Nov 24, 2011
I will do my best to concisely document the development process of the new app. I will gradually reveal more information as I design the application, starting with general design-related articles. When I’m ready, I’ll start talking about the app and what I do to make it successful. I don’t have much time - I want to launch the app by the end of this year - so you can expect frequent updates and multiple changes.
If you want to stay in touch, follow me on Twitter (@jedjak) or send me an email.
Like a phoenix from the ashes: I’m working on a new app
“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall”. Confucius
Hi, my name is Jędrzej Jakubowski and I am an iOS developer. My last app was a devastating failure because of a series of bad decisions I made. I fell into the trap of developing in a bubble and the results were very painful to watch. I am creating a new app now and I’m determined not to repeat my mistakes this time.
I spent lots of time, money and energy developing my last app, Quotes Plus (previously known as Quote Portal). I was releasing it as an update from an earlier version, which had been somewhat successful (it was featured by Apple and received favorable reviews). I had very high expectations and I wanted everything to be perfect, which led to numerous redesigns and countless fixes. I wanted to release an App Store hit at any cost. But I was soon to be reminded that trying to be perfect is the worst thing a developer can do.
I will write a separate article about the rise and fall of Quotes Plus, but let’s just say it ended up in tragedy. Desperate to complete the project, I decided not to do any marketing, which resulted in flat sales after the launch (and three months later I can say that sales actually went down).
Quotes Plus is now a Universal App, has much more features and is cheaper than the original version. It’s still getting mostly favorable reviews and holds a 5 star rating on the App Store. The problem is, nobody knows about it, so the sales are low. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, but marketing a smartphone app really is crucial.
That’s why I’m taking a different approach this time around. Not only will I shorten the development time and forget about perfectionism, I will also share my thoughts and experiences with everyone. Working in public should make me feel accountable and help me get some feedback as I go. Hopefully, my experiences will also help people reading this. iOS developers are one of the best, friendliest communities I’ve ever been a part of. I see this blog as a chance to give back.
I spent lots of time, money and energy developing my last app, Quotes Plus (previously known as Quote Portal). I was releasing it as an update from an earlier version, which had been somewhat successful (it was featured by Apple and received favorable reviews). I had very high expectations and I wanted everything to be perfect, which led to numerous redesigns and countless fixes. I wanted to release an App Store hit at any cost. But I was soon to be reminded that trying to be perfect is the worst thing a developer can do.
I will write a separate article about the rise and fall of Quotes Plus, but let’s just say it ended up in tragedy. Desperate to complete the project, I decided not to do any marketing, which resulted in flat sales after the launch (and three months later I can say that sales actually went down).
Quotes Plus is now a Universal App, has much more features and is cheaper than the original version. It’s still getting mostly favorable reviews and holds a 5 star rating on the App Store. The problem is, nobody knows about it, so the sales are low. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, but marketing a smartphone app really is crucial.
That’s why I’m taking a different approach this time around. Not only will I shorten the development time and forget about perfectionism, I will also share my thoughts and experiences with everyone. Working in public should make me feel accountable and help me get some feedback as I go. Hopefully, my experiences will also help people reading this. iOS developers are one of the best, friendliest communities I’ve ever been a part of. I see this blog as a chance to give back.
And, perhaps most importantly, I am teaming up with a local mobile development studio to bring my idea to life: Appchance. They are a team of great, passionate developers, and will take care of the coding part of the process. This way I’ll be able to focus on the design and marketing. I’m super excited about this collaboration and I hope that together we can make this app a success.
I will do my best to concisely document the development process of the new app. I will gradually reveal more information as I design the application, starting with general design-related articles. When I’m ready, I’ll start talking about the app and what I do to make it successful. I don’t have much time - I want to launch the app by the end of this year - so you can expect frequent updates and multiple changes.
If you want to stay in touch, follow me on Twitter (@jedjak) or send me an email.
Best,
Jedrzej
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iOS development from a personal perspective.
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