Do you think that getting into app development is worth it?

Recently I have found out that the guy who made Flappy Bird has been making around 50,000$ a day, which absolutely shocked me. My mind just couldn't process how is that even possible...

And then I had an idea, I should probably start developing apps too, maybe i can also get rich? But, after a lot of research I've realized that it takes more then 2 years of studying for someone who doesn't have any programming experience, to actually start building real apps. Even then, who guarantees you that your app will get popular? What if no one actually downloads it? There is really no way you can tell, you either need a good commercial or some way to let people now that your product is out there, since there is over million of apps on the market.

So, what do you think about the app development in general? Do you think that it is a job that you can live with? Have you made any apps yourself and do you earn money with it?

 

Application development, more specifically mobile application development is one of the most lucrative jobs out there today. The guy that made Flappy Bird sure made a lot of money as does a lot of other application developers who post their apps on the marketplace, but as you have correctly mentioned this depends on whether people will use your applications. Nevertheless, you can still pursue your dream of developing applications and still make a lot of money by joining enterprises that make applications. This way, you will have a fixed salary that won't depend on whether people will download your applications or not.

 

Actually , if truth to be told i don't think getting into app development is profitable whether i am sure about it. Many people are earning $50/day with only 3 android apps made by them. I think developing iOS apps will be a bit more profitable as you can take charge of $1 from the iPhone owner and since iOS market have many paid apps it would be easier to sell also. Good Luck !

 

I think entering into app development must be done with a passion and a drive that is fueled just for the ultimate goal of getting rich. Flappy bird exploded only because it was noticed by a famous youtuber that decided to talk about it. The guy had to take it off the store for a while because the backslash became too intense too. So it wasn't just like riding on the sun.

If you enter into this field it must be because you like the idea of making applications. If just the idea of having to study to prepare for that sounds boring I wouldn't recommend you to proceed. You need at least to feel you are getting something worthwhile of the journey. If you like the idea of learning about programming and making your own applications then even if you don't sell as much as you hoped for, you will still enjoying learning with every one of them you do.

The second thing is that people get tired of formulas. Once a market is discovered people try to find the easy way to make money on it and instead of trying something new they will imitate what gave results. Some are good at it and get decent results but many others completely misses the point of why some future works.

The appeal with Flappy bird is that it hits well the points.
- It looked very nice.
- the controllers are very easy to understand.
- The goal was simple to grasp but hard to master.

Many downloaded the app just to see how bad it was and ended hooked. The idea however wasn't new. This is important. It is a case I see too often with mobile games. You'd like to think graphics doesn't matter as much as an original work but usually the company that make the eye-candy graphics and add some sort of 'reward' and 'social' system do way better than the originals.

Before flappybird I played Helicopter game through vBulletin arcades in forums. Then you have Candy Crush, that apparently also ripped off Candy swipe. while the concept itself is from even older games. I remember for example playing "Yoshi Cookies". It can get messy and lines can be blurred. With ideas so simple it is easy that someone else already did it before, so many opt to think instead how can they do it better and become popular before the competition. Now no matter how many games play like Candy Crush, this will be the measuring name.

So it is not as easy, specially with many people that, just like you, get the idea of trying it out just to make money. Sometimes what really gets people attention is something different, because it stands out from those meticulous formulas and pre-conceptions of how apps should be.

TL;DR? It is not an easy market. You will need dedication and knowledge to carry it out so I don't recommend you to enter it just for the promise of gold at the end of the Rainbow if you lack interest on spending many years of your life programming applications.

 

If you are entering the app market purely to make money I would suggest that you hire a developer to create your app idea and then promote and sell the app yourself. Have the developer sign a confidentiality agreement and you should be fine.

It sounds like you are only in it for the money so rather work on refining your idea for an app than stressing about programming. If I have completely misread you however I apologize and I would recommend starting out on a site like codecademy to get an idea of what it is to program. There are also various tutorials on app development that you can have a look at before spending money on actually studying programming full time.

 

Right now, it looks like app development is where the money is. If you want to make a lot with a good idea, or you have some connections that can popularize your app, then you definitely have a chance. Of course, that's only considering 'worth it' from a financial standpoint. Personally, I think recent developments in the field of modern technology mean it's a better idea to focus your attention elsewhere.

Right now, the way I see it, everything is about networks. It's all connected. Phones are everywhere, right? Complexity and processing power are increasing at an exponential rate, whereas security and user knowledge are increasing much more slowly. If you're actually interested in the field of software development/computer science, then I'd highly recommend focusing on IT, cyber-security, or networking and systems.

Apart from that, if you're just looking for a get rich quick kind of thing? Noreht had a pretty good idea. If you think you have an idea, just hire someone to make it for you rather then spending hundreds of hours learning skills that aren't the most important ones in the field.

Regardless, best of luck in your app-based endeavors! I hope you succeed, or at least find something you're passionate about.

 

Application development is definitely something to get into. To be honest, as weird as it may seem to some, games are the most lucrative applications for mobile devices. Like you said, @nemanjanp, the creator of Flappy Bird made so much money it was crazy. He made so much he was even willing to pull it off the market.

I don't think many avenues of application development have been explored yet, and I think there are many things that can still be created. However, I will have to say, there are various banks and finance applications that are finally starting to become good and useful. For example, the first release of the Suntrust app for mobile devices was terrible, and the interface still is.

 

Application development is a good way for a software engineer. If I was you I would work on the side. I say use your knowledge of programming language and if you are bored with these startups as an application developer, make something you are passionate about. Whatever you feel is best, I think you are honestly in an awesome spot. If you make something you are passionate about that is putting out your ideas, instead of you sitting behind the computer for someone else, you might love what you do a bit more.

 

What's a business with an eye on the app economy to do? The most obvious monetization strategy is to turn your app into a platform for advertisers. With enough users, selling ads can turn an app into a successful product. Without those users, however, you're stuck with an app that can't function as an ad platform. In lieu of ads, you could always just sell your app as a premium service, but paid apps rarely do well.

In the end, it all comes down to what you want to accomplish with your app. If your business is wanting to turn your mobile app into a revenue stream, you either have to go free or paid. Neither avenue shows much promise. You can also use mobile to supplement your core business by attracting users to your product through mobile. A free app that directs users to your products either through simple games or communication features could be an effective marketing tool.

 

Depends on your goals. Developing and marketing your own app and making money off it sounds very easy but is in fact very difficult. The app marketplaces are flooded with apps original and clones and it is very difficult to get noticed unless you have decent ad budget, no matter how unique or great your app is. Yes, there is this Flappy Bird story, as you have mentioned. But for every success story like this where the developer got lucky there are thousands where the developer just wasted their time and resources.

What I am saying is that if you want to make money building apps you should be prepared to market it properly. If you know app development you have better odds at making money by getting an app development job or freelancing for app development projects.