Marco Arment, the author of Instapaper, put together this fabulous graph: Android tablets and the tablets of other manufacturers (e.g. BlackBerry Playbook) are selling at rates comprable to failed video game systems from the 80s. In other words, you are likely not to get a single new customer by developing a tablet app for a non-iPad platform. Even if the cost … Read More
5 reasons why your app won’t get funded
We’ve talked to dozens of entrepreneurs who are trying to get their ideas funded by outside investment. Of the entrepreneurs we talk to, less than 1% actually secure the funding they need. #1: An investor has thousands of app investment opportunities right now Generally speaking, investment markets move much slower than consumer markets. From an investor’s perspective, they may still … Read More
What maintenance is needed for an iPhone app?
Many clients want to know the ongoing cost structure for their application after development. Relative to the high upfront cost to develop an application, the ongoing costs are usually low. Maintenance tasks typically involve: Fixing crashes or errors reported by users of the application. Our automated bug tracking software helps us monitor bugs in the wild. If the client has … Read More
The high cost of simple
When the iPhone was unveiled in 2007, it was a revolutionary device on many fronts, but chiefly because it was simple to use. But it’s not enough just to have the idea of producing a simple phone. Everyone knew that phones were too complicated. It was a different matter to actually build one. This is what was so hard. Simple … Read More
Apps you can’t write
Apple limits the kinds of apps that can be written. This is a list of apps that can’t be written due to technical or other restrictions from Apple. This list is not comprehensive, and if you’re a registered developer you should read the official Review Guidelines. But it is compiled from some of the requests we’ve gotten over and over … Read More
The Peace of Mind of Fixed Quote Projects
There are two types of software contracting arrangements. One is called “Time & Materials”, which means that you’re paying for the developer’s time. The other type is called “Fixed Quote” or “Fixed Bid”, which means you’re paying for a project. According to the Standish Report, 71% of software projects are challenged or fail completely, and the average budget overrun for … Read More
How much does an iPhone app cost? Part III
In Part I, we introduced the different types of applications. In Part II, we introduced the development team and gave some rough figures for how much each component costs. Now, we’re going to play with the numbers. It should cost much less! Sometimes it does. Certain applications may simply not need certain components. Coke or McDonalds may not need a … Read More
How much does an iPhone app cost? Part II
In Part I, we explored the different types of applications. Once you have identified the type of application and the complexity of your project, it’s time to meet some of the people who will bring your app to life! Development Any iPhone or iPad app is going to involve developers, people who write the software code. Depending on the firm, these … Read More
How much does an iPhone app cost? Part I
We get this question over and over. Let’s walk through the numbers. App Types iPhone or iPad apps are not all alike. You have several different kinds of applications. Each of these application types may require a slightly different skill set, have a different time and cost profile, and require developers with different expertise. Counterintuitively, it can sometimes be a … Read More
iPad outselling Android tablets 24-to-1
Thanks to John Gruber’s clever arithmetic, we now know that the iPad is outselling Android tablets 24-to-1. It’s easy to forget in the marketshare battle that Apple’s dominance is much larger than phones. iOS software runs on three platforms: iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch, with a combined install base of over 200 million units. Not to mention Apple’s 11% North … Read More
