(Android) Developer Income Report #12, #13 | Hacker News Reader

(Android) Developer Income Report #12, #13

kreci.net

88 pointskreci18 comments

Summer sucks on iOS app store as well. Most developers report decreased sales during the summer. You can take advantage of this by making apps that target the summer or early fall. You'll have an easier time climbing the ranks (which influence visibility and hence sales). As an example, my fantasy football app (football starts in early Sept) starts gaining steam in July. I managed to hit #125 overall paid on the iPhone in July with only 650 sales/day. Based on conversations with other developers, this is about 25% lower than normal, and significantly lower than peak season (December - January).

Where there is bad news, there is always opportunity =)

This is interesting, and kind-of good to hear as this is my first full summer of selling apps on Android after seeing a lot of success last fall.

Last summer I just didn't have my apps polished enough, so I couldn't gauge if I was doing well or not, but THIS summer, even after an amazing fall/winter I've noticed a dramatic slowdown in app sales.

I've chalked it up to young people not being in school where they can talk about apps and see what each other is playing. My games don't have multiplayer, and during the school year I would get bombarded with requests for multiplayer, but this summer .... not a one.

Thanks for the insight.

Considering you offer football, how much effort would it take for you to offer baseball as well (as has been mentioned elsewhere in these threads)? Basketball or hockey seem like good candidates as well. I figure the logic is similar, no?

Admittedly, I haven't analyzed the logic, nor do I understand the marketplace, but it would seem logical to extend to the popular sports for other seasons (just find friends that are interested in those sports, and pay them something for their domain knowledge).

Edit: On second thought, maybe the schema would be similar but the logic quite sport-specific.

I offer all 4 major sports. I'm just using football as an example since it's relevant to summer sales.

I would never have believed it as a kid, but coming from a business which shares similar seasonality to yours: summer sucks.

If you ever have an option to get recurring revenue, though, take it. It helps smooth out seasonality considerably.

I'm in the opposite camp... various side projects are based around cycling, which peaks in the summer and dries up in the winter (Nov/Dec).

If you can find a niche around American Baseball, the summer months are the most active for them. Could help plug the gap.

kreci, do you find that posting these monthly has created a motivation on it's own? Meaning, the old adage "what gets measured, gets managed" created more focus for you on improving the numbers because you know they will be published?

As always, your reports and willingness to continue to publish them is appreciated!

Yes it works like this. After a lower month I have started to work little more so would not be shame to publish next one ;)

As pointed out here "passive income" is not in fact completely passive. Promotion is very often required even though the development is long over.

As usual comments are welcome and strongly desired =)

Curious: have you noticed any bump in downloads on the market since the new version started rolling out? Sounds like no.

Sorry, but what are the red/green numbers? Net profit, or are they the +/- difference from last month?

Difference from the previous month.

Well done, even June results are above "ramen profitable" where you live—unless it's the capital.

just bought your book... makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the tips!

Thanks! Hope my tips will be useful in your business!

thumbs up! both!

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