From Idea to App Store

From Idea ToApp Store

Gibson TangManaging Director, Azukisoft Pte Ltd

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

• Mobile and web software engineer• Started developing applications since 2003• Worked with startups and big companies• [email protected] or [email protected]

Gibson Tang

mailto:[email protected]



1. What makes a great idea

2. Target demographic

3. How you can start

4. What you will need

AGENDA 3

5. Native vs mobile web

6. iOS vs Android

7. App store submission

8. What’s next

4From Idea to App Store

What makes a great idea?

Watch this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-MYvIJ1r-s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-MYvIJ1r-s

• Mobile apps are unique• They serve only one function well• Find an idea that solves a pain point• Talk to people about your idea• Iterate until you get an idea that people are willing to use• Find a monetization model (Without monetization, you can’t

survive)





Watch this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NugRZGDbPFU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NugRZGDbPFU

Instagram• Solves the pain of taking ugly photos• Upload the photo and apply a filter• Snap, upload and share



WhatsApp• Solves the problem of expensive messaging

using SMS• With internet access, you can chat with your

friends and close ones• Open the app and chat. It’s easy



Uber• Push a button, get a ride• Easy to use, compared to calling a taxi• Credit card payment No need to worry taxi uncle will scold you for giving him $50



The world is so big. Different countries and regions have different cultural

differences. These will affect platform popularity and influence your use cases.


Target Demographic

• In countries where purchasing power is smaller• Look at Android platform as your first platform to target• Android phones are more popular as they are cheap• Example, Vietnam, Indonesia, India etc


Target Demographic - Android

• Android apps tend to monetize via advertising such as AdMob• Advertising is Google’s strong suite• Not all Android phones have access to Google App Store.

Example, Android phones in China• It is common for individual countries to have their own Android

App Store• Your app need to look strongly into advertising for a

monetization model


Target Demographic - Android

• In countries where the population have higher spending power• Less price sensitive• Places value on branding• Countries such as Australia, Singapore, USA


Target Demographic - iOS

• Each country have their own localized App Store• But you can submit an app to Apple and it will be available in

all countries where Apple has a presence• Apps tend to be monetized via a pay-per-download or a

subscription model• In-app advertising is still popular• iOS apps have a wider variety of monetization models


Target Demographic - iOS

• Do market research on apps that resemble your idea• Sources include App Annie

https://www.appannie.com/apps/ios/top/• Look at the top ranking apps on the app store• Download them and assess them to see what works and what

does not. Example, graphics, usability, features etc


Market Research

https://www.appannie.com/apps/ios/top/

https://www.appannie.com/apps/ios/top/

• Think of an idea• Create the app• Profit??


How to start?

• Think of an idea – Is the idea good?• Create the app – What happens if you cannot code?• Profit – How do I make money from it?


Not so easy

• Buy a Windows or Mac computer• Android development – Windows or Mac• iOS development – Mac only• Learn how to code• Look into outsourcing (Perils???)


Create the app

• Outsourcing is popular now, but it has it’s pros and cons• Popular outsourcing countries are China, Vietnam, Indonesia

and India• Generally cheaper, but it has it’s pitfalls


Create the app

• You need to deal with different time zones• Languages barrier (both written and spoken)• Different working cultures and habits• Example, it is normal to have slow internet or power blackouts

in India or Vietnam• Sending the outsourcing team a large file can take hours

instead of minutes


Create the app

• Daily Skype calls or virtual meetings are a must• To ensure that the outsourcing team is doing exactly what you

want• Make sure that you get a daily update of their progress• Hire someone as a technical liaison to do the project

management for you


Create the app

• www.google.com• Referrals from friends and network• Websites such as upwork.com or elance.com• Referrals are the preferred method as it reduces your risk of

the project going haywire


Where to look

http://www.google.com/

• Prepare a document outlining your app functionality, requirements and specifications

• If you can hand draw or sketch what your app looks like, then this will be a plus point

• Work with a designer who can create the user interface and advise you on the style and art direction

• Pass it to the outsource team to review and initiate discussions


After that?

• Keep in close contact with your outsource team• Be prepared to answer questions or reply to emails• The outsource team will have a lot of questions at the start of

the project• The amount of questions will reduce as time goes by and more

progress is made


The Process

• Pay them according to predetermined milestones mutually agreed by you and the outsource team

• Do not pay them in full upfront. Example, pay them X dollars for developing the login, registration, profile update functionalities

• Prepare an NDA if you prefer to maintain confidentiality of your idea

• Ensure that all IP, data, source code, design and things related to the project belong to you or your company


The Process

• Start rounding up friends, relatives, colleagues etc to test your app

• Make sure they have the devices that your platform support. No point asking your friend who has a Samsung S7 to download your iPhone app

• Collate feedback and issues that they encounter• Submit the feedback to your development team• Start preparing submission materials for the submission of your

app to the App Store


End of the road

• No need to worry about Apple or Google reviewing your app as your app will not appear in the app store

• But you will need a server to host the web application• Great for use cases where you do not want to submit your app

for review by Google or Apple• Titianium Appcellator, PhoneGap, Xamarin• You need internet connectivity to work• iOS and Android apps can work even without internet access


Mobile Web App?

You will need the following :• App Name which is not too long (preferably < 10 characters),

descriptive and must be unique• Screenshots which is important as people tend to download

apps based on the screenshots• App description which people will read to know more about it• Price ($0.99 or $1.99 etc) or even free with in-app purchases


Submission

• Company website (This can be as simple as a 1 page website with description of your app and a screenshot of the app)

• Contact email for Google or Apple to contact you for any queries

• Finally, how much do you have to pay Apple or Google to put your app on the app store?


Submission

• $99 USD a year for Apple• Submit an unlimited number of apps and app updates• Submitted apps needs to be reviewed by Apple for virus and

content quality• Time from submission to Apple approval to appearance in the App

Store can range from two days to a week or more• Apple has strict guidelines on what is acceptable• Apple will pay you via bank transfer on a monthly basis provide

your revenue hits a minimum amount of $50 USD*


Apple Submission

• $25 USD a year for Android• Submit an unlimited number of apps and app updates• Submission will be checked by Google for virus and malicious code• Time from submission to App Store appearance is normally less

than 6 hours• Google does not adopt such a stringent policy for apps compared to

Apple• Google will pay you via bank transfer on a monthly basis provided

your revenue hits a minimum figure of $50 USD*


Android Submission

• Promote, promote, promote• Approach bloggers, newspapers and websites• Get them to write articles or blog posts about your app• Give them a good narrative • Approach social influencers• Buy Facebook Ads or Google Ads to drive app installs


After app is released

33Case Study

The Asian Parent iOS/Android

• Started in early 2016• 3 months for iOS application• 2 months for Android application• Android was faster to develop as the functionalities were

finalized during the iOS app development• Worked with a development team in India• Faced issues such as slow internet, language barriers and

blackouts

34Case Study

• Android to grow in strength in less developed countries• There will be iPhones released that will target a less affluent

population, such as iPhone SE• Mobile will still grow in popularity all over the world• A lot of people will skip the PC era and move directly to the

mobile era• AI will play a big part in mobile applications• Market will be dominated by Android and iOS and no other

competitors will be able to enter

35Trends

• Android to grow in strength in less developed countries• iPhones will be released that target a less affluent population,

such as iPhone SE• Mobile will still grow in popularity• A lot of consumers will skip the PC era and move directly to

the mobile era• AI will play a big part in mobile applications• Market will be dominated by Android and iOS and no other

competitors will be able to enter

36Trends

37Trends

• http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/16-crazy-mobile-trends-for-2016/

• https://blog.kissmetrics.com/mobile-marketing-trends-2016/• http://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Five-tech-trends-that-

will-change-the-mobile-world-in-the-next-10-years

• https://possiblemobile.com/2016/06/mary-meekers-2016-internet-trends-mobile/

38Related Links

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/16-crazy-mobile-trends-for-2016/



https://blog.kissmetrics.com/mobile-marketing-trends-2016/

https://blog.kissmetrics.com/mobile-marketing-trends-2016/

http://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Five-tech-trends-that-will-change-the-mobile-world-in-the-next-10-years



https://possiblemobile.com/2016/06/mary-meekers-2016-internet-trends-mobile/




“To me, ideas are worth nothing unless executed. They are just a multiplier.

Execution is worth millions.” – Steve Jobs


Q&A