Comments on: My iPhone’s not Cheap, but my Apps are http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/2009/07/13/my-iphones-not-cheap-but-my-apps-are/ The trials and joys of indie games development Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:32:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Size Does Matter « Streaming Colour Studios http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/2009/07/13/my-iphones-not-cheap-but-my-apps-are/comment-page-1/#comment-80686 Size Does Matter « Streaming Colour Studios Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:06:06 +0000 http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/?p=710#comment-80686 [...] have, I thank you), then you may recall I post I wrote about a year and a half ago called “My iPhone’s Not Cheap, but my Apps Are“. At the time, I was trying to find reasons why we were seeing a race to $0.99 on the App [...] [...] have, I thank you), then you may recall I post I wrote about a year and a half ago called “My iPhone’s Not Cheap, but my Apps Are“. At the time, I was trying to find reasons why we were seeing a race to $0.99 on the App [...]

]]> By: Bill DeVoe http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/2009/07/13/my-iphones-not-cheap-but-my-apps-are/comment-page-1/#comment-5867 Bill DeVoe Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:52:03 +0000 http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/?p=710#comment-5867 Just had the time to read all of the comments... :) I think that some of them are right on, especially what Jay said about people offering to make games for free. My first game, for instance, will be free with in-app purchasing. But a lot of people are putting some relatively fun games for nothing. On the PC and Mac that's not as feasible simply because the competition is so much higher. There are a lot of people writing games (and I wrote MUSEs and MUSHs back in the day that were free), but the visibility isn't there - it's a wild and wooly world. With the App Store, though, it's a closed market with captive consumers. I think Sega actually hit the right price point on Super Monkey Ball. I bought it at $10 but probably wouldn't have at $15 (no matter how much my daughter whined :). The expectation is that developers need to move beyond niche games (which I think a lot of them are) and into broader-based appeal. That's if you want to duplicate the anecdotal successes of others. I think it will get harder and harder to be very successful on iPhone moving forward. Like many things, I think you can make a living. A fortune? Different story. Just had the time to read all of the comments… :) I think that some of them are right on, especially what Jay said about people offering to make games for free. My first game, for instance, will be free with in-app purchasing. But a lot of people are putting some relatively fun games for nothing. On the PC and Mac that’s not as feasible simply because the competition is so much higher. There are a lot of people writing games (and I wrote MUSEs and MUSHs back in the day that were free), but the visibility isn’t there – it’s a wild and wooly world.
With the App Store, though, it’s a closed market with captive consumers. I think Sega actually hit the right price point on Super Monkey Ball. I bought it at $10 but probably wouldn’t have at $15 (no matter how much my daughter whined :) . The expectation is that developers need to move beyond niche games (which I think a lot of them are) and into broader-based appeal. That’s if you want to duplicate the anecdotal successes of others. I think it will get harder and harder to be very successful on iPhone moving forward. Like many things, I think you can make a living. A fortune? Different story.

]]> By: links for 2009-07-21 :: User First Web http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/2009/07/13/my-iphones-not-cheap-but-my-apps-are/comment-page-1/#comment-5862 links for 2009-07-21 :: User First Web Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:12:42 +0000 http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/?p=710#comment-5862 [...] Streaming Colour Studios » Blog Archive » My iPhone’s not Cheap, but my Apps are "Why it is that I’ll spend $2.25 to ride the subway without blinking an eye, but I have an agonizing decision to make when a game is listed over $1.99 on the App Store." (tags: iphone appstore pricing business goldrush) [...] [...] Streaming Colour Studios » Blog Archive » My iPhone’s not Cheap, but my Apps are "Why it is that I’ll spend $2.25 to ride the subway without blinking an eye, but I have an agonizing decision to make when a game is listed over $1.99 on the App Store." (tags: iphone appstore pricing business goldrush) [...]

]]> By: Jason Krogh http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/2009/07/13/my-iphones-not-cheap-but-my-apps-are/comment-page-1/#comment-5658 Jason Krogh Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:46:35 +0000 http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/?p=710#comment-5658 I think you hit the nail on the head it speaking the trust factor. There are just so many apps that are half-baked that you really do start to feel ripped off. At least when I drop my token in, I have a reasonable expectation of getting across town (although that's failed more than a few times). Can Apple build the trust factor back into the App Store without setting up lots of barriers for developers to push through? How can the system be better designed to promote the professional apps while not slamming the door on the amateur stuff? What if Apple offered a 'top shelf' section that developers would have to pay for up front? Would this help separate the serious folks from the dabblers? Or would it just ruin the party? Two things that are top of my wish-list for the App Store is a mechanism for trial version and/or a mechanism to post game play videos right inside the App Store. Both would go a long way toward helping building that confidence. I think you hit the nail on the head it speaking the trust factor. There are just so many apps that are half-baked that you really do start to feel ripped off. At least when I drop my token in, I have a reasonable expectation of getting across town (although that’s failed more than a few times).

Can Apple build the trust factor back into the App Store without setting up lots of barriers for developers to push through? How can the system be better designed to promote the professional apps while not slamming the door on the amateur stuff?

What if Apple offered a ‘top shelf’ section that developers would have to pay for up front? Would this help separate the serious folks from the dabblers? Or would it just ruin the party?

Two things that are top of my wish-list for the App Store is a mechanism for trial version and/or a mechanism to post game play videos right inside the App Store. Both would go a long way toward helping building that confidence.

]]> By: links for 2009-07-14 « Blarney Fellow http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/2009/07/13/my-iphones-not-cheap-but-my-apps-are/comment-page-1/#comment-5641 links for 2009-07-14 « Blarney Fellow Wed, 15 Jul 2009 01:36:21 +0000 http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/?p=710#comment-5641 [...] Streaming Colour Studios » Blog Archive » My iPhone’s not Cheap, but my Apps are (tags: iphone viapssteam) [...] [...] Streaming Colour Studios » Blog Archive » My iPhone’s not Cheap, but my Apps are (tags: iphone viapssteam) [...]

]]> By: Jay http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/2009/07/13/my-iphones-not-cheap-but-my-apps-are/comment-page-1/#comment-5625 Jay Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:03:40 +0000 http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/?p=710#comment-5625 To me it boils down to the app store currently being a "dollar store". Picture walking through the aisles at a dollar store where everything is of questionable quality and finding a few items that cost way more but look roughly the same at first glance. I doubt you would pay the extra money in that context. I think the majority of people and the majority of software on the app store IS dollar store quality. But there is another problem: lots of premium product is at dollar store prices. So now the expectation is higher. Good old supply and demand. The economy of app store games is somewhat skewed as people are willing to spend a great deal of time making games for free and others will do it cheaply. Combine that with an almost unregulated store and you have a very interesting free market developer economy that really favors the buyer! For me personally the reason I don't want to spend more than a $1 isn't about the money at all. It is about the time I know I will spend with it. At $1 if I play it once I'm happy, anything after that I want the back up of other people playing it and loving it as well. That is why I'm addicted to the top 25 lists when I buy. To me it boils down to the app store currently being a “dollar store”. Picture walking through the aisles at a dollar store where everything is of questionable quality and finding a few items that cost way more but look roughly the same at first glance. I doubt you would pay the extra money in that context.

I think the majority of people and the majority of software on the app store IS dollar store quality. But there is another problem: lots of premium product is at dollar store prices. So now the expectation is higher. Good old supply and demand.

The economy of app store games is somewhat skewed as people are willing to spend a great deal of time making games for free and others will do it cheaply. Combine that with an almost unregulated store and you have a very interesting free market developer economy that really favors the buyer!

For me personally the reason I don’t want to spend more than a $1 isn’t about the money at all. It is about the time I know I will spend with it. At $1 if I play it once I’m happy, anything after that I want the back up of other people playing it and loving it as well. That is why I’m addicted to the top 25 lists when I buy.

]]> By: Why iPhone apps are so cheap: http://www… | Cafyn http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/2009/07/13/my-iphones-not-cheap-but-my-apps-are/comment-page-1/#comment-5624 Why iPhone apps are so cheap: http://www… | Cafyn Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:16:08 +0000 http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/?p=710#comment-5624 [...] iPhone apps are so cheap: http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/2009/07/13/my-iphones-not-cheap-but-my-apps-are/ [...] [...] iPhone apps are so cheap: http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/2009/07/13/my-iphones-not-cheap-but-my-apps-are/ [...]

]]> By: Tim Brazer http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/2009/07/13/my-iphones-not-cheap-but-my-apps-are/comment-page-1/#comment-5623 Tim Brazer Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:09:39 +0000 http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/?p=710#comment-5623 I never thought about some of these. A great read :) I never thought about some of these. A great read :)

]]> By: Max http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/2009/07/13/my-iphones-not-cheap-but-my-apps-are/comment-page-1/#comment-5622 Max Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:07:41 +0000 http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/?p=710#comment-5622 I know I don't just go around buying every $2-3 game I see is because there are just so many games. I think people see that since there are so many games and apps available, buying one after another would be very costly very quickly. So I tend to wait for price drops when the games are on sale for $0.99. It seems like $3 isn't a lot (and it isn't) but when you buy 10 games/apps for $3 apiece you spend $30, yet if you buy 10 cheaper games for $.99 apiece, you only spend $10. Small prices add up quickly. And then there's the great point you made about not knowing whether a game/app will be good. Just a few days ago I saw a review for some new battery indicator apps that said the developer was giving out free gift cards or redeemable codes for the game or something for good reviews. It comes to the point that many positive reviews can't even be trusted, which in turn makes the consumer even more hesitant to purchase a game even if the reviews are glowing. I know I don’t just go around buying every $2-3 game I see is because there are just so many games. I think people see that since there are so many games and apps available, buying one after another would be very costly very quickly. So I tend to wait for price drops when the games are on sale for $0.99. It seems like $3 isn’t a lot (and it isn’t) but when you buy 10 games/apps for $3 apiece you spend $30, yet if you buy 10 cheaper games for $.99 apiece, you only spend $10. Small prices add up quickly.

And then there’s the great point you made about not knowing whether a game/app will be good. Just a few days ago I saw a review for some new battery indicator apps that said the developer was giving out free gift cards or redeemable codes for the game or something for good reviews. It comes to the point that many positive reviews can’t even be trusted, which in turn makes the consumer even more hesitant to purchase a game even if the reviews are glowing.

]]> By: OG http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/2009/07/13/my-iphones-not-cheap-but-my-apps-are/comment-page-1/#comment-5619 OG Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:19:27 +0000 http://www.streamingcolour.com/blog/?p=710#comment-5619 Lots more excellent points! Thanks for the discussion everyone. I'm glad to see the post generating lots of ideas. Lots more excellent points! Thanks for the discussion everyone. I’m glad to see the post generating lots of ideas.

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