developer interviews from the book mobile app growth hacks

Welcome to one of the most comprehensive collections of interviews with iOS Developers from around the world.

We interviewed developers while conducting Market Research for Mobile App Growth Hacks. While we were able to gather the data we needed, we also found ourselves caught up in reading their stories and appreciative of the wisdom they had to share. So we decided to include the entire transcript from some of our favorite interviews in a separate book.

Each developer was posed 5 questions:

1. How long have you been developing apps and how did you get started?2. What do you love most about being an app developer?3. What's the biggest challenge you face when trying to market your app(s)?4. Is there anything you would like to see changed or done differently in the App Store?5. Any advice you would give to developers who may just be starting out?

We hope that you will be inspired as we have Eeen by the amazing stories within these pages as well as learn from the many wonderful insights they had to share.

*Please note that the opinions and views expressed in these interviews are the opinions of the interviewee and do notreflect the opinions or views of Serenity App Solutions or its employees.

Introduction

Developer Name: Harin Wickremasinghe

Most Successful App(s) to Date:

Smart Chef Substitutions

How long have you been developing apps and how did you get started?

We are a family business that started when my father lost his engineering job in early 2009 as a result of the economic downturn in Detroit, Michigan. He was 62 at the time and finding work was difficult, so he decided to start reading up on programming (which was not his background) to take a crack at programming apps for the iPhone. My brother and I worked along with him to develop the content, graphics and sound. With a lot of hard work, our first app, Smart Chef Substitutions was published in June of 2009. As you know, it is difficult to make a living in the App Store. However, Apple threw us a bone by featuring Smart Chef on the front page of iTunes and using it in Magazine campaigns. That gave us the boost of confidence we needed to keep going. Later that year, we switched to educational apps. My Mom was, at the time, still teaching at a Montessori school, something she had been doing since 1969. With her expertise in the field, we decided to create a Montessori inspired library of apps. Now that the iPad was out, the possibilities seemed endless. Our first Educational app hit the App Store in November 2009. Since then, schools have picked up our apps and promoted them and today we have a business

that supports basic needs of three families. Nobody is getting rich here, yet, but we're content with our work so far. Now that we have a nice library of apps, we are hoping to be featured in some way by Apple again. Unfortunately, we haven't been listed in any of the categories that we clearly belong in. Hopefully that will change in the future...

What do you love most about being an app developer?

We love the fun & challenge of starting with a blank canvas and an idea and working to bring it to fruition. For years we all worked in cubicles for "the man" and now we work for ourselves doing creative things. That's pretty cool! Our genre of apps gives us the satisfaction that we are helping people, too. We often get reports of parents & educators about how children are really learning important concepts from our apps. That is fulfilling. And, on a personal note, we have the freedom to pursue other things that are important to us,as well. I'm living in Costa Rica now, doing volunteer work - I couldn't do that with any other job!

What's the biggest challenge you face when trying to market your app(s)?

Getting lost in the mix of the App Store is a HUGE challenge. We get emails from our website and Facebook site regularly that people never knew we existed. Our products are good, the problem is, and nobody knows we're here. Recently, our website's server crashed and our sales plummeted by 60%. That was bad, but also good - it told us where the bulk of our customers are coming from. So, we'll be putting extra efforts into website related stuff to help reclaim market share.

Is there anything you would like to see changed or done differently in the App Store?

Yes. The featured sections are filled with apps made by Apple employee friends and their personal favorites, not necessarily, the best apps in each genre. New & Noteworthy sections often feature repeats, which with so many new apps out there, seems like playing favorites. We have apps in Math, Language, Geography & Science fields that are

used by entire school systems, yet, they have never been listed in a Math, Language, Geography or Science grouping in the Education field of the App Store. Something needs to change!

Any advice you would give to developers who may just be starting out?

Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Yes, there are million dollar apps out there, but most developers who have made one or two apps cannot live off them. So, think bigger - a few dollars a day adds up when you have a nice library of apps, quality apps, that is!

Take a moment and find out more about Harin Wickremasinghe and Smart Chef Substitutions at http://www.mobilemontessori.org/

Developer Name: Alicia Benetz


Word Slug


I have been developing for just over a year now. I got started as a graphic designer working with a team of developers on a web-based flash game. It soon became evident that it would be great if I could do the design work and just lay it out in the code. When we decided to switch from flash to apps, I decided to pick up my coding hat and give it a try. With the help of some developers on my team, I began to learn lua and the cross-platform mobile development tool Corona.


I love the ability to easily launch the in-progress product on a device. I find it pretty cool that when I need to be away from my computer, I can still be trying out different things with my in-progress app. Another cool bit is that nearly everyone I know has a smartphone, so when people ask about what you do, they can download one of your apps right then and there.


I find it hard to determine what would be a good value. Everyone will tell you that their marketing tool, ad publisher, or magical bean will do the perfect thing to launch your app into the King level stratosphere. What comes as a challenge is weeding through the hype to figure out an accurate assessment of ROI for each of the options. In addition, you may have the coolest app and some great marketing, but if a user types your app name directly into a store and it isnt the top hit (or even in the top 5), you can lose any benefit your marketing brought you because of the vagaries of the app stores.


As mentioned in the marketing question, if users try to find you, it can be difficult to navigate the multitudes listed in the app stores. When they can type in your apps full exact name and still have a paid or higher-rated or however-it-is-sorted app as the top 5 hits for your apps exact name, it is challenging and frustrating.


I think good testers who will be honest and not just tell you what they think youd like to hear is a great idea. I think if you put together a game you enjoy playing, as I am still madly addicted to my game Word Slug after over a year of playing, at least you get something out of it even if your app never becomes a Candy Crush (is it illegal for me to use their name now? Or is that just in naming my own apps :).

Take a moment and find out more about Alicia and Word Slug at http://wordsluggame.com/

Developer Name: Deepti Daryanani Most Successful App(s) to Date:

New Best Friends


I am a new in this business. I was inspired to create the artistic media company "Maadchick Networks" in early July 2013, and this children's book app, New Best Friends is our first piece of work. Having written the stories, I wanted to reach out to all the children in the world and developing a book app made perfect sense. I did a lot of research and finally zeroed down on hiring technical services in developing the app. Also, I am an actress by profession. (www.deeptidaryanani.com) I have taken up this role in app development to bring these stories to children.


The most fascinating part for me is to see the merger of art with technology. The artistic ideas needs today's technological medium. To discuss how far we can build an app that truly communicates its message is something I am interested in. I understand that an app is like a living document. One can constantly reinvent it to better tell it's story.


There are so many apps in the market. The challenge is how to make this one app stand out and bring it to the targeted audience's attention. Mine is a children's app and as a conscious developer, I wanted to keep the app non-violent and with features that do not disturb the fragile minds but helps develop their learning skills and overall self growth. So automatically, this makes the app not as dynamic and high end as the gaming apps that are very entertaining from the go. So the challenge is to stand out in a market of highly competitive visually entertaining apps.


Maybe the App Store can provide some interesting ways to help market and advertise a children's book app to parents and educators.


I don't think I am eligible to give any advice to anyone as I am fairly new in this domain. What I can say is that technology is an excellent medium today to share our message with the world. But more than mere developing what really ignites the process is what is it that you want to say through this app.

Take a moment and find out more about Deepti and her app at http://www.maadchicknetworks.com/ and also explore her bio and

acting career at www.deeptidaryanani.com

Developer Name: Will Scott


ServaBid


I have been involved in mobile development since 2012. As for how I got started, prior to mobile apps I was in enterprise systems development, and dabbled in video processing in my free time. I was very interested in video as consumable media, and pondered how video could be leveraged for productivity via mobile. In surveying the mobile ecosystem for video apps, I found that the most adopted applications were for social media and video chat. I decided that I wanted to tackle using mobile video to get things done in the real world -- this early notion led to ServaBid. ServaBid is an app that lets you take a short video of a home-related job or repair project that youd like completed. Service professionals view and bid to complete the job right through the app. Video is a powerful medium to convey the scope of the work, and allows service professionals to provide accurate quotes remotely.


There are many things that I love about being involved in mobile development, but if forced to answer what I love the most, Id say

facing the challenge of trying to enrich an end-users life (if only in some small way). When I think about mobile devices and mobile apps, it all really comes back to this. Consider calendar apps that try to help you stay organized, social media apps that aim to keep you connected with friends and family, gaming apps that try to make wasting time as entertaining as possible, etc. With successful apps, the common thread is that they provide some value to the end-user. This was always at the forefront of ServaBid development. For the job poster, the goal was to make getting projects done easy and convenient. Specifically, to make it almost like magic i.e., take a video showing a project you want done, and it will be completed. For the service professionals that complete the jobs, the goal was improvements to efficiency and to reduce costs. In many instances, video would allow for providing accurate estimates remotely, saving the time and expense of a visit.


The ServaBid app is a bit different from many apps when it comes to marketing, as its effectively a mobile embodiment of a marketplace. Here users post jobs they want completed, and a second demographic of users (service providers) bid to complete the jobs. This led to the chicken-and-egg problem of which demographic to woo first. We decided to focus on service professionals first, because without them, no work can be completed. Marketing is always an interesting subject, especially when bootstrapping (were currently self-funded). The goal is to maximize return on any marketing investment, but the tricky thing is, there is usually no good gauge to how successful a marketing campaign will be until you actually try it! Ill be the first to say that this is an iterative process, and Im far from an expert on the marketing side of things. Having said this, we continue to focus on providing value via the technology and user experience. In taking care of these things, we also hope to ramp up word of mouth referrals -- which is the Holy Grail of marketing (its very effective and FREE!).


As for the App Store, its Apples ecosystem, and we must work within the confines of it. In terms of a change, it would be nice to see the cut taken for In-App purchase reduced. This would drive competition from Google to also lower its cut, and would help app developers increase revenue across the board. This will likely not happen anytime soon though.


Regarding advice for new developers, Id suggest starting with an all inclusive list of requirements for an initial release of the app. Once this list is generated, marry this with the allotted timeframe for delivery, development resources, testing resources, and funds available to execute on the list. When bootstrapping an app, usually development, test, and funds are very finite resources. Thinking these things through up front will help you prioritize what actually can (and should) be available in the initial release (this is a delivery list of requirements). Once the delivery list is defined, the additional items form the basis of a product roadmap, which will allow you to deliver new function as you grow and scale. This approach keeps development and test efforts containable, especially with a smaller team.

Take a moment and find out more about Will Scott and the ServaBid Team at http://www.servabid.com/

Developer Name: David Zobrist


The Sha Man


I did paint level paper design for existing games and created simple stories in form of short comics when I was around 12. But back then their were no real option to study in the technical / creative direction like game art or game design. I found my way back into my beloved field when I was 23 years old. I studied 1 year at the Games Academy Berlin and did a 1 year internship at YAGER Development right after. Which was a lucky first step into a big gaming studio that was busy developing Spec Ops The Line for the Xbox with 2k Games as Publisher. I was not part of that huge team at all. Instead I created game concepts and pitch material for many different ideas, in order for them to have a variety of future projects to work on after their game release. I had big backlashes when I got sick and could not work for 6 months, lost my girlfriend and my apartment. But I recovered and started of in a new Company as an Intern again but this time much better paid and with better perspectives for a real position. I worked at Young Internet later re-named to Goodbeans for 3 years. Starting off as an Quality Assurance Intern moving the carrier ladder up to a Quality Manager and finally to a Game Designer. As Game Designer I was responsible for Content, narrative, monetization and feature

design. Through my experience as a Quality Assurance I was highly benefited with insights in all departments and was a crossroad for development. The company did major investment mistakes and broke down step by step, shortly before the sheep sank I decided to jump and this time on my own ship. I used the first day of my unemployment to organize my self-employment plans, visiting seminars and consulting an founding expert. Which helped me to create a bad ass business plan, where I used my pitching skills and his traditional/correct way of setting up all required documents to gain a Founding support from the government. Which worked out 3 months later and since beginning of this year I'm financially supported by Berlin until Juni of this Year, where I have to start living of my own profits. I released my first app "The Sha Man" in December 2013 and the second one "Sha Cat" 23. of April 2014. And now I hope to reach as many people as possible with my work to make my dream come true.


The barrier to create digital experiences was never as thin as now, not long ago you had to be able to program in complex languages, this extreme focus on one field made you very valuable in companies but independence as an all rounder was almost impossible to think off. Who would do your Art? When it's about games it was required to have at least one artist and one programmer. Also who would publish your work? There where many open questions and insecurities, today a 12 year old boy can find the tools and create his own app in a week and get it out there on the same market where the game giants fight for the attention of the crowd. I would have loved this possibilities as I was that young, In fact I would have never done something else. I love the possibilities you have as indepent Artist and it will become probably even easier.


Reaching the right people and knowing who I'm developing it for. Since I still think I have to find my own style I can't really now how it will impact on the market. The whole business inflation makes you

fight for any kind of attention bad or good, the worst is to be not noticed. I kind of created a protective filter on my own psyche to not take it personal, I anyways would keep on developing success or not. It is what I love doing. There are several known ways how to gain attention for your app which would be: -Get featured by apple -> The golden key to success - They want universal builds and something that highlights their device - I was not featured yet -Get featured / Reviewed by the big boys such as Toucharcade.com or Pocketgamer.co.uk -Press release agencies (some free PrMac) -Youtube - post your gameplay / work in progress / trailers -Contact successful Youtubers to play your game - I see this one as one of the most powerful instruments right now -Google + Post your Game into the right Circles -> Add people get a following -Twitter Follow/Unfollow who doesn't follow you -> get in contact with other indies -Facebook - Does not work for community building at all -> Good as Product page and for your players to ask questions later -Development Blog Its just nice also for yourself to see your work progress step by step - It also does spread your pictures into google searches -Post in Game forums -Google Admob - Pay for installs .. Sha Cat is the first game title where I did all of this, it came as a result of seeing the absolute urge after releasing my first title The Sha Man. Specially with priced titles you will need a community else it will just sink into the depths of the Appstore. I'm now always looking around for additional ways to promote my apps.


I think there should be a list for new titles not only high ranked, there are a lot of very nice indie titles which get no chance because how you get known if no one see's you. A list for general new titles would be very fluid and alive and less controlled by the big boys which pump hundred of thousands into their iTunes presence/position.


Be sure it is what you love doing and you not just here to make the next flappy bird clone. The App Store has become a lottery business

for many people, which is hard breaking to see for people who really love the art of games.

Take a moment and find out more about David Zobrist andThe Sha Man at https://twitter.com/TheShaManGame

Developer Name: Mar Ballesteros Lorenzo


Crazy Flamenco Rumba Dance


I started developing apps two years ago. A friend of mine told me about apps. I did some sketches and looked for a development company. We finally launched an app for kids as partners. This business model didn't work well for me, and the app was not a great success (it was my first app), but I learned a lot in the process and finally gave the next step: starting developing apps on my own.


This business gives me freedom. I can manage my time as I wish. I also love to be creative, and take decisions on my own. Of course there is a black side. It I go wrong, I lose money (and is not funny).


The biggest challenge is always to choose the correct app in the correct moment. Marketing starts with the app itself. Once I launch an app, I do my best with keywords and press releases etc, but I always

have the feeling that there is something I can't control. Still trying to find out what it is :)


Yes, if I could, I'd do a "remix" between Apple App Store and Google Play. I'd make Apple App Store more open, with more flexibility for developers and Google Play more developer-friendly (I'd love to get some support from real people when needed).


Don't spend too much time and money in your first app (I had to learn this the bad way). This is a learning process. If you put all your efforts in your first app, you'll probably get disappointed to see it fail and will have no strength and money to continue with this. You'll probably need some attempts to make a good app and be successful. You will know when you are prepared to take a bigger step. Most of the learning process you'll have to follow begins when you launch your app. If you take a whole year in the development process, you are wasting lots of precious months you could be spending learning from "inside". All is different once you have your first app out there. Of course, there are some exceptions, and it is just my experience. At last, don't hesitate to contact other people that may be ahead from you on this app business. You'll be surprised how much people are willing to help. Remember: always be honest and respect users.

Take a moment and find out more about Mar Ballesteros Lorenzo and Crazy Flamenco Rumba Dance App at

http://www.marballesteros.com/apps/

Developer Name: Jaume Daz


2014 US Holiday Calendar


We started in November 2011. We were 3 partners, one was a Physician, the other studied Business Administration, and myself a Telecommunications Engineer. We thought it was a nice growing business and we just had graduated from school (except the Business guy) so it was a now-or-never chance to try to start our own company. We bought some books about developing (completely self-learners) and started developing some apps for fun. When we were ready, we created the company. Then the Physician left the project and I had to learn objective-C too!


Well, what I mostly love is the moment you publish your app and that mystery on what will happen, will it work? And also when you have a bug and you solve it, it's like getting out from a labyrinth having rescued the girl.


The main problem is always, always, spreading the word. We're a very small company and we can't have big expenses on ads like others do so our task is like 10 times harder.


I think the App Store is too restrictive. I think it's a great idea that they want to guarantee a certain level of quality for their users, but they're arbitrary sometimes (like 2 apps that do the same - one gets approved, the other doesn't) and I prefer a more market-based economy, like Google does.


Don't stop developing something because you think it won't be successful. Unless you have actual data about it (which is hard to achieve), in our experience, the apps that worked best for us are the apps that I had lesser faith in. So if you think it would be cool to have that in your phone, do it!!

Take a moment and find out more about Jaume Daz and Rhappsody Technologies at http://www.rhappsody.net/en/

Developer Name: Nancy Lu


Piiig Labs: Science Experiments


I've been an app developer for over a year now and I got started in early 2013 when I saw that there's a significant gap in content for kids that is both educational and fun. I also did some research on the app store and found that while there were tons of apps related to math and literacy, less than 5% of the best selling apps for kids were related to science. I feel like science was a neglected subject area and many kids were discouraged from pursuing it because of the way it's taught in schools. I was fortunate that I had a investor who had the same vision backing me from the beginning and I was able to quickly ramp up and ship out two apps in the first year. Our main app is called Piiig Labs, which allow you to do mini science project inside your own virtual lab.


I love brainstorming game concepts and interaction and seeing my own idea come into reality. I also love working with kids and I find that a lot of times, what makes sense to you as an adult is completely different from how kids perceive it. I do many rounds of testing with kids for each mini game and it's fascinating to see how kids react to

them. One of my primary goals for the app, aside from making it educational and entertaining, is to make sure that it is intuitive for kids as young as 3 or 4 years old. That means I can't use written instructions inside the app and only rely on visual cues to guide kids in how to play. This makes app development a lot more challenging of course, but it is a challenge that I love tackling.


There are millions of apps in the app store and it's virtually impossible to get noticed unless you are relentless in doing marketing. Our app luckily has received many positive reviews and has been featured by the app store in various categories. Still, those things only give you temporary boost in downloads and you still have to keep marketing your apps if you don't want them to fall off the radar. I've tried getting reviewed by app review sites, doing ads and promotions on twitter and Facebook, contacting press in various countries in various languages, reaching out to schools and teachers, etc. At the end of the day, there's no magic formula and you just have to keep trying different avenues. I look at analytics for everything relies on data as much as possible in deciding what is working and what isn't. I don't have a big budget to work with, so the hard part is just not giving up and to keep going.


I think Apple does a relatively good job featuring indie apps and my only wish is that they would provide more data analytics on app downloads. Right now it's very hard and most of the time impossible to tell where the downloads are coming from and why they fluctuate a lot on certain days.


I would suggest new developers to really analyze the market and have a monetization and marketing plan before they start building. This will

influence how you build your app and the timing of release, etc. For example, you can't just build an app and make it a lite version as an after thought. You usually end up giving away either too much content or too little. If you plan on having IAPs and you are building a kids app, then you need to be on top of the latest COPPA guidelines. And regardless of whether you are making a game or utility app, you need to think about how to build long-term engagement with your users.

Take a moment and find out more about Nancy Lu and Piiig Labs: Science Experiments at http://piiig.com/

Developer Name: David L Hoyt


Just 2 Words


I've been developing apps for the past three years, but I've been making puzzles and games for the last 15 years and have managed to become the world's most syndicated daily word game creator. I create the JUMBLE puzzle seen in more than 650 newspapers; two puzzles in USA Today and lots more across many platforms. I gradually transitioned into the app. It was a natural transition from print, online, board games, etc. I partnered with Steve Bullock of Adveractive. He's really the super genius behind the app development in regard to programming. My area of expertise involves in the creation of the puzzles, games, content, etc. Steve and I have had a great partnership and have really enjoyed developing apps.


I love that can interact with players so easily. I can be anywhere and pull out a mobile device, introduce myself, and say "Hi. I'm the guy that creates the Jumble in all the newspapers. Can I show you my new app JUST 2 WORDS?", etc. I've interacted with lots and lots of people in this way on planes, in taverns, on the street, etc. Being able to pull

out a mobile device with my apps on it is so fun for me. Because of my broader success and name recognition with JUMBLE, USA Today, etc., I find that most people will talk to me, so it's been a blast interacting with players via the personal interaction with the apps.


Without a doubt, it's marketing the app. Making people aware of our apps is the key. I've been fortunate enough to get on TV and have articles written about me and my apps, but it's still very difficult to get people to pay attention to a particular app. We have no problems making very high quality apps, but like everybody, we struggle to get people aware of them.


This is a tough question because I find that it's amazing that the App Store exists at all. I would say that I wish there was a way to give high-profile, branded apps better positioning over smaller apps (which would benefit me), but I love that now anyone can make an app and get into the App Store. It's puts everyone on equal-footing. I don't get as much of an advantage as I'm used to and I like it that way (for the most part). It makes me have to really deliver. I'm happy with the App Store. I look at it as a "store" and that the real marketing is up to me and my team. It's always nice when you get some great placement from the App Store, but with them dealing with so many apps, it's certainly not something to count on. I think the people running the App Store do an amazing job considering how overwhelming their job is.


The advice I would give to a developer just starting out is to look at everything as part of a larger process of learning. No matter what you think and what your expectations are, you are likely to be wrong at first. There is a big learning curve when it comes to app development.

I've seen so many developers have expectations that just didn't make sense because they lacked the knowledge to even know what to expect in the first place. They key is not to give up. Short-term failure is just part of the process of becoming successful over the long-term. The key is to learn throughout the process. Don't let your inherent human nature's desire to always be right cause problems. It can cause you to ignore great advice and to overlook wonderful opportunities to learn valuable information.

Take a moment and find out more about David L Hoyt and Adveractive Inc. at http://www.just-2-words.com/

Developer Name: Gregg Weiss


Speech Therapy for Apraxia - ENDINGS


We have been developing iOS app for 4.5 years, since the app store first came out. Our first app was called Boating Weather.


Over the last year, more than half of our business is derived from entrepreneurs who have ideas they want to build. Taking a concept from an idea (with literally no documentation or design) to app store is great.


Just the sheer volume of competition and noise out there. Getting featured on Apple is also a challenge. We have done it before, but in the early days of the app store.


We all know that search is broken. Thats an obvious improvement. With iOS 7 Apple rolled out a change to ITC where they made it much easier to transfer an app to another owner, similar and as easy as transferring a domain name at Godaddy. Previously if you wanted to sell an app, you had to remove from sale, which meant all the reviews, and rankings were lost, then upload new code under a new dev account. There will be a lot of consolidation going on in the coming months/years.


Make sure you hire the right company. Don't be fooled by offshore prices. It takes $$ to develop an app and market it. Treat it like a business, not a vanity project.

Take a moment and find out more about Gregg Weiss & Blue Whale at http://www.bluewhaleapps.com

Developer Name: Yves Schmid Dornbierer Most Successful App(s) to Date:

Runic Sorcerer


I have been in software development for about 20 years now. I worked mostly for the video game industry and in all kinds of different art fields. I started developing mobile applications when the first iPad was released.


I always enjoyed developing applications and creating new software concepts. For me, the new mobile market did not change a lot the way I work. Its just a new platform.


Well, of course it is very difficult to market an application. Having visibility is incredibly difficult, even for very good apps.


Its clear that the App Store could be improved a lot. It is incredibly difficult to find something that is not mainstream or picked by Apple. More keywords, more filters, more sub-categories should be added. The search engine really needs to be improved.


It is very very difficult to make money out of the App Store. Unless you are targeting a niche that you know very well and you plan to market it using another channel that the App Store, you better work with a publisher. Also dont rush you app release. Take the time to find the right time and the right way to market it.

Take a moment and find out more about Yves and Plexus Games at http://www.plexusgames.com/

Developer Name: Enno Bublitz Most Successful App(s) to Date:

MYP Personal Project Manager


I have been developing for just over a year now. I got started as a graphic designer working with a team of developers on a web-based flash game. It soon became evident that it would be great if I could do the design work and just lay it out in the code. When we decided to switch from flash to apps, I decided to pick up my coding hat and give it a try. With the help of some developers on my team, I began to learn lua and the cross-platform mobile development tool Corona.


What I love the most about being an apple developer, is to actually be able to find your own apps on the AppStore and being able to download them so easily.


The biggest challenge, that I face while marketing my apps, is to attract the attention of the target audience.


No. I like the AppStore and the way it offers users a huge amount of applications for every situation of life, from education to medicine to newspapers.


My advice for any new developers out there, is to think about a few key questions before starting to develop a new application. Questions one might consider: Does my application really make the life of the user easier/ more fun/ etc.? Am I really able to code the uses I want my application to execute? Would there be many people interested in having an application like this?

Take a moment and find out more about Enno and MYP Personal Project Managerat http://ennobublitz.wix.com/ppmanager

Developer Name: Arnaud Thiercelin Most Successful App(s) to Date:

Edouard (Mac App)


14 years, started in high school out of passion.


It's a very creative art. Underrated one but still an art. You create things which literally changes people's life.


Making it so people want to spend money for it or its services. People just think software should be free when it's an incredibly hard task which demands perpetual training, you simply cannot stick to what you learned at school.


More pricing brackets (higher ones), real demo mode (time limited), video to demonstrate the product and being able to answer comments.


Start with the basics: Learn C, don't take shortcuts. The more you know, the better your app will be. Don't code web apps, they simply suck. People want great interaction with their devices.

Take a moment and find out more about Arnaud and his app companyat www.flyingpigcorp.com

Developer Name: Mikyung Kang Most Successful App(s) to Date:

1 to Call- Everyday, Call your beloved ones


Our team was organized in March, last year. Each team member has about 4~5 years of experience.


Mobile Apps is a small and mature product. Because of that, developers can make apps fast, and users can immediately provide feedback. So developers recieve immediate gratification for their work.


Just marketing. For example, the App Store market of South Korea is very concentrated on the game category. So a non-entertainment or non-game app's monetization is very hard.


I want to do Editor's pick management. Choice is often exposed to noise does not seem to be a help to download apps.


Anybody can develop mobile apps. But it is difficult to make a well-made product, and it is more difficult to sell well. If you want to only make money with apps development, then you should find another job. But if you have already started, keep it up!

Take a moment and find out more about Mikyung and Provus Lab at www.provuslab.com

Developer Name: Oliver Koehler Most Successful App(s) to Date:

Zip Viewer Pro


I started in 2011 with Apple's development environment. I first played around with Java Script, but realized soon that native apps are more powerful with better access to device features, so I switched over to Objective C.


Having direct access via the app store to a very big audience of possible customers. You can quickly realize if your app needs updating and get feedback immediately.


Being unique and ensure that people will find your app among all the others.


Difficult to answer. Of course everybody wants to be in the top 10. But without having a large marketing budget or strong brand it is nearly impossible. I think the ranking mechanisms are working quite well. With the right product and keywords you will get found by people who look for what you are offering. That what is most important.


Focus on user needs not just on functionality. Think about the potential user community before you start with the development. Do research in the app store and web. Plan releases of your app to shorten development cycles and work with user feedback.

Take a moment and find out more about Oliver and his app company at http://oliverkoehler.de/

Developer Name: Ricardo Lousada Most Successful App(s) to Date:

Girls Quotes


Ive been developing apps since a year ago when I decided to quit a career of almost 20 years in the IT industry. I had an idea for an innovative mobile platform and decided, for the third time, to get back to the entrepreneur life. When I made my decision I was a manager, the years of programing were something I couldnt even remember so I had to study everything from the beginning. From the new paradigms of programing models like the MVC (Model View Controller) to Objective C, the language used to develop iOS Apps. I learned all by myself, from books, ebooks, online courses and tutorials.


The excitement of creation. To see something out there that was made by me. And also the intellectual challenge.


This is the holy grail of the App developer. There is not an exact science to promote / market an App and the biggest challenge is to get noticed in a market where you have 1 Million Apps competing for the same user attention.


Not in the App Store but in the Apple test environment. You need a lot of work to get started. They have been improving it but Apple is a closed eco-system with rigorous control which is good in terms of the market but not easy to start.


Yes, one that I learned from my selfWhen in trouble do it like the teenagersask Google. One will be amazed by the quantity of technical issues I have overcome with this technique. The developer community is huge and there is for sure at least someone that had the same problem you have. I highly recommend one called stackoverflow. You can post your questions and other developers will try to help you. Is not easy to get an answer if you dont have a reputation but almost 100% of the times I had questions Ive found that someone had already the same issue and with a lot of answers and potential solutions.

Take a moment and find out more about Ricardo and his latest app project at http://www.wtb.com.pt/

Developer Name: Kalana Jayatilake Most Successful App(s) to Date: My most successful app was a Gameboy color emulator called Earthquake 7. It was so popular it got 3500 purchases in 12 hours of its release. Sadly Apple removed the app from the

store but you can still see the links published by blogs.

http://www.idownloadblog.com/2013/09/30/another-gba-emulator-app-store/


I have been developing apps since I was 15 years old. I started app development in 2009. My uncle bought an iPhone. I loved the interface and loved playing with it. It got me motivated to make apps for this device. I bought my first Macbook and started learning app development through iTunesU.


What I love is that I can reach my app to a large audience very quickly.


The biggest challenge for me is the marketing budget. There are so many options out there to market the app but when the budget is low, it is quite challenging.


For me, I hope Apple would remove the guideline that prohibits emulators from being sold in the App Store.


My advice for them is to make the UI as creative as possible.

Take a moment and find out more about Kalana and her app company at http://askpiapps.weebly.com/

Developer Name: Elia Fornari and Edoardo Centioni (The Ulocal Team) Most Successful App(s) to Date:

Ulocal


Actually, it is me and my business partner Edoardo Centioni, as you can see on our website (www.ulocal.it), that together had this idea and brought Ulocal to life. We are not actually developers and hope this doesn't ruin your expectations. We've been friends for along time and last year during our college exchange year in the Netherlands, we found that it was really hard for a stranger to get real and custom information about the new place we were living in, to travel and be aware of what his surroundings. It was hard to connect to the locals, those who really know the place, because there was no real network and on the other end, every little bit of information that we could find online was either not true or modeled by the advertisers. Weve found that it was more convenient to go out and ask directly to the locals what was the place to be in that night, or the restaurant to go to. This is when we got the idea of building a network where travelers could find locals of the place they were visiting and ask them through instant messaging or by call personalized info about the city. Who knows a city better than a local? The best way to create this link was

to create a mobile application where connecting to locals was easy and totally free. Hence we created Ulocal.


We managed the whole process from the primary idea about all the functions that Ulocal should provide, its CSS, and down to its marketing. This management is what we love: having great ideas and transform them into real products and services that could bring real benefits to the users.


Spreading the word is probably the biggest challenge. Once this is done, we're confident a very useful service (like we believe Ulocal is) will be appreciated by many. At the beginning however, it is a "jungle" in the app stores, which is a very competitive market, so it is pretty hard to come out strong right away if you don't have a large advertising budget.


There are two main things we would change. The first one is more concrete and feasible, enabling developers without a company to share an application ownership in the app store. As of now the App Store does not allow you to write the names of the developers, who, just like us, may not be part of a company. We had to choose a name to attach the app to, but the process was managed by the two of us. Now we are forced to get a company and a DUNS number in the United States in order to place our company name there. This is really inconvenient for a sector that lives for flexibility. Second, we would like the apps to be equally visible by all. We think it's fair to see the most popular apps first in the ranking, but at least both Apple and Google should give more space to the new entrants. New apps are visible for a few days in the app store and then they lose their rank just because there is an underlying system that reallocates the established apps on top. You can see that this loop is unstoppable and it will never speed up the rate of innovation. Here we are talking about a fast moving IT layer, and there shoudn't be a wall slowing it down.

Hence we think that the solution can be found in a new system where new apps or not known apps can compete with their similar app in their category, for a more meritocratic system.


If you are building an app try to take your time for the development at first, get everything into place, no mistakes, hours and hours of testing. Then when you have your invention place it in the stores and make it become an innovation by marketing it. Every single day after launch should be allocated to marketing, as it is the game changer factor of any app that has become popular.

Take a moment and find out more about Elia, Edoardo and the Ulocal Team at http://www.ulocal.it/

Developer Name: Joachim Mertens Most Successful App(s) to Date:

Hover Disc- The Multiplayer Challenge


I started to develop games for the Amiga in 1993. After the Amiga died, I took a long break until 2009. Then I decided to continue game developing. But I was not sure, which platform I should use. iOS or Nintendo DS? I choose iOS and I think that was the right decision.


I really love the creative work, especially for games. You have the gameplay, graphics, sound and music. You work together with musicians and graphic artists. And after a few months you have a product, that only existed in your mind before. Thats great! And when you get Facebook 'Likes' and positive App Store ratings, then you know that you have created something, that many other people also like.


Coverage is definitely the biggest problem. Every day there are hundreds of new apps in the App Store. How can you assure the users that your game is the best? Thats the point.


There should be a section for indie games. So many people have great ideas but not the money for the best graphic and sound artists. But to have the best graphic is not always the most important thing. But the App Store visitors seem to look after that at first.


Try to release a free version of your app with limited functions. So people can evaluate your app for free and when they like it, they can buy the full or Pro version. This should be possible via IAP, so you have only one version of the App in the App Store and hopefully in the charts.

Take a moment and find out more about Joachims apps at http://joachimmertens.jimdo.com/games

Developer Name: Dmitry Polyankovskiy Most Successful App(s) to Date:

AirForShare


I started to develop iOS apps in early 2010 with my US partners. I've been in this industry for more than 10 years (as C++ developer).


Well, I think personally I like the whole process. From starting with an idea you had in your head until you reach the moment when you start getting emails from your users. Some of them start with "you made an amazing app!" and youre feeling really happy at that moment. And of course there is a long-long interesting space between those two points.


I think the biggest challenge is to get noticed..Even if you make a great app it will not happen automatically or/and fast (well, at least from my

experience). Eventually yes, after your app is live for a while you may get attention from some well-known media resources. Like LifeHacker.com wrote about AirForShare (our app/service for sharing data) after two years I think.


The App Store seems to be a place where everyone may have success. Yes, its really hard to get to top charts but I feel that it depends only on what and how you do it. And this is fine with me. What I would probably change from technical point of view is adding Trials (similar to Windows Phone store) and be able to respond to user reviews because sometimes they do not speak the truth (users just dont see some feature they need but it is there :)


First of all dont be afraid, if you have an idea go ahead. The sooner you start the better. There are tons of advice everywhere on how to do and not to do things. Dont listen to all of them, get some advice (just to be in a right direction) and follow your feelings. It also helps a lot if you get in touch with your friends (or even your mom), its even better if they are not technical people at all. Sometimes this will help you much more on things like where to place a button than reading 10 books. Another advice I try to follow dont overkill yourself, dont try to implement All in one app, this will hold your release for ages, and make the app complicated. Think about implementing a limited set of features, keep the app simple and release it. Feedback from your users will help you on where to go next.

Take a moment and find out more about Dmitry and the app companies he has co-founded at http://www.birdscorp.com/ and

http://smartapplab.com/

Developer Name: Kyle McIntyre Most Successful App(s) to Date:

42 each


I've been developing apps for almost 2 years now. I am a restaurant owner and needed a tool to help make the inventory process faster and easier, and so I decided to teach myself how to build iOS app's in order to do this. I first started by creating the Shop By Store app (a shopping list app, created to get my wife to stop using paper shopping lists. The app sorts shopping lists to make the purchasing & organizing process much easier). Being that this was a much simpler app to create, it helped teach me the basics of iOS programming so when I moved on to 42 each I already had the basics down.


The thing I love most about being a developer is being able to create programs to make my life easier, and in turn hopefully help others make their lives easier by using the apps I have created. I find the challenge involved in creating the apps very rewarding and enjoyable - a fun hobby!


The biggest challenge in trying to market my apps is finding the time to do so as well as the fact that marketing isn't really my strong suit. The app store is so huge with so many options, it really takes a lot of time and effort to get your name out there and convince people to give your app a chance. Seeing that this is really a hobby and I'm only one person I just don't have the resources to market my apps.


I'm not sure how the App Store could be improved as I'm not sure how exactly it decides how to rank apps. There are so many apps available, it really comes down to hoping that my app catches peoples eye and they give it a try and hopefully enjoy it enough to purchase it.


Any developers starting off, I would give the advice of not giving up when you hit a wall. Keep looking for the answer as it's out there somewhere. There are so many answers available on the internet, finding them sometimes can be tough but you just need to keep looking at your problem in different ways until you figure it out so you can move on to the next.

Take a moment and find out more about Kyle and his app company http://simplydreya.ca/

Developer Name: James Kyriakou with Neon Room Most Successful App(s) to Date:

Foto Mark It


We have been developing apps for a short 2 years, It started with a common interest between two friends who wanted to do something constructive with their spare time.


Creating your idea into something that millions of users have access to download.


Gaining users while working with a minimal budget.


Less junky apps and apps that crash all the time should be removed.


Be clear when constructing your workflow, this will help every aspect moving forward, from the simplicity of the app and the whole Users Experience. Before you release Test! Test! Test! Test again! watch your Testers use the app and take notes on where users may get stuck using your app... Watch! Test! and Test some more, Insure its the best it can be for your release.

Take a moment and find out more about James and the Neon Room Team at http://www.neonroom.com.au/

Developer Name: Andrew Davis Most Successful App(s) to Date:

InstaWho- A directory for Instagram


I have been developing iOS app since 2010. I have always dabbled with coding since the age of 14 when my Dad bought a copy of Adobe Flash (Macromedia Flash back in those days) home one day. I would screw around making little games. Some of those games I would sell to online publishers for a small amount of money. That was my first commercial experience selling software. Sometime in 2010 I made the switch from PC to Mac. Around that time I also bought an iPhone. Once I used the iPhone I knew I wanted to make apps that worked on it. This was my first opportunity to build something on a mobile device! I would follow online tutorials and through much trial and error would hack together something very basic. Of course, when you practice something for long enough (3+ years) you tend to pick up a lot of information.


I enjoy the creative freedom of working on my own project(s). Often times when working for clients you are restricted in many aspects. When you

develop your own apps, you are limited by your imagination. I can build apps based on any subject or area that interests me. I could build a game, a weather app, photography app

I also really like the fact that the startup requirements are so minimal. If you have a mac, you can start making your own apps today. All the tools you need are free. I'm location independent too, so as long as I have my laptop I can work from anywhere in the world. Even from a beach in Thailand (not that I've done that yet!).


When I saw my app sales were declining I made the decision to make most of them free. My apps were a labor of love and side projects. I created them because I wanted to, so I had no expectation of them being commercially successful. Right now I'm exploring an exciting new app that I intend to build a business out of. None of my previous apps had a business plan, or much of a plan at all for that matter. I've learnt that you need to work very hard on all aspects of a project, because many external factors are responsible for the success of an app, not just the product itself.


The App Store is far from perfect. I find the "Near Me" functionality useless as a way to find new apps. App Store search is another big area that I feel Apple haven't quite got right. More effort needs to be placed on the discoverability of apps that aren't currently feature on the homepage or sitting in the top 20. That's a big challenge.


Try and learn as many disciplines as you can. Having some design knowledge has definitely helped me when working with designers, it makes communicating ideas much easier (designers as well could learn a lot if

they attempted some coding). I'm focusing on the business and marketing side of my app now, which has opened my eyes in many ways. So I suppose my advice is to be curious, and absorb as much information as you can. You never know when it might be useful.

Take a moment and find out more about Andrew and InstaWho at http://www.instawho.com/and be sure to keep an eye on his latest

app project at http://www.petpoc.com

Developer Name: Byron Foster Most Successful App(s) to Date:

42s RPN Calculator


I really just do it as a hobby, but I started about 5 years ago, shortly after Apple opened up iOS to developers.


The mobile platform is really the future in many ways. The device has transformed into a mobile computer with GPS and cameras and all types of connectivity. The possibilities are enormous.


mm, what's the count now on iTunes.. 400,000+ apps and counting...


I would love to see a try before you buy period on non free apps. So, for a paid app, you could use it full featured for a period of time, then decide if you want to pay. For games this probably wouldn't work so well since people would just play the game until they were forced to pay. But for utility apps such as mine I think it would attract more customers to give it a shot.


Well, it would depend on their reasons. If they are going to try and make money or a living... that's a very difficult road. Flappy Bird is a winning lottery ticket, it's extremely unlikely. Otherwise, it's a fun platform to play around with, and a great way to learn.

Take a moment and find out more about Byron and his app at http://free42iphone.appspot.com/

Developer Name: Sasmito Adibowo Most Successful App(s) to Date:

Skuttlebutt for Yammer (Mac App)


Since 1997. The very first app that I sold was Diary for Windows, published in Jakarta via a local shareware publisher.


The independence and creative outlet. Working for someone else means that you need to do what your employer wants you to do, which may not always align with your creative spirit.


Getting the word out. I've tried Adwords and other advertising outlets, but it was never clear whether they improved sales.


Having free time-limited trials and upgrade pricing would be nice. Also the ability to converse with our customers (like replying review comments).


Like any other entrepreneurial ventures, selling apps is a difficult path full of hardships and plenty of opportunities to fail. Don't bet the farm and make sure that you can stay for the long haul.

Take a moment and find out more about Sasmito and his company Basil Salad Software at http://basilsalad.com/about/

Developer Name: R.L.M Software Most Successful App(s) to Date:

17BII+ Financial Calculator


I have been developing apps since 2007. My primary drive was to merge electronic devices into one. When the first iPhone appears, it became possible to develop usable calculators into the iPhone with the same look and functionality of real ones. The first idea was to implement an HP-12C type calculator for my personal need, after, with the AppStore, it becomes an additional income source.


The fact that an app designed and implemented by me, for my needs, is appreciated and paid by others around the world.


I haven't been so active in marketing my apps. I found it difficult and expensive (lack of expertise in the subject) to get notice (large amount of apps in AppStore).

Is there anything you would like to see changed or done differently in

the App Store?

I'll suggest and editorial committee for app reviews and ratings. Also the keyword search could be improved.


The development is a continuous process. Don't think that you will release an app and get seated waiting for profit. You must always be hook to upgrades and re-editions for Apple's new devices and iOS versions. So, think App development as a long term commitment with your customers.

Take a moment and find out more R.L.M. Software at http://www.rlmtools.com/iPhone/17BII/Detail.html

Developer Name: Tigran Nikoghosyan Most Successful App(s) to Date:

Camera Hoax


We have been in the app development business a long time already .We started with Facebook apps, but unfortunately the timing was the worst as the start of our development and the fall of FB app market coincided. Now for more than a year we are in the app store market with a small team trying to get on top.


As for what I personally love about being an app developer - I would say the urge and satisfaction of trying to keep the market's quality alive by building unique apps. In today's market you cannot compete with big companies by making apps that are not unique or are copycat clones of already successful apps. You might get some money under the shadow of the other games from big companies because of your similarities but our philosophy is to work on quality and uniqueness instead of small money and running behind big names. That's what makes you love your work and the time you spend on it.


The biggest challenge would be making to the top 100 and getting noticed without spending huge amount of money on ads and promotions.


I am sure I am not alone on this to say that App Store needs to support the growing small companies otherwise the big ones will always win the visibility race, even if the original idea is not their own . Not to mention the approval time for each app and update :)


First and most important advice is to make decent apps. Before starting the development process - make sure you have the complete vision from start to end, understand your market and look at it from your audience's point of view. It is going to be tough out there. Also, any developer who has done his/her research knows that the first couple of weeks are essential for the app's visibility and rating on the market, and we often come to the point that the new and killer app that you thought was going to destroy the market is getting lost after a week or so. My advice is to never give up on an app and keep promoting ... There are various ways to promote your app without spending your retirement fund and life savings. Just keep promoting, it will eventually start to go UP. Even if you lost the app in the abyss don't give up, some companies became millionaires on their 60th app some of them got lucky from the first shot. Do your best.

Take a moment and find out more about Tigran and his app company at http://raizapp.com/

Developer Name: Santiago Berreta Most Successful App(s) to Date:

Bomb Survivor


Ive started developing my game for iPhone and iPad in June 2012. I do it as a hobby, and this is my first game. I got started just to see if I could manage to get a game on the AppStore, as I had a MacBook and an iPod Touch, I started doing it as a joke, and then I saw it might be a good game. I enjoyed it very much, and look forward to getting it in the hands of as many players as possible.


I love creating new things, and entertaining people. I love to see my sons and nephews play my game and have a good time.


Marketing is harder than ever, and it will be harder in the days to come. Getting your game or app on the big scene is a hard endeavor, and it costs

a lot of money also. So maybe the biggest challenge is to get the most famous websites, podcasts, or magazines to feature your game or even mention it.


Maybe there should be some more help for indie developers. Im not talking about my game, but there are a lot of games that go unnoticed because they dont come from a big studio, or have a big sponsor, and I believe they deserve more attention, and people would know them and enjoy them.

Take a moment and find out more about Santiago and Bomb Survivor at http://bombsurvivor.com/

Developer Name: Fernanda with Selo Prologo Most Successful App(s) to Date:

Pocket Hints


I have been developing apps since 2012.


I am, as well, an editor of books. What I like in apps is that it is a product that never sells out. Another thing that I really like is the sensory factor... we can have as sounds, movements...


It is a new media, so I took time to discover how to meet the marketing companies for it.


I think it is ok.


Build simple apps

Take a moment and find out more about Fernanda and Selo Prologo Editorial at http://www.prologoseloeditorial.com.br/

Developer Name: Rudolf Melik Most Successful App(s) to Date:

gDecide Social Decision Making


We started working on gDecide iOS app in June of 2012. gDecide Social Decision Making is our first app.


The small screen, intermittent internet connection and the extremely short user attention span pose tremendous design and execution challenges. Making a collaboration app that does anything more than 3 basic functions has been tough but very rewarding once you see the end product.


What we have observed is a very crowded app market where often very basic apps with almost no real utility can flood a category using similar keywords and descriptions. It's very hard to quickly tell really great

complete apps from elementary ones someone put together in a few weeks.


There is a lot that works with the current AppStore. The only concern I have is that, not surprisingly, money drives the attention. It is increasingly difficult for a small independent developer to get any sort attention; they are shut out. If I would change anything it would be for Apple to much more actively encourage innovation in its ecosystem by highlighting new apps that do not have big marketing dollars behind them but have a lot potential or are very different. They already do some of this ... but for the sake of encouraging and rewarding innovation I think they can and should do much more.


That the app will most likely not be a source of revenue. Expect a ton of very smart very good competition very quickly ... but if the app is part of a bigger strategy and it not the only thing you count on to make a living then by all means try to shoot for the stars.

Take a moment and find out more about Rudolf and gDecide at https://content.gdecide.com/en/about/about/ . He was also a

founding member of Tenrox (www.tenrox.com) which he sold and successfully exited in 2012.

Developer Name: Mahmud Ahsan


Arabic Dictionary +


I started in 2010, when i was a full time PHP based web developer doing a regular job. During 2006-2008 when I was a Bachelor student in Computer Science, I used to develop J2ME based mobile phone applications (http://ftechdb.com) so Ive some fascination in mobile phone apps for long ago. In 2010, I thought to learn Objective C and develop some iPhone apps. So this is how I started.


Its actually my passion to develop apps for mobile phone. The good thing in mobile apps development is you can invest in a small budget or a small team for it or even you can work alone.


Now a days, its really hard work and take money to market apps. The biggest challenge for me was to identify the right marketing way.

Because there are so many advertising companies, PR companies, blogggers, review sites. But all are not effective.


No nothing special.


My advice to newcomer is that, if you have a interest in something like Android, Windows or iOS app development, dont listen to others about profit, money etc. Try to be master on one platform, learn and develop apps. There is always some room that you can improve in existing apps or you can innovate something new. Sooner or later youll see success.

Take a moment and find out more about Mahmud and his apps at http://mahmud.thinkdiff.net

Developer Name: Todd Bernhard


AutoRingtone Pro Talking Caller ID Ringtones


I've been developing apps since Apple created the App Store, about six years ago! I got started because I wanted certain apps to exist, and they didn't so I had to make them!


The App Store makes it possible to reach literally millions of users in a way that wasn't possible before, when retail stores were the primary form of distribution.


The challenges are both gaining exposure and finding the sweet spot of pricing. So many free and $0.99 apps crowd the marketplace and make it harder for quality apps to stand out, and justify what should be a reasonable price.


I would like to see iTunes separated from the App Store, as it is on the Mac or on an iOS device. When searching for apps, you shouldn't have to have results mixed in with music, movies, and more. I would also like the ability to do an advanced search, with price ranges, categories and name.


Pay as much attention to marketing as you do to coding. Listen to your customers and adapt your apps as needed.

Take a moment and find out more about Todd and his app company at http://www.notiesoftware.com/

Developer Name: Richard Rabassa


Letterarium


I started teaching myself the app development tools, such as xcode, last summer (2013). I'm a stay at home dad of three toddlers, but before kids I was a creative director and developer. I started back in the Macromedia Director CD-Rom days. As for App development, I started with various tutorials online and just forced myself to finish projects. My goal was to create games that my kids would love to play as well as to teach them.


I love sitting with my kids and playing a game together.


The shear number of apps in the Apple App Store is very intimidating. Getting your app noticed takes as much time (if not more) to market. All this was very discouraging at first, but then I realized I should try to make apps that just want to make and enjoy making. As each app

gets better, and my (very) small following of users grows, I know I will sell more.


Yes. Better judgment/discretion on the apps that get approved. The store seems like it's flooded with (I hate to say junk) less than stellar examples of what apps should be and can be. It makes it very hard for good apps to shine.


Once you've learned the mechanics of developing an app meaning the coding, debugging, etc. focus on the quality and originality of you app. We don't need yet another Flappy Birds - we need apps that make people stop, interact and smile.

Take a moment and find out more about Richard and his apps at http://motionshiftstudios.com/

Developer Name: Enrico Cortesano


VadoVia


It has been about three years now. I got started because my wife and I are avid travelers and I am a photographer and she likes to write so originally we were going to put together a book of travel photos and travel notes. This idea evolved into an app for the iPad. Over the next couple of years of development it became much more than just a travel journal app but rather a tool with high functionality for travelers.


I like the creative aspect of app development, using my imagination to come up with something that I would want to use but can't find on the market.


Getting the app known to all the travelers out there. Having it show up in a prominent position in the search results in the app store.


Nothing I can think of right now.


It will cost you three or four times as much as you think it will and will take a lot longer than you think it will if you don't have experience or don't know how to do the development yourself.

Take a moment and find out more about Enrico and Elissas story at http://www.vadovia.com/WebPages/AboutUs.aspx

Developer Name: Oleksii Sydoryn


MindUp Fun Photo Editor


This is our first app, I decided to start development at the end of year 2013. I reached out to app developers, who are good at iOS programming. We began from a little idea which my girlfriend gave me during a Friday night dinner. The idea to put minds into thought bubbles is not new, but practically nobody before did it in an interactive manner. Similiar to the way we tried to do in ver.1.0. and the way we will do when we introduce client-server technology where users will be able change jokes and write there own. Mindup will automatically select the best and offer it to thousands of our users through the internet immediately,.


The best thing is to see how your idea in words is turning to an app which you can try and have fun.


The huge amount of daily introduced new apps. Your app is always lost there.


More comfortable ITunes connect interface with better statistics. This is a common wish, I guess.


Focus on the things which were not done before. Add your own ideas into your app...all in all this is your masterpiece

Take a moment and find out more about Oleksii and MindUp at http://mindup-app.com/

Developer Name: Tsigosys


E&Q Notes


I am developing apps for approx. three years and I started programming software about 25 years ago. I have read a lot of books and tutorials to learn languages like objective c and c+ that is used for iPhone apps.


What I really love about being an app developer is that I can act out my creativity


The huge amount of all the new apps introduced daily. This makes it so your app is always lost out there.


The most annoying thing is that I have to permanently update my apps according to the requirements of new hardware and software

updates.


Every developer who is creating code with enthusiasm is paid with satisfaction over the development period, like a painter who is looking at his picture.

Take a moment and find out more about Tsigosys at http://www.tsigosys.de/

Developer Name: Imad Khoury


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I started iOS app development back in 2010. My first app was SheetRack Lite (a lite sheet-music reader), an idea I always wanted to do. At that time, the first generation iPad was announced for release, so it was the right opportunity and time to get started, as this idea needed a big-screen device. I got started on Objective C and Xcode by reading and viewing tutorials on Youtube and Stackoverflow, and creating simple apps. It took me about 2 months to master the development for iOS (I had prior knowledge of C as well as other programming languages).


I'm an entrepreneur and software developer, and so I like creating useful and entertaining apps. The feeling of reward of seeing your app used by lots of people around the world, and making an impact somewhere and somehow in their lives is like no other. Like for any artist, your creations make you proud and happy -- and even more when they can be of use to you as well.


I categorize them in two: Timing and Content. The right timing for every step in marketing is critical to the overall success of marketing for the app and it is not easy to achieve this because there are so many elements to take into account. First you need to set your release date on a time that can get you most visibility. For example, unless it is theme-related, you'd better not release your app on a Superbowl final, or when there is too much competition in the field of your app. You'd also want to coincide your app release on a day that is best visible by Apple staff, usually on Thursday. Once you select the release date, you'd want to make all other marketing steps revolve in a timely manner around this date: social buzz and review requests before this date, press release and ads and more social buzz after this date, and each in the right sequence. You'd want to prepar

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