There are a number of app development myths about success and failure despite the ongoing growth of the app economy, fuelled by the success and exposure of top selling pioneer games like Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja and more recently Candy Crush, has inspired many new developers to join the app craze.
Mobile apps provide an enormous opportunity for people to explore their ideas and you don’t have to be a technical expert or software developer to take part.
However, before you embark on your journey, I just want to point out a few myths that exist about app store success:
Myth #1: Launching your app will flood your bank account with money
Although the app explosion has created quite a few millionaires, first timers should be wary of entering the field with unreasonable expectations. The app market is not a gold mine that will boost your bank account overnight.
While Apple has more than 315 million iPhones, iPods and iPads in the market, over 88% of games are free and many people never pay for apps and when they do, Apple takes a 30% slice of the pie.
There is certainly opportunity to make a profit from your app however be wary of expecting instant success.
Myth #2: You need a ton of money to get started
There are a variety of different ways and means when it comes to developing an app and they don’t all mean that you have to put up a large amount of money to get moving.
We certainly don’t recommend trying to develop an app on a shoestring budget however it is possible to work with developers under joint ventures which require a minimal contribution to development costs and this is often an effective arrangement.
Myth #3: There is too much competition
The app development marketplace is still very much in its infancy and there are still many opportunities in the industry as a whole.
The Apple App Store still presents a multitude of opportunities although exposure through the app store alone is no longer enough. In addition, the Android and Windows Mobile platforms both represent growth areas that exceed the expectations for potential customers in most new or emerging markets and it is simply the rapid growth of Apple that has made these platforms seem like a less-profitable choice.
Myth #4: If you build it, they will come
It was impossible to resist the tie-in with one of my favourite movies, Field of Dreams, however this is one critical area that is worth pointing out.
Unfortunately, the days of instant app store income that were the result of simply designing, developing and launching your app on the Apple App store, have long passed us by.
You can develop an app but if nobody knows it is there then it may as well not exist anymore. In order to give your app every chance of success in the app store you need to have a plan for marketing both before and after launch or risk being relegated to the back of the pack.
Enter this market with your eyes open and engage with reputable partners throughout the process to maximise your chances of delivering a successful app to the market.