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App Store changes layout, threat of the fleshy palm still looms

by Robert Palmer Dec 12th 2008 at 2:00PM


TouchMeme notes that the App Store has changed layout to separate free and paid applications, perhaps in response to developer grumbling about competition in a crowded market.

Free apps and paid apps now occupy sidebars to the right and left, respectively, of a major category index page. The center still allows you to sort the results by release date, name, or popularity (which doesn't appear to work yet: it only displays an alphabetical list). The separation of free and paid apps brings iTunes more closely in line with the mobile App Store experience. The changes affect every category except Games.

The concerns, though, of the Iconfactory's Craig Hockenberry (who earlier this week published an open letter to Steve Jobs detailing his frustration with marketing iPhone apps) may not be entirely assuaged. He argues that the price appeal of 99-cent apps (which may not be supported by the data) stifles the development of larger, more expensive apps that earn less prominent placement in the App Store.

The issues of price popularity and developer ROI aren't exactly solved by this furniture rearrangement, but perhaps it will let more high-quality apps bubble to the top of the Paid App charts. Otherwise, Apple might yet see the fleshy part of Hockenberry's palm.

[Via AppleInsider.]



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TouchMeme notes that the App Store has changed layout to separate free and paid applications, perhaps in response to developer grumbling...
 

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jh

read this story about Appcubby's advertising effort,sounds like they are throwing money away...

http://appcubby.com/blog/files/financial_realities.html

December 12 2008 at 8:06 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
badweasel

I think they need to now have categories for Free Apps, Apps under $1, Apps under $2, Apps under $3.. ..

That would give the good $5 apps exposure separate from the good $9 apps which would have their own section.

More sections will help sales overall - means more money for apple too. (and us :)

December 12 2008 at 7:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
vandil

I have not purchased a single app. I seem to only download the free ones. Now if there was a good paid app that is a killer app for my needs, I'd certainly pay more than 99 cents.

The real problem is marketing. Counting on iTunes placement is suicide. You need to get your app in google search results and post cool demos on YouTube and pray someone blogs/Diggs it.

December 12 2008 at 4:49 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
heytpn

It's not that way for me. Is it because I have a PC? It's still the same!!!!!!!!!!!!!

December 12 2008 at 4:48 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Johnny

At first, I agreed (and I still see where he's coming from). Then, I was on the fence. Now, I really don't think there is anything Apple can do to fix this. I agree with someone else who said that the developer is responsible for marketing and Apple is responsible for distribution. Does this guy expect his app to go on top of the list because it is more expensive? No one can even solve the mystery of app acceptance, so how does one think Apple can decide who gets top listing based on anything other than download or revenue data? BTW, using revenue data would be a poor representation of anything to the consumer. So is he saying that Apple should not allow $.99 apps? Again, there is just nothing Apple can do any more fairly than it is. If you have a really great app that is worth more than $.99 or $9.99, you should do something to promote the app, just like any other software company does.

If your app is worth more than the $.99 variety, and you let people know it's there who are interested in high quality iPhone apps, they will buy it. The problem is, for him, that most people at the app store are not looking for professional apps, they're looking for the equivalent of freeware/shareware - just something to play around with. If you need professional software, like the Adobe CS of iPhone apps, then you will find the app and pay what it's worth.

December 12 2008 at 3:37 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Johnny's comment
Xerloq

I totally agree. The market (App Store) is still very immature. As devs begin marketing activities, audience segmentation, profiling, etc., they'll be able to reach those inclined to buy their $15 products. The Top 100 list is just channel noise that any product marketer would have to cut through.

December 12 2008 at 3:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Johnny

Ok, the one thing Apple could do, that would solve a lot of this, is allowing demos. I don't see why it would be so hard to allow a free (time or feature limited) demo on the same page as the full product. Then you could decide if it was worth the extra money and probably wouldn't even buy a lot of the crap you pay $.99 for. In the long run, Apple wouldn't lose anything they are making from these 'impulse' buys.

People buy $.99 apps because they don't really need the functionality it provides or care that much about the title and can afford to waste $1 to try it out. I have tons of these that I've bought and barely use, but it sure is cool to have them. ;-)

December 12 2008 at 3:59 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Simon Iannelli

Is this only in the US-Store?

December 12 2008 at 2:38 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Xerloq

So I'm not sure I understand Craig's argument. Is he saying that he can't charge more because there is a competing cheap or free app that does the same thing?

December 12 2008 at 2:24 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
5 replies to Xerloq's comment
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