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iPhone App FAQ
If you've started looking into custom iPhone apps, you probably have more questions than answers right now. How much does it cost to make an iPhone app? Thinking about an iPhone app for your company or yourself? Do you have a great idea for a new iPhone app? We'll try to answer some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about iPhone applications.
iPhone App FAQ:
What are iPhone apps? How many iPhone apps are there? How much do iPhone apps cost? How much does it cost to make an iPhone app? Who makes iPhone apps? Can I make my own iPhone app? How can I get an iPhone app for my company? How can I get an iPhone app for my band? How can I get an iPhone app to promote myself? I have a great idea for an iPhone app - how can I get it made?
Q: What are iPhone apps?
A: iPhone Apps are applications for the Apple iPhone. More specifically, most iPhone apps are meant for the newer iPhone 3G model and will also work on the most recent versions of the iPod Touch. These iPhone and iPod Touch applications are commonly referred to as "Apps." An iPhone app is a specific software widget that you can download from the iTunes App Store. When the new app is downloaded, it will place an icon on the screen of your iPhone or iPod Touch, so you can access the app directly by touching the icon on the screen. Accessing your application this way eliminates the step of having to use the web browser.
There are thousands of apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Categories of apps include Business, Games, Entertainment, Sports, Education, Medical, Fitness, News, Travel, Photography and more! There are both paid and free app categories. A specific example of an iPhone Game app is the game Tetris. If you download the Tetris app from the iTunes store, there will be a Tetris app icon on your iPhone or iPod touch screen and all you need to do to play the Tetris game is to touch the icon to get it started.
An excellent example of an iPhone app for Business is the Fedex app. After you download the free Fedex app from the iTunes Store, just click your Fedex app screen icon and you have direct access to Fedex shipping, tracking, and store location information. The Fedex iPhone app uses the iPhones built-in GPS system to automatically show your closest Fedex location.
Q: How much does it cost to download an app?
A: iPhone apps are downloaded from the Apple iTunes Store. You must have iTunes on your computer, iPhone, or iPod Touch.
In the iTunes App Store, there are both Free and Paid apps for every category. So the Free apps are free for you to download, and the Paid apps will cost you the list price to download and will be charged to your iTunes account.
Paid apps vary in price from 99 cents on up depending on the type of app and competition in the store. Many apps will have both a free version and a paid version, with the free version having limited features. The iTunes App Store will soon have a separate section for higher priced apps; let's say $20.00 and over.
Q: How much does it cost to make a custom iPhone app?
A: The cheapest way to make an iPhone app is "Do it Yourself" and the second cheapest way is to "Do it with Friends." Otherwise you're going to have to use the services of a registered iPhone developer. Qualified registered developers are in short supply and programming costs are not cheap; some developers have long backlogs.
The common answer from iPhone app developers is "How much do you have?" or "What's your budget?" Well maybe I'm not going to set my budget until I know what things cost.
The real answer is that the cost for creating a new iPhone app depends on the features you need incorporated in the app and how you want the app to be used.
Very basically, we can list three levels of custom iPhone apps (price points are guestimates):
1. Bare bones basic iPhone apps. These simple applications will have minimal features and may perform only one task. This type of iPhone app could make use of existing open source code or be "similarly different" to another app already on the market in order to reduce programming cost. You can find thousands of apps in this category in the iTunes App Store - from various clocks, bobbleheads, joke apps, and many more!
This type of most basic iPhone app may cost in the range of $5000 to $10000 or more depending on the needed specifications.
2. Mid-range custom iPhone apps incorporate more features and therefore incur more programming cost. An example of a mid-range custom iPhone application would be a game like SnakeXT or a useful tool like Track My Shipments. These mid-level apps will have expanded features with multiple screens, interactive play, web connectivity and maybe some simple social networking aspects.
A mid-level iPhone app can cost from $15000 - $50000 or more depending on the features.
3. Upper level, more complex custom iPhone apps. This type of more sophisticated iPhone application might be a multi-player game with many levels; it could be a corporate promotional app like Coke's Spin the Bottle Game that leads players back to a dedicated website for a marketing campaign with user metrics; it could be a useful business tool like the Fedex Mobile app that allows users to automatically find the closest Fedex location with the iPhone's built-in GPS function as well as full tools for shipping and tracking for air and ground.
Top-end custom iPhone apps like these generally are going to cost $50000 to $75000 to $100000 or more depending on the complexity and related tie-ins required.
There are many ways to keep the costs down on your custom iPhone app project. First is to have a well thought out plan with requirements for your application. Second is to work with a developer that has experience and has learned to save cost through repetition. Third is to work closely with the developer to keep the timeline on a tight schedule.
Have more questions about developing a new iPhone application for your project?
Please contact us at the Toy Lounge for a free price quote.
Q: Who makes iPhone apps?
A: iPhone apps are made by individuals or companies who are registered iPhone developers. Registered iPhone developers are able to design an iPhone application, program the software code specific for the iPhone operating system, test the application, and upload it to the Apple iTunes Store for distribution. These developers have been accepted to the offical Apple iPhone Developer Program. It has been only since mid-2008 that the iTunes App Store opened, so the number of qualified iPhone developers is limited but iPhone app development is a rapidly expanding field.
The Toy Lounge is a registered iPhone applications developer. We have a network of qualified and experienced programmers and designers available for your iPhone app project. Please contact us with any custom iPhone app questions!
Q: Can I make a custom iPhone app myself?
A: Yes you can! If you have some experience or interest in programming, all you have to do is learn some Cocoa and Objective C coding skills, familiarize yourself with the iPhone operating system, register as an iPhone developer with the Apple iPhone Development Center, download the iPhone SDK, write your app program, de-bug and test your app, and then apply your app to the iTunes App Store. Once your app is approved and available for download, you will need to provide online support for users and upgrade your app as needed.
There are thousands of iPhone and iPod Touch apps listed in the App Store that were done by individuals this way. It takes talent, hard work, a lot of time and patience. If you have the talent, time and energy for this process then you're on your way to being a successful iPhone app developer! If not, we welcome you to contact us at the Toy Lounge
for more information on developing your idea for a new iPhone app.
Q: How many apps are in the iTunes App Store?
A: As of March 2009 there were over 30,000 apps listed in the iTunes App Store, counting both paid and free apps. Closer examination shows that many of these apps in the App Store are basically duplicates - you will find several variations of utilities like the Flashlight and Alarm Clock apps, lots of similar games with different names, and so on.
Apple is starting to reject apps with limited functionality or for being too similar to an existing app. Coming later this year will be a separate section in the App Store for higher priced apps so they don't get lost in the clutter of the free and low priced apps.
More FAQ to come; please feel free to contact us with your iPhone app questions.
iPhone App FAQ:
What are iPhone apps? How many iPhone apps are there? How much do iPhone apps cost? How much does it cost to make an iPhone app? Who makes iPhone apps? Can I make my own iPhone app? How can I get an iPhone app for my company? How can I get an iPhone app for my band? How can I get an iPhone app to promote myself? I have a great idea for an iPhone app - how can I get it made?
Q: What are iPhone apps?
A: iPhone Apps are applications for the Apple iPhone. More specifically, most iPhone apps are meant for the newer iPhone 3G model and will also work on the most recent versions of the iPod Touch. These iPhone and iPod Touch applications are commonly referred to as "Apps." An iPhone app is a specific software widget that you can download from the iTunes App Store. When the new app is downloaded, it will place an icon on the screen of your iPhone or iPod Touch, so you can access the app directly by touching the icon on the screen. Accessing your application this way eliminates the step of having to use the web browser.
There are thousands of apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Categories of apps include Business, Games, Entertainment, Sports, Education, Medical, Fitness, News, Travel, Photography and more! There are both paid and free app categories. A specific example of an iPhone Game app is the game Tetris. If you download the Tetris app from the iTunes store, there will be a Tetris app icon on your iPhone or iPod touch screen and all you need to do to play the Tetris game is to touch the icon to get it started.
An excellent example of an iPhone app for Business is the Fedex app. After you download the free Fedex app from the iTunes Store, just click your Fedex app screen icon and you have direct access to Fedex shipping, tracking, and store location information. The Fedex iPhone app uses the iPhones built-in GPS system to automatically show your closest Fedex location.
Q: How much does it cost to download an app?
A: iPhone apps are downloaded from the Apple iTunes Store. You must have iTunes on your computer, iPhone, or iPod Touch.
In the iTunes App Store, there are both Free and Paid apps for every category. So the Free apps are free for you to download, and the Paid apps will cost you the list price to download and will be charged to your iTunes account.
Paid apps vary in price from 99 cents on up depending on the type of app and competition in the store. Many apps will have both a free version and a paid version, with the free version having limited features. The iTunes App Store will soon have a separate section for higher priced apps; let's say $20.00 and over.
Q: How much does it cost to make a custom iPhone app?
A: The cheapest way to make an iPhone app is "Do it Yourself" and the second cheapest way is to "Do it with Friends." Otherwise you're going to have to use the services of a registered iPhone developer. Qualified registered developers are in short supply and programming costs are not cheap; some developers have long backlogs.
The common answer from iPhone app developers is "How much do you have?" or "What's your budget?" Well maybe I'm not going to set my budget until I know what things cost.
The real answer is that the cost for creating a new iPhone app depends on the features you need incorporated in the app and how you want the app to be used.
Very basically, we can list three levels of custom iPhone apps (price points are guestimates):
1. Bare bones basic iPhone apps. These simple applications will have minimal features and may perform only one task. This type of iPhone app could make use of existing open source code or be "similarly different" to another app already on the market in order to reduce programming cost. You can find thousands of apps in this category in the iTunes App Store - from various clocks, bobbleheads, joke apps, and many more!
This type of most basic iPhone app may cost in the range of $5000 to $10000 or more depending on the needed specifications.
2. Mid-range custom iPhone apps incorporate more features and therefore incur more programming cost. An example of a mid-range custom iPhone application would be a game like SnakeXT or a useful tool like Track My Shipments. These mid-level apps will have expanded features with multiple screens, interactive play, web connectivity and maybe some simple social networking aspects.
A mid-level iPhone app can cost from $15000 - $50000 or more depending on the features.
3. Upper level, more complex custom iPhone apps. This type of more sophisticated iPhone application might be a multi-player game with many levels; it could be a corporate promotional app like Coke's Spin the Bottle Game that leads players back to a dedicated website for a marketing campaign with user metrics; it could be a useful business tool like the Fedex Mobile app that allows users to automatically find the closest Fedex location with the iPhone's built-in GPS function as well as full tools for shipping and tracking for air and ground.
Top-end custom iPhone apps like these generally are going to cost $50000 to $75000 to $100000 or more depending on the complexity and related tie-ins required.
There are many ways to keep the costs down on your custom iPhone app project. First is to have a well thought out plan with requirements for your application. Second is to work with a developer that has experience and has learned to save cost through repetition. Third is to work closely with the developer to keep the timeline on a tight schedule.
Have more questions about developing a new iPhone application for your project?
Please contact us at the Toy Lounge for a free price quote.
Q: Who makes iPhone apps?
A: iPhone apps are made by individuals or companies who are registered iPhone developers. Registered iPhone developers are able to design an iPhone application, program the software code specific for the iPhone operating system, test the application, and upload it to the Apple iTunes Store for distribution. These developers have been accepted to the offical Apple iPhone Developer Program. It has been only since mid-2008 that the iTunes App Store opened, so the number of qualified iPhone developers is limited but iPhone app development is a rapidly expanding field.
The Toy Lounge is a registered iPhone applications developer. We have a network of qualified and experienced programmers and designers available for your iPhone app project. Please contact us with any custom iPhone app questions!
Q: Can I make a custom iPhone app myself?
A: Yes you can! If you have some experience or interest in programming, all you have to do is learn some Cocoa and Objective C coding skills, familiarize yourself with the iPhone operating system, register as an iPhone developer with the Apple iPhone Development Center, download the iPhone SDK, write your app program, de-bug and test your app, and then apply your app to the iTunes App Store. Once your app is approved and available for download, you will need to provide online support for users and upgrade your app as needed.
There are thousands of iPhone and iPod Touch apps listed in the App Store that were done by individuals this way. It takes talent, hard work, a lot of time and patience. If you have the talent, time and energy for this process then you're on your way to being a successful iPhone app developer! If not, we welcome you to contact us at the Toy Lounge
for more information on developing your idea for a new iPhone app.
Q: How many apps are in the iTunes App Store?
A: As of March 2009 there were over 30,000 apps listed in the iTunes App Store, counting both paid and free apps. Closer examination shows that many of these apps in the App Store are basically duplicates - you will find several variations of utilities like the Flashlight and Alarm Clock apps, lots of similar games with different names, and so on.
Apple is starting to reject apps with limited functionality or for being too similar to an existing app. Coming later this year will be a separate section in the App Store for higher priced apps so they don't get lost in the clutter of the free and low priced apps.
More FAQ to come; please feel free to contact us with your iPhone app questions.
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Latest page update: made by CustomiPhoneApps
, Apr 16 2009, 1:13 AM EDT
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