tasty meal, just as there are many ways to achieve killer app fame. And as any good chef knows, you’ve got to start with good ingredients. With Android, this means that you’ve got to start with a solid app.
Gameloft said that its smartphone and tablet sales increased by 55 percent in the first half of 2010, to represent 30 percent of its total revenue for the period. With the company’s total revenue being EUR76.8 million for the six months, this implies sales of these products were around EUR23 million. In a statement, it said that “the expected launch of approximately twenty smartphone and tablet games during the second half of the year should allow solid sequential growth in the third and fourth quarters of 2011. In the long term, the company appears to be in an ideal position to benefit from the rapid emergence of the digital distribution of video games on mobile phones, tablets, social networks, TVs and consoles.”
Simon Maddox vents his opinion of Lodsys on TwitterShaun Austin, another app developer based in Cheltenham, said that “selling software in the US has already reached the non-viable tipping point”.
Mobile Streams has announced that it has roped in Huawei for distributing its Appitalism app catalogue in selected regions. The former is a mobile content distributor looking to reach out to Huawei’s network across Asia and the Middle East.
Amazon.com will release a tablet product in the coming months running Google’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android platform, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal, a move that would bring Amazon into closer competition with Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and its iPad.
App developer Bithack published an open letter criticising Amazon’s Appstore, warning that “if you are a small indie development team, or possibly even alone, don’t bother with Amazon Appstore.” According to the company, which developed a game called Apparatus, problems were encountered from submission until after the app was on sale, with Amazon being unresponsive to comments made. Bithack is now directing potential customers to Android Market, with the promise to refund customers who had already paid for the app from Amazon.
In May, a pair of reports painted a troublesome portrait of the app economy on Google’s Android Market. First, mobile analytics firm Distimo found that the vast majority of paid applications were downloaded less than 100 times, and a few days later, mobile search firm Chomp reported that 97% of all Android downloads on its service were free apps. For developers, the takeaway was that if you want to generate revenue for your mobile application, you have to think outside the “paid app” box.
Think your app is ready for prime time? In this quick tutorial you’ll work through a pre-publication checklist. Learn about the tasks you need to complete before your application is ready for the Android Market.