Attn Developers: Has Android mania affected your sales?

Some interesting stats:

Since the release of the beta OS, 18.4% of people who have downloaded either version of my app are using OS2. No problems have been reported so I am happy about that.

This means that a fairly sizable proportion of uses have jumped to the bets OS. To me this seems surprisingly high. There are a lot of early adopters out there!

Total sales are humming along ant the usual snail's' pace, so it's good to see that folks are still finding my app in App World. They do not seem to be distracted by Android mania in a way that would affect my bottom line.

But I have not received any new reviews for the past week, which is very unusual. Maybe, a little bit distracted?

I wouldn't think it would affect paid app sales.. All the Android apps listed in the google docs file are found free.

If there were paid apps in there i would think it might affect sales if an app similar to yours or another devs was listed..

my 2 cents. (i don't give refunds)

Originally Posted by adrenaline_x

I wouldn't think it would affect paid app sales.. All the Android apps listed in the google docs file are found free.

If there were paid apps in there i would think it might affect sales if an app similar to yours or another devs was listed..

my 2 cents. (i don't give refunds)

I was thinking more in terms of the "distraction" factor. I was concerned that the sheer number of posts about problems with the beta and excitement about Android apps would have affected the number of people using App World.

Regarding free apps that might compete with mine, there is one Android app that I am really concerned about. It's not currently on the google doc file but I have received word from users who have installed it and reported that it works great (complete with magnetometer).

I would ask that I be allowed to play on a level field at least until RIM makes the magnetometer available to AIR and NDK developers.

i shocked that there are that many people that have OS 2 installed. To me that would mean that the number of actually PB owners out there is still pretty small since not many people outside of devs or those on BB forums would have OS installed.

And i really wouldnt think that sales would dip because again the majority of PB owners are not going to load OS 2 let alone go to dev mode and sideload android apps

Originally Posted by howarmat

i shocked that there are that many people that have OS 2 installed. To me that would mean that the number of actually PB owners out there is still pretty small since not many people outside of devs or those on BB forums would have OS installed.

And i really wouldnt think that sales would dip because again the majority of PB owners are not going to load OS 2 let alone go to dev mode and sideload android apps

I think that one of the things that may have skewed my stats is that many of my sales are driven by my participation in the forum. (And I much appreciate your patronage). I think that I may get a higher portion of "sideloader" types buying my app that other vendors.

that is a valid point. Also are these new sales or people downloading because they wiped their OS and have to redownload to get the app?

Originally Posted by howarmat

that is a valid point. Also are these new sales or people downloading because they wiped their OS and have to redownload to get the app?

Very good point. Although total downloads for the paid version is not that much greater than new purchases. A lot of people appear to be sticking with OS2. I know that I reallly like the new desktop folders even if my Bridge is quite flaky.

Originally Posted by BuzzStarField

Some interesting stats:

Since the release of the beta OS, 18.4% of people who have downloaded either version of my app are using OS2. No problems have been reported so I am happy about that.

This means that a fairly sizable proportion of uses have jumped to the bets OS. To me this seems surprisingly high. There are a lot of early adopters out there!

Total sales are humming along ant the usual snail's' pace, so it's good to see that folks are still finding my app in App World. They do not seem to be distracted by Android mania in a way that would affect my bottom line.

But I have not received any new reviews for the past week, which is very unusual. Maybe, a little bit distracted?

I heard that AppWorld on Beta 2.0 still can't write reviews so maybe that is the reason your not getting any reviews.

Also can you give me your Vendor Page on AppWorld, so that I can check your apps, I remember I have bought a game of you before, I think your the owner of PaperPlane if I didn't forget.

Originally Posted by M.Rizk

I heard that AppWorld on Beta 2.0 still can't write reviews so maybe that is the reason your not getting any reviews.

Also can you give me your Vendor Page on AppWorld, so that I can check your apps, I remember I have bought a game of you before, I think your the owner of PaperPlane if I didn't forget.

Your're thinking of BBThemes perhaps? I'm the astronomy guy. Vendor page is in my signature.

Thanks for the possible bug with reviews - I did not know. I would appreciate if someone could check if reviews can be posted with 2.0. My free demo could certainly use a couple:) and so could What's up.

Originally Posted by BuzzStarField

Your're thinking of BBThemes perhaps? I'm the astronomy guy. Vendor page is in my signature.

Thanks for the possible bug with reviews - I did not know. I would appreciate if someone checking if reviews can be posted with 2.0. My free demo could certainly use a couple:) and so could What's up.

Oh lol, sorry for this mistake, You may only have one app... but it's great lol

Originally Posted by M.Rizk

I heard that AppWorld on Beta 2.0 still can't write reviews so maybe that is the reason your not getting any reviews.

Can anyone shed some light on this? Is there a problem writing reviews with the beta?

Originally Posted by BuzzStarField

Can anyone shed some light on this? Is there a problem writing reviews with the beta?

speaking of OS 2.0, what do you think of the impact of air 3 to your app? sorry if a bit oot, thanks..

Originally Posted by marksasongko

speaking of OS 2.0, what do you think of the impact of air 3 to your app? sorry if a bit oot, thanks..

Very little impact performance-wise. App is already highly optimized for massive number-crunching and managing 5000+ graphical objects in memory. This was a lot more work than I am used to using Java threads but it worked out quite well in the end. I don't have to deal with fancy collisions and animations as would be necessary in a game so these things are not issues. If there is any inherent "lag" in AIR, PB's dual-core processor more than compensates for it. PB is one great device!

Have you tries the app? There is a free dome available.

Sales of my e-Mmanuel+ bible app have remained good after release of 2.0 and Android player. However, I fully expect to be completely slaughtered once big names like Youversion hit App World officially.

My free app, Business Analysis Toolbox, remains steady. And my other 2 apps' sales remain mostly non-existent.

Originally Posted by jetstreamblue

Sales of my e-Mmanuel+ bible app have remained good after release of 2.0 and Android player. However, I fully expect to be completely slaughtered once big names like Youversion hit App World officially.

My free app, Business Analysis Toolbox, remains steady. And my other 2 apps' sales remain mostly non-existent.

At least I can hope that Google won't port Sky Map to PB. But I'm still worried.

Some fellow developers have suggested that we can beat the influx of competition from the player by using the following marketing techniques:
1. emphasize that our AIR apps are "real" native apps which presumably are superior in look and feel/performance to Android app running in an emulator
2. add features not in the Android apps to differentiate our apps from the competition
3. forget about our current app if it can't compete and write ones that doesn't have a corresponding Android offering.

I don't think that any of the above strategies are all that attractive.
1. we don't know how good the player will be. Probably much better than the beta though and close enough to "native" performance to make most users happy.
2. the Android app will have a good head start and a proven track record. tough to beat this.
3. like I should stop being interested in astronomy and drop my pet project - and try my hand at ?. (what other area of interest doesn't have Android coverage?) not many, I hink.


I'd be interested to hear what you think...

i actually think this is better than skymap

https://market.android.com/details?i...tarchart&hl=en

Originally Posted by howarmat

i actually think this is better than skymap

https://market.android.com/details?i...tarchart&hl=en

It's a beauty all right. It would take a while for my app to gain that kind of maturity and pizzazz. I've been holding off a bit until I know for certain that the magnetometer problem has been resolved. Might be able to compete with this one on price for a whale though. - not so with the free Google thing.

I think that the best approach is to try not to get too upset just yet and see how things work out. It' just that I've never been to good at being calm. You know what it's like waiting for something from RIM - soooo frustrating.

Originally Posted by BuzzStarField

Some interesting stats:

Since the release of the beta OS, 18.4% of people who have downloaded either version of my app are using OS2. No problems have been reported so I am happy about that.

This means that a fairly sizable proportion of uses have jumped to the bets OS. To me this seems surprisingly high. There are a lot of early adopters out there!

Total sales are humming along ant the usual snail's' pace, so it's good to see that folks are still finding my app in App World. They do not seem to be distracted by Android mania in a way that would affect my bottom line.

But I have not received any new reviews for the past week, which is very unusual. Maybe, a little bit distracted?

Don't think OS2 will help RIM improve its sales... It's a deal done for pb...
I've been trying to use my pb for the fullest extent possible for 2 months.. Really, lack of apps kils this gadget... Its battery life isn't something you may live with, being a businessman or office clerk... You realize it clearly when you have had the iPad experience...

Originally Posted by romanys79

Don't think OS2 will help RIM improve its sales... It's a deal done for pb...
I've been trying to use my pb for the fullest extent possible for 2 months.. Really, lack of apps kils this gadget... Its battery life isn't something you may live with, being a businessman or office clerk... You realize it clearly when you have had the iPad experience...

Gee... I hope you're wrong. There are lots of apps in the pipeline because of the release of NDK and open source libraries. I hear that some good ones have already landed in App World. There is not much joy for my AIR app but I am one of the few being affected by lack of sensors. Other devs that I've talked to are pretty darned excited. RIM is treating devs right for a change and this is good news.

Now if only they can get in gear on the consumer side of the equation, I think that RIM will prove you wrong. Good chance anyway. I'll bet you a buck.

I took my PB on a long flight last summer - running movies for hours - and no battery problems that I could see. And I sure like the way the tablet works with my 9700. iPad couldn't do that for me. I guess there are trade-offs, but I'm generally happy with the product.

Originally Posted by howarmat

i shocked that there are that many people that have OS 2 installed. To me that would mean that the number of actually PB owners out there is still pretty small since not many people outside of devs or those on BB forums would have OS installed.

wtf? Why are you wasting my brain power saying illogical stuff Howie?

I'm trying to boil this down to make sense out of your logic and I should be working on programming. But here goes, I will try to reduce your equation:

there are X many people that have OS 2 installed = Y number of actually (sic) PB owners out there

X many people with OS 2 installed = Y number of playbook owners

X = Y * (some fudge factor that relates number of playbook owners with number with OS 2 installed)

huh?
Please fill in the fudge factor you are using. How is number of actually playbook owners "out there" determined by how many have OS2 installed?
At least you qualified it with "to me".

Thanks for giving me a headache and wasting my time...

Originally Posted by howarmat

i shocked that there are that many people that have OS 2 installed. To me that would mean that the number of actually PB owners out there is still pretty small since not many people outside of devs or those on BB forums would have OS installed.

And i really wouldnt think that sales would dip because again the majority of PB owners are not going to load OS 2 let alone go to dev mode and sideload android apps

Notwithstanding BJ's mind warp, I understood exactly what you meant.

For BJ: There is a abnormally large percentage of 2.0 users who downloaded my app - this is a fact.

It is logical to assume that 2.0 users are likely to be either CB members or developers.

It can be inferred, therefore, that the total user base must be quite small (because an abnormally large percentage of the total user base is composed of power users)

Conclusion: not many non-power users are snapping up PlayBooks.

In subsequent posts, we discussed other reasons why my stats might be skewed.

The net result of the discussion was that I now have a better understanding of who my customers are. I thank howarmat for being part of this discussion.

Originally Posted by BuzzStarField

Gee... I hope you're wrong. There are lots of apps in the pipeline because of the release of NDK and open source libraries. I hear that some good ones have already landed in App World. There is not much joy for my AIR app but I am one of the few being affected by lack of sensors. Other devs that I've talked to are pretty darned excited. RIM is treating devs right for a change and this is good news.

Now if only they can get in gear on the consumer side of the equation, I think that RIM will prove you wrong. Good chance anyway. I'll bet you a buck.

I took my PB on a long flight last summer - running movies for hours - and no battery problems that I could see. And I sure like the way the tablet works with my 9700. iPad couldn't do that for me. I guess there are trade-offs, but I'm generally happy with the product.

I'm not going to wrestle further. I have both iPad and PB and simple comparison may speak for itself... Other than a 7-inch screen and really promising OS, I do not see any advantages one may have being a PB owner.. Sorry, but iPad can do a lot more just because it is equipped with a lot of apps, which PB will very unlikely get in such a variety. As for the battery aspect: come on, just google any tests on that respect; iPad can easily function more than 10 hours, PB is in the region of 7 hours, and with OS2 beta on board the situation has dramatically got even worse...
I am not here to blame RIM or to praise iPad... these are just facts taken from my personal experience. I wish we had different discussion, cause my PB is still on my desk and I am quite reluctant to get rid of it due to the reasons I explained above.

Originally Posted by romanys79

I'm not going to wrestle further. I have both iPad and PB and simple comparison may speak for itself... Other than a 7-inch screen and really promising OS, I do not see any advantages one may have being a PB owner.. Sorry, but iPad can do a lot more just because it is equipped with a lot of apps, which PB will very unlikely get in such a variety. As for the battery aspect: come on, just google any tests on that respect; iPad can easily function more than 10 hours, PB is in the region of 7 hours, and with OS2 beta on board the situation has dramatically got even worse...
I am not here to blame RIM or to praise iPad... these are just facts taken from my personal experience. I wish we had different discussion, cause my PB is still on my desk and I am quite reluctant to get rid of it due to the reasons I explained above.

How is all this relevant to the OT?

Attn Developers: Has Android mania affected your sales?