IPhone developer laments glut of free and cheap apps

Have you noticed that every day, or at least it seems, there are hundreds of new applications to sift through in the iTunes App Store? Apple has racked up 10,000 downloadable programs for its iPhone and iPod Touch. And many, if not most, cost no more than 99 cents. Great, right?

Well, not really, says developer Craig Hockenberry. His argument: The proliferation of what he calls "ringtone apps" -- low-cost, high-interest applications that are shiny and flashy and not terribly complicated and shoot their way up the top 10 list -- is deterring the development of more advanced offerings.

Hockenberry's company, the Iconfactory, has released three apps: Twitterific, which is free; Frenzic, which costs $5; and Twitterific Premium, which costs $10. Twitterific, which helps iPhone users Twitter better, is listed in Apple's Best of 2008.

So, Hockenberry has written an open letter to Apple CEO Steve Jobs explaining ...

... the effect on his business. The developer writes on his blog:

We have a lot of great ideas for iPhone applications. Unfortunately, we’re not working on the cooler (and more complex) ideas. Instead, we’re working on 99¢ titles that have a limited lifespan and broad appeal. Market conditions make ringtone apps most appealing.

So the focus shifts to more superficial and cheap.

Why the rush to turn iTunes into the 99-cents-only App Store? Hockenberry surmises it may have something to do with the fact that folks are buying these apps sight unseen. As those of us frequent buyers know, sometimes there aren't any reviews listed -- and even when they are there, some of those can be suspect.

Some customers do complain when an app is above that 99-cent price point. But, he asks, do consumers do that with Starbucks?

Well, although consumption of Starbucks and iPhone apps could both qualify as an addiction of sorts, at least with a cup of coffee -- whether a skinny hazelnut latte or a half-caf mochaccino -- you know what you're going to get.

His argument is that, yes, Koi Pond and Ocarina are fun and cool, but the quick-hit approach could discourage the creation of that transformative utility, which probably would cost in real dollars and human resources. Maybe this could be an argument for instituting trial versions for download.

-- Michelle Maltais

Comments

[James Goudie]

first of all, you can make those advanced programs. just market it yourself. don't rely on placement in the app store.

[DENOBIN]

Much ado about little. If consumers find value in the more expensive apps, they will buy them. Don't decry the fact that cheap apps are cannabalizing sales of your premium apps; if most people are satified with the free version then you must examine the value that your premium app adds and either rectify it, drop it or raise the price of the popular version.

[Walt F]

Has anyone noticed that I don't have an iPhone, don't want one, and couldn't care less about iPhone apps?

[Adam Smith]

Seriously? Poor fellow is hung up on not being able to pioneer iPhone apps??!! Don't blame the market- make a product (that costs less than $10) that can do more for you than enhance Twitter. If you have beef with that take it to the customer, not Steve Jobs. Wal-Mart doesn't complain when folks don't buy some total piece of junk that they sell; they put a better, improved piece of junk out there. Get with the program!! Selling iPhone apps should be hard- they're hardly useful!!!!

[Chris]

Total BS. Build an app that people want and is worth the money and you will sell it.

[Angela Hey]

It's time for Apple to have multiple stores within a store - so that people can find a range of applications. The categories in the App Store were fine when there were only a few apps, but it is not easy to browse some of the rarer applications.

So Apple could have a high-end store - just like the App Store is part of iTunes there could be different stores for different price-points or markets.

Serious apps can be put on a "virtual CD" or real CD and distributed through alternative channels. For example, Mac software is available on a vendor's site. If an iPhone app is approved by Apple and AT&T then there should be a security key in it that enables it to be downloaded from other sites, distributed on CDs, given as gifts from Amazon, etc. etc.

Apple can still get a good chunk, give the developer a good chunk. Somehow the distribution must be broadened. You can't quench a fire with water coming through a drinking straw - and currently there is a bottleneck.

[Summers Laura]

Sounds like he is whining - build a good app, have a 30 day trial version. Business is a tough game - Hockenberry, get tough.

[magna carter]

Craig Hockenberry: Stop whining and write that killer app you want to write or someone else will do it for you and sell a million of them at $100 each.

Good Apps: If you write it they will come (and buy them). Almost everyone I know is a musician and they all have iphones and they all have purchased software in the 50-$250 range to control their recording studios and music rigs from their iphone, along with some other cool and not so cheap apps. Granted that is only 50 people with iPhones. Musicians, we buy iphone apps that actually do something.

[P Spee]

Personally, I purchased one $9.99 app, and one $5.99 app and they both are crap. I'll never take that risk again.

The highest quality applications that I have tried are all free (Twitteriffic included).

Until the application store can support limited time trials or will accept returns, I'll never spend more than $1 on an application.

Paying $.99 for most apps is a high price to pay when you have to sacrifice not attracting the developers who would make a truly worthwhile app that could make full use of the iPhone's capabilities. I was struck to realize that the only things which I felt where useful enough to get were white noise, galcon, spend, pocket money, fring, and phone zap. This after having browsed through the app store categories for quite a while. There has to be better stuff out there right? I hope so, and I'll keep looking.

[Denver]

Show me a capitalist that thinks his widget is facing too much competition, and I'll show you someone coming in at #2 or lower. Especially if s/he is grousing that the marketplace isn't fair.

[krquet]

I am a consumer. I own iPhone and I buy apps from the Apps Store. I rely a lot on the top 25 and what is on the main page. Because, frankly I don't have the time nor inclination to browse through the rest of the categories and their 10-20 pages per category. I think developers are mostly talking about casual consumers like me, with an attention span of 5 minutes tops.

It appears, consumers like me get really tired looking at endless icons and having to rely on the small titles to figure out which app does what. When you see the apps on any given page, you don't see how many star ratings the app has. The front page doesn't even list the price. So, you have to click on each app to get a glimpse, even then you can only really read just the briefest of reviews which is what you really rely on. You have to then click on the comments to read the rest, but you can't tell which was posted when. So, for instance, if you want to know if the developer and his friends have submitted a lot of positive reviews all on the same day/week or not, you are out of luck. Apple needs some education from Amazon's great comments features. They seriously are in need of it. Also, as developers have been crying for, allow them the option to download beta version that will expire after a number of usage/time or whatever else is enforceable.

Anyway, having said all this, there are some excellent programs out there on this new platform that are not cheap but worth the pretty pennies. I have purchased a very good translator program for around $5 but was impressed. It has been very, very useful in my foreign language class. There is another one for $24, which although I'm very tempted to get, but I fear it needs to come down a bit on the price for me to be serious about.
Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus just came out last week, and is almost a bargain for what they offer. Meanwhile, the most used program on my iPhone has been Enjoy Sudoku. Brilliant app. I initially got the free version, and loved it so much, I purchased the full app. The difference between the full and free is nominal but I still payed for it because I felt the developers showed respect to the consumers. Just a personal opinion.

Finally, I completely agree with the premise of this blog report. Indeed the best app on the iPhone is the Apps Store. Just not yet perfect.

[Joe]

Clearly Craig Hockenberry is blinded by something. Why not walk and chew gum?

low-cost, high-interest applications that are shiny and flashy and not terribly complicated and shoot their way up the top 10 list -- is deterring the development of more advanced offerings.

People shouldn't want low-cost and high-interest products? Why not? Walk - create "ringtone apps" to be competitive in that market while chewing gum - developing "complicated" apps that take the long view. You're admitting that successful entrepreneurship discourages you from creating a transformative utility? Give me a break

[C Hosoi]

Why must inexpensive equal cheap and superficial?

If your concern truly were the quality of apps available, you'd make an inexpensive masterpiece, thereby raising the bar for future inexpensive apps, insuring that 99 cent apps don't suck.

I think the whining is actually about having to work harder for the money. Oh well.

If you don't enjoy programming, then don't do it.

[Susan]

Maybe we should all pay TWICE as much for our software... to help those poor/broke developers earn more money.

Maybe I could ask my boss at the restaurant I work at... to also pay me double... simply because "I need the money".

If you can't write good software... that people want to buy... get into another line of work instead.

[Noibs]

I just can't buy the idea that people won't buy good and valuable iphone apps at a higher price point. It's not enough to have a "cool" app. If an app costs $20 (for example), what will it **DO** for people?

I view many software developers as being like the music labels. The latter keep lamenting the fact that they can no longer get away with charging $20 for CD with one or two decent songs and the rest crap.

Software developers can no longer package something trivial in a nice shell and charge big bucks. For example, putting a GUI on the Unix rsync command no longer commands top dollars from people looking for a backup solution. That's why MimMac costs $10 instead of $100.

Bottom Line? People will pay when software does something very useful. However, just investing human and monetary capital in a project that results in something that other amateur developers have provided for free is stupid--the market will not reward that effort.

[RD]

People sift through tens of thousands of content music and video items on iTunes store every day. Applications just need to be better classified. Other than that let the market forces decide what is good and what is bad. if this guy is such a "pioneer" he should pioneer his way out of this jungle or be eaten.

[Andy]

The apps are fantastic and I have bought certain apps that are more expensive that get great reviews get a great app everyone will buy it like vmail it's outstanding. Also one of the best free apps is the new google mobile allowing you to search by voice once you change the settings.

[iPhone Application Developer]

The iPhone though is the phone of the next generation. And the App store is a new form of viral marketing.

Sam
iPhone Application Developer