Comments on: The myth of the 99-cent killer app

By: Mark San Antonio TX

Mark San Antonio TX — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:18:23 +0000

SF, CA – You may want to check your facts. Apple gets 30%, not the 60% you quoted, from app store downloads, and the developer or software company gets 70%.

Also, you don't have to use Apple's SDK if you don't sell in their store. If you can find a way to sell a Cydia or Installer app, go for it. You'll pocket 100% of the Benjamins, but get none of the exposure of the app store. I think I'd rather pay the $99 and give up that 30%, and consider it a marketing expense for HUGE exposure to millions of iPhones and iPod touches in the app store. Apple's deal is better than one you can get from any software company on Earth. Your mileage may vary.

By: cynik, switzerland

cynik, switzerland — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 08:17:16 +0000

Awesome article. I am fascinated by the dot graph showing the popularity versus price for new technology on the app store, because it confirms a suspicion I have held for a while.

That is, people choose to create and share information, for free, that is of more value than the information which is sold.

My grand theory is that Human beings are inherently knowledge based creatures. We do not run on money. We crave knowledge, and we eat and reproduce in order to obtain more knowledge. We are not born with a simplistic craving for power in the form of money.

If you believe people are all about money, those green dots should be concentrated on the far left, and as price increases, the dots should move uniformly to the right on the graph. But they do not. Instead, the stuff created for FREE nearly always has value, whereas the stuff made for sale is most often not valued at all.

So, if we are naturally knowledge based creatures, is it possible that copyright law has things entirely wrong?

Is it possible that copyright is a tax on the innate thirst for knowledge, rather than the requisite stimulus for valuable new information?

By: SkateNY, New York, NY

SkateNY, New York, NY — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 07:28:05 +0000

Developers can, have, and will make a killing on a business model such as Apple's App Store. Are you jealous, are you just to lazy to to jump in?

By: SkateNY, New York, NY

SkateNY, New York, NY — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 07:24:54 +0000

Let's get one thing straight here: Linux is never going to be a mainstream OS in my lifetime, in our lifetime. They've had more than enough time to do this, and it didn't work. If you use and like Linux, be happy with what you have and hope for the best. Stop trying to push it on the rest of us.

I was a Mac developer long before the iPhone was in vogue. I dropped out and went on to new things just prior to the development of OSX. You need to get something else in your life that moves you. Linux is a great thing, but it's also a small thing for very few people. I know that accepting this is difficult, but that's the reality. Be well.

By: SkateNY, New York, NY

SkateNY, New York, NY — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 07:20:05 +0000

Wow. Peter J. did a scathing but very good and comprehensive evaluation of the so-called research. Kudos to you.

Whatever else the App Store is, it certainly is garnering a great deal of attention. And that is most certainly good for business.

By: qaz

qaz — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 03:42:14 +0000

Funny thing is this: Apple gets 60% from the apps store, developers need to pay $99 (and wait over a month like myself to get certified) and 90% of the the apps suck (they’re stupid apps) and one needs to go through iTunes. No wonder devs are pissed, Apple gets the bounty and is taking them for a ride, (everyone forced to learn iPhone OSX and Objective-C) when they can be focused on a Symbian, WM6.1+, Android, or J2ME app and make more money.

It's funny, how many developers get rich because of other platform?

Using iTunes actually the key of success of iphone apps. App for mobile already exist for long, but iphone brings the convenience to life. make it as a streamline activity.

How come you still don't get it?

By: Peter J. Evans III

Peter J. Evans III — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:16:56 +0000

Hilarious distortion of numbers to manipulate readers onto thinking wrongly. Object selection (Getting the app) does not equal popularity in any way at all. This only demonstrates the elasticity of downloading, not the elasticity of demand, but then the author knows this, which is why "popularity" is undefined.

Karl is dead on correct, "Yawn, just another advertisement pretending to be a news story"

Nothing of any meaning can be derived from that scatter plot except the degree of randomness that people possess for downloading random applications. The End.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:16:21 +0000

Karl, this is an open dialogue between developers and consumers, i find your yawn insulting

ct sucks

By: Karl, Waterbury CT

Karl, Waterbury CT — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:32:38 +0000

Yawn,

Just another advertisement pretending to be a news story.

By: Amir, Austin TX

Amir, Austin TX — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:57:25 +0000

First let me say that Apple has done an amazing job of providing a marketplace where users and devleopers can relatively easily find each other. I feel (as an iPhone developer) that the main thing holding prices down is Apple's refusal to let us release demos of our apps. If you put trial or demp anywhere in your description Apple will reject your app. Sure you can release a crippleware lite version but I want people to be able to try out my app fully and then judge to see if the price I"m charging is a good one. Also even in crippleware you're not allowed to upsell your full version. I don't really blame consumers for not wanting to drop $40 on an app where they can only see 4 screen shots or a walk through video. There's no substitute for a real test drive and until Apple allows devs to provide one, I don't see this problem being totally solved.