There’s been lots of stories about individuals making bundles of money on the app store although with thousands of apps out there this tends to be the exception rather than the rule
However, I’ve just noticed that there are a number of apps in the top 25 today. They are cheap apps selling the ability to see through a friends clothes or track ANY mobile telephone. It appears to be a joke and when you read the description it does clearly state what the app does or doesn’t do but lots of people seem to be downloading them regardless.
Three of the apps are below, [update 10th March 2013, the apps are no longer available]. 2 are from the same developer, all have got really bad reviews and all appear to be very simple apps to put together.
The apps were an X Ray Scanner to “see under your friends clothes”, a phone Tracker to locate the location of any of your friends mobile telephones (it only shows the location of your friends phone if you’re next to them) and a sex position game.
What ceases to amaze though is how many people seem to be surprised that the app doesn’t do what they thought.
I take a few learning from this and i’d be interested to hear your views.
As an app developer we’ve seen this ourselves. No matter how clear you try and make the description and how much information you provide on your website; people will still download the app but often have completely different expectations to what it actually does.
The same is true for help and instructions. No matter how clear you’ve made your instructions (or how clear you feel you’ve made your instructions) people will still have problems.
The more expensive the app, I assume the more research people will do before purchasing. The cheaper the app the more likely people will download it without really knowing what it does, then be upset when it doesn’t do what they thought.
As a developer we put a lot of effort into trying to create good apps which will be useful to our customers. When we first released our applications we always took it personally if someone wasn’t happy. Of course we still want to make the best app possible but given the above it seems that reviews shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Obsviiously constructive critisms can help you develop your app further, but bad reviews appear to make little difference to sales.
The apps I mentioned above were obviously quick to make and appear to have upset a lot of people. However, they are in the top 25 paid applications as well as the top 50 grossing applications today. If you create a buzz in the app store, even if for the wrong reasons then it appears that your app will get priortised. Sensationalism sells!
By the way, before any one thinks this is just another marketing ploy for these apps, thiese companies have nothing to do with us!
I’d be keen to hear your thoughts, both around marketing of applications as well as on a lighter note, some ideas for equally bad apps which could sell millions.
First published March 2010. I’d welcome any views on whether you think this has changed.
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