Mobile Apps that are Money Making Machines

While Robert Nay recently made headlines for developing a chart-topping iPhone app, the 14-year-old from Spanish Fork, Utah will need to create a paid or advertising-supported follow-up to his Bubble Ball puzzle game in order to make any money.

Since Apple opened the iTunes App Store in July 2008, independent developers have created tens of thousands of titles with the hopes of striking it rich through paid downloads (where they keep up to 70 percent of the sales) and more recently via advertising or premium upgrades.

With increased competition from major game developers and globally recognized brands, however, most independents lose money on their smartphone applications that are now also created for Google’s Android mobile operating system.

Yet it is still possible to get rich right away developing iPhone apps. Just look at how some of the top app makers to come out of nowhere did it.

New and noteworthy app all-stars

Zeptolab/Cut the Rope
Ten days after this addictive puzzle-solving game debuted for 99 cents on the iTunes App Store last October, Cut the Rope was downloaded more than one million times. Ten days later, another million copies were sold. By year-end, this Moscow-based development company founded by two 28-year-old brothers had an absolute blockbuster with the sale of more than five million apps.

Co-founder Semyon Voinov, who previously worked as an artist with Helskini-based mobile development firm Digital Chocolate before joining forces with his brother full-time last spring, recently told us that independent developers can still thrive making iPhone apps because “there is no need to have a big team or business connections.”

That didn’t stop major game publishers from taking notice. Zeptolab’s first app, the 99-cent slingshot game Parachute Ninja, sold a respectable 300,000 copies with New York City publisher Freeverse. Last June, Zeptolab scored a publishing contract with Chillingo – the UK-based behemoth behind Angry Birds and other iconic titles. Chillingo, which markets games for an undisclosed cut of the action, was impressed with Zeptolab’s production values and chart-topping potential.

“We saw the great talent ZeptoLab had and the innovative gameplay design they had created,” said Chillingo co-founder Chris Byatte. “We realized that with even more polish, the game would have massive consumer appeal and we’re proud to see all the success we’ve helped them achieve.”

Pocket Gems/Tab Farm

Venture capitalists are paying more attention to iPhone app developers, including this San Francisco-based startup that was founded in September 2009. Stanford University MBA student Daniel Terry, who briefly worked in the product department of large mobile app developer Tapjoy, saw the success of freemium games on Facebook.

Freemium games like Zynga’s FarmVille cost nothing to download but hit players up for premium gameplay along the way. Before Zynga launched the official FarmVille app for the iPhone, Pocket Gems earlier last year scored a nice success with the similar game Tap Farm. With five titles in the App Store, Pocket Gems last month raised $5 million from Sequoia Capital, a backer of Google, Yahoo! and other groundbreaking companies.

First-mover successes
Steve Demeter/Trism
The poster child for overnight success developing iPhone apps, Steve Demeter boasted of making more than $250,000 in profit only two months after his color-matching game Trism debuted in the App Store in the summer of 2008.

“The key is to make an application that instantly proves its value,” Demeter explained when we interviewed him a year later.

The San Francisco-based Demeter, who was 30-years-old when Trism started selling for $4.99 a download, predicted early on that that the game would generate more than $2 million in profit. It’s estimated that Trism cleared $1 million, but increased competition in the App Store apparently killed its trajectory and there has been no major follow-up since. While he acknowledges that creating one of the first blockbuster hits for the iPhone changed his life, Demeter learned to keep his financials closer to the vest.

“Talking about numbers made me realize why people don’t talk about numbers,” he said. “You get people asking for loans, and (in meetings) that can become a stumbling block.”

Demeter said he expects to come out with Trism 2 in the coming months.

Ethan Nicolas/Ishoot
This former Sun Microsystems engineer literally quit his day job shortly after reportedly making more than $600,000 in only one month (including $37,000 in a single day) in late 2008. Legend has it that Nicholas, based in Wake Forest, North Carolina, programmed much of iShoot with his 1-year-old son on his lap during his off hours.

After a sluggish beginning trying to sell the shooter game out of the gate at $4.99 per download, Nicholas struck gold while giving away a “lite” version of the game for free. Thereafter, iShoot shot to number one on the free charts. Of the nearly 2.5 million consumers who downloaded the game in those opening weeks, more than 300,000 ended up shelling out a discounted three bucks for the complete game.

iShoot continued to gross hundreds of thousands of dollars thereafter. Naughty Bits, the iPhone app development company Nicholas formed, also enjoys modest success with the 99-cent Rhumb Line board game app.

GreatApps/iSteam
Not every million dollar iPhone app is a game. To date, this 99-cent novelty app – which makes your iPhone look like a steamy mirror after a hot shower – has been downloaded more than three million times.

The London-based, twenty-something developers behind GreatApps – who modestly claim to be just “three Greek guys playing with a Mac” – came together in November 2008. The company is now marketing technology that detects how firmly users tap touchscreen devices so that different responses can be programmed based on the amount of force applied.

Other GreatApps iPhone apps include the free titles Zen Piano, GoSanta!, and CometBuster that use the company’s TapForce technology.

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Reason # 3202, Why we love Google – Google Docs Mobile

Google Docs has gone mobile.

Google announced today that it is expanding the capabilities of the Google Docs viewer to accommodate iPhone, iPad, and Android platforms by enabling users to open a wide variety of documents via their mobile device with the Google Docs Viewer.
Since the start of 2010, Google has allowed users to store a wide variety of file types (up to 1Gb of data) online. But, until now, the cloud-based data was only accessible on non-mobile devices.

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Reality Star “The Situation” Sorrentino’s iPhone application, Top-10 Grossing Apps?

Disclaimer, you might hate us or resent us for posting this and possibly crossing into the world of “pop,”  but please bare with us tech geeks; there is a method and a purpose to our madness….(lol)

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter By Leslie Bruce – Tue Sep 21, 5:01 am ET) – MTV reality star Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino’s iPhone application has soared into Apple’s top 10-grossing entertainment apps since its release last Thursday, an Apple spokesman said.
The application — appropriately titled “The Situation” and available for $4.99 on iTunes — offers users: a “GTL” finder for local gym, tanning and laundry facilities; a workout routine designed to sculpt Shore-worthy abs; an interactive video game titled “Grenade Dodger”; a soundboard offering Sorrentino’s most memorable quotes; and a link to e-mail “The Sitch” directly.

“It’s done extremely well, and we believe it will continue to do so,” Apple’s Adam Matuzich told The Hollywood Reporter. Apple declined to release specific sales numbers.

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Samsung Galaxy Tablets Out of this World! Powered by Android

Dallas, TX — Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile)1, the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S., today announced the upcoming availability of the Galaxy Tab™ in the U.S. with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. The first mobile tablet from Samsung shares many of the powerful characteristics of the Galaxy S smart phone lineup that launched this summer. The Galaxy Tab is designed with several enhancements to create a unique mobile experience that other products can’t deliver.

The Galaxy Tab features a brilliant 7-inch enhanced TFT display screen, 1GHz Hummingbird Application processor supporting 3D graphics and smooth Web browsing and front and rear-facing cameras for video chat while on-the-go. The Galaxy Tab is powered by Android 2.2™, including full support for Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1. Just like the Galaxy S smart phones, the Galaxy Tab includes Samsung’s Social Hub application and the new Media Hub content service, offering a robust collection of premium movies and TV episodes from some of the biggest entertainment companies.

“The addition of Galaxy Tab to the Galaxy product portfolio is a powerful proof point of Samsung’s commitment to bring new and innovative mobile experiences to U.S. consumers,” said Omar Khan, chief strategy officer for Samsung Mobile. “The 7-inch display and thin, lightweight design, combined with premium content and productivity tools makes the Galaxy Tab a true mobile tablet that is as comfortable to use standing on a crowded train as it is relaxing on the couch at home. The Galaxy Tab is perfect for watching a movie, reading an e-book or catching up with your favorite TV shows or chatting with an old friend. Plus, the Tab’s design makes it completely pocketable in your pants or jacket.”

Powerful Display, Portable Design

The Galaxy Tab’s 7-inch display features enhanced TFT technology, offering brighter colors and clearer pictures, whether watching a movie or reading a book. The display delivers 1024 x 600 WSVGA resolution, offering full support to the Android 2.2 operating system. With support for Flash Player 10.1, the Galaxy Tab delivers an enhanced content experience when compared to other tablets currently available in the U.S. Users can engage with thousands of sites with rich Flash based applications and content including games, animations, rich Internet applications (RIAs), data presentations and visualizations, ecommerce, video, music and more. Samsung’s mobile tablet also provides access to the more than 80,000 applications currently available on the Android Market™.

Many of the built-in productivity services and Android applications are scalable to fit the Galaxy Tab’s full 7-inch screen. For example, the user’s email, calendar and contacts will all rotate from portrait to landscape format through the tablet’s accelerometer and then open as a split-screen to create a PC or laptop viewing experience on the Tab. Likewise, many Android Market applications will open in full screen. Non-scalable Android Market applications will be framed and centered on the Galaxy Tab screen.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab is designed for people who want a premium mobile entertainment experience on the go, but don’t want to be weighed down by a bulky device. The Galaxy Tab fits in a pocket or purse, weighs only 13 ounces and is 12 millimeters thin. Those super-light and sleek dimensions, matched with the 7-inch touchscreen display allows the Galaxy Tab to easily fit into a jeans’ backpocket or the inside pocket of a jacket. The compact design of Galaxy Tab also makes it easy for the user to type on the virtual keyboard with both thumbs or with one hand using Swype technology to type with one continuous finger motion across the keyboard.

Two Cameras, One-on-One Video Chat

The Galaxy Tab is designed with a rear-facing 3 megapixel camera for taking pictures on-the-go and sharing with family and friends. The Tab is also outfitted with a front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera and camcorder, enabling video chat with other people who have video conferencing capabilities. Users can align the Galaxy Tab with video chat clients including Qik and Fring and seamlessly talk with other people over a WiFi connection.

Google Mobile Services Benefits 

Services like Google Maps™ Navigation (Beta) and Google Goggles are available on Google’s Android platform. With useful location-based services like Google Maps™, consumers can search in Standard English instead of entering an exact address. A search-by-voice function is just as intuitive, meaning searches can also be completed easily on the go. Google Goggles™ is a powerful, visual search tool that uses the Samsung GALAXY Tab’s camera to uncover information – an image of a landmark or artwork is automatically used to perform a search, delivering relevant content like a description or history. In addition, with a camera, users can enjoy various augmented reality services which are downloadable in the application market.

Samsung Social Hub Simplifies

Just like the Samsung Galaxy S smart phone portfolio, the Galaxy Tab keep users connected with Samsung’s Social Hub application. Social Hub works with the user’s Messaging and Contacts to initiate the sending and receiving of information, whether it is e-mail, instant messaging, social network updates or SMS messages. Additionally, calendar information from portal calendars, such as Google Calendar, and social networking services are displayed together in one calendar with two-way synchronization.

Additional features of the Galaxy Tab include:

* Daily Briefing: Offers instant access to weather, news, stocks, and schedules. * Impressive Onboard & Expandable Memory: Galaxy Tab can add 32 GB of external memory to store and manage your favorite video content and pictures.

* AllShare DLNA Technology: Take video or pictures shot with Galaxy Tab and send content wirelessly to other DLNA-enabled devices (HDTVs, laptops, PC monitors, etc.)

* Document Viewer & Editor: Open and make changes to any Word, Excel, Powerpoint or PDF document

* 4,000 mAh Battery: Super-sized battery provides ample power to watch movies, share content and surf the Web

Samsung Media Hub – Entertaining the Masses

In addition, the Galaxy Tab will include future access to Media Hub, Samsung’s own content service, offering a vast lineup of critically acclaimed films and TV programs for rent or purchase. Samsung is working with the biggest and best names in entertainment, including MTV Networks, NBC Universal and Paramount to assemble a robust library of movies and TV programming, including new release films, next day TV episodes and even full TV show seasons. Media Hub also allows the user to expand the entertainment experience, allowing content purchased to permanently own to be shared with up to five devices that carry the Media Hub application.

Premium Accessories Portfolio

To enhance the Galaxy Tab user experience even further, a set of accessories designed specifically for the mobile tablet are available for purchase from www.Samsung.com including:

Keyboard Dock – $99.99

* Ergonomic, comfortable full-size keyboard with 7” Galaxy Tab replaceable inserts that doubles as a charger for power and synchronization of media and data

* Dock contains convenient stereo audio output jack for connecting to speakers or home stereo

Desktop Dock – $49.99

* Doubles as a Galaxy Tab charger using the Micro USB wall adapter that comes with the Tab; allows users to view movies, display as a digital picture frame and listen to music

* HDMI output to view HD content on HDTV enabled with 1080p resolution and provides HDTV connection to play content from the Galaxy Tab to a television

Car/GPS Dock – $99.99

* Conveniently positions 7” Galaxy Tab display screen inside car for turn-by-turn GPS navigation instructions and traffic updates

* Attachable to either the windshield or car dashboard and rotates freely between landscape and portrait modes

Upcoming Availability

The Samsung Galaxy Tab portfolio of mobile tablets from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless will be available in the coming months. For additional information on the Samsung Galaxy Tab portfolio, please visit www.samsung.com/galaxytab.

1 Number one mobile phone provider in the U.S. claim for Samsung Mobile based upon reported shipment data, according to Strategy Analytics, Q2 2010 U.S. Market Share Handset Shipments Reports.

More…

Santa Baby, All I want is an Android Tablet Tonight..

Google will roll out a tablet computer to rival the Apple iPad just in time for the Christmas shopping season, a new report said.
Google has teamed with wireless provider Verizon and HTC, a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer, to launch a device on Nov. 26, or “Black Friday” — the biggest shopping day of the year.
Although neither company would comment, Google is readying a flat, touch-screen tablet-style computer similar to the iPad, according to a report on tech blog Download Squad.

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Get your mark, get set, go!…. Tablet race started! ASUS on board with Android and Windows Mobile.

By Matthew DeCarlo, TechSpot.com
Published: August 13, 2010, 11:50 AM EST

The foretold tablet apocalypse has yet to fall upon us, but the touchscreen slates are coming. Asus promises. The company plans to launch its first tablet in December or January, which will be a 12-inch, $1,000 Windows Embedded Compact-based behemoth that ships with a docking station that transforms it into a laptop, according to CEO Jerry Shen.

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Looky here!- Dell's new tablet powered by Android….

How sweet that sound of  “crossover.” Well thanks to Dell, they are reinventing the word.

Google Nexus One Vs iPhone 4

Apple’s had its thunder stolen somewhat this week – at least from a gaming perspective – by Nintendo and its 3D-capable handheld the 3DS. And as we’re called Pocket Gamer, games are what we’re interested in.

However, while both platforms are capable gaming handsets, the 3DS really isn’t a direct rival to Apple’s sleek smart phone.

A more direct comparison would be to take Google’s flagship Android device, the Nexus One, and pit it against the iPhone 4. After all, it was evident from the iPhone 4′s unveiling who Steve Jobs saw as the biggest threat.

While we can’t make a direct hands-on comparison just yet (we only have the Nexus One to play with at the time of writing, for obvious reasons), we have more than enough information to go on with regard to looks, specs, pricing and those all important gaming capabilities.

Round 1: Looks

Let’s get the most immediate comparison out of the way first of all – which is the sexier beast? Looks aren’t everything, but if you’re going to have to live with a device for two years (depending on the contract) you’d better be happy with its appearance.

There’s no getting away from the fact that the Nexus One is a fairly plain bit of kit. It’s solid and well constructed, yes, but you get the feeling that when Google commissioned the device from HTC it went for a safe, ‘blank slate’ approach that would let the excellent Android OS do the talking.

The iPhone 4, on the other hand, makes a serious statement. And that statement goes something like this: “look at me. I am gorgeous”.

Its dead-flat slim build makes it look like a supermodel amongst the porky chubbas of the smartphone world. Even the rounded Nexus One – which is hardly a bloater itself – looks a little plump in comparison.

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Forward Thinking Mobile Marketing Apps! Simply Impressive!

Location-based services have evolved in ways most of us didn’t foresee just a few yearsago. Instead of cellular tower triangulation–with which forward-thinking marketers imagined that the phone of a person walking by a Starbucks could be “read” and sent a coupon for a latte–it’s all about the apps. Two LBS applications for marketers–WeReward, a cash-payout system which this week put out its Android version, and PlacePop, a virtual loyalty card program currently for iPhones–got me thinking: Like the mobile platform for consumers, LBS software means finely tailor-made offerings for marketers–and this customizability is what will change mobile marketing.
PlacePop, for which an Android edition is in the works, thankfully avoids cloaking itself with socializing and gaming visages meant to convince consumers that it’s “fun” to use them. Instead, it’s a straightforward marketing tool that uses the tried-and-true tactics–loyalty rewards, specific locales, and personalized greetings upon entering a business–of older strategies, like opt-in SMS/text and email, or even those paper stamp cards that make each visit count toward something free or discounted. Consumers can reach increasing status levels, and marketers can choose how to reward their rising number of visits.
PlacePop sounds easy for companies to use, with a soon-to-be-launched self-serve dashboard with which business owners can set up and manage a virtual card program for their location in less than five minutes. The dashboard also enables marketers to see data about activity at their venues, such as who is visiting and how often–providing measurable ROI.
WeReward, which has been available for the iPhone, offers the best incentive of all for consumer participation: Cold hard cash. (Caveat: It’s in increments of nickels and dimes, varying according to the advertiser, until a consumer accrues $10 or more–enough to receive a PayPal payout.) Consumers earn money for checking in and spending money at certain bars, restaurants, and retailers, verified with photos submitted by the consumer, GPS data, and manual reviews. Call it “the app that pays you back.”

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Young Adults- "Aren't Sold" Mobile Organic Search Still King

In an interesting, albeit limited study of roughly 2,210 young people, 47% say they’re using real-time search from the likes of Twitter and Facebook on a regular basis, while just 4% say they would choose paid search results over natural results.
The study, conducted by Tamar, found that people over 55 were the least likely to trust paid search as a trusted source with just 3% choosing it over natural search results. Younger people, however, are increasing their use of mobile to search- as 14% of both 18-24 year olds and 25-34 year-olds use mobile search every day.

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