RIM promises $10k to devs if BlackBerry 10 app earns $1k

Actually, this sounds like a good idea to me. The BB ecosystem, broadly, has the system architecture to compete with Android and iOS but it lacks the app availability to make it attractive to customers. Apps have a long tail: there are a small number of hits (Angry Birds, say -- or things like the Facebook app) which have the cash available to develop on multiple architecture already. These will get an extra $10k, which they don't care about and which RIM can afford (who wouldn't pay $10k for Angry Birds on their platform?).

Then there are the junk apps that live at the bottom of the list. These come in huge hordes, and are worthless. RIM doesn't want to pay for them and doesn't care about having them. They provide no value to Apple or Google either.

But then there's a comparatively small group of "cool" apps that make everything work. This is the stuff that potential RIM customers notice is "missing". And the authors would love to see an extra $10k in sales, maybe enough to consider a port. And there aren't that many of them -- maybe a few thousand at most. So RIM is betting that if they blow a few million dollars on seeding this market that they'll make that back in extra handset sales in the near term. It might work.

But I don't think they're at risk of losing a ton of money. How many apps actually make that much even on "first tier" platforms?

or they are hoping apps that hit 1k will hit 10 (or close) on their own.

I think people are misunderstanding what RIM is doing here. To be frank, RIM's promotion of this isn't doing them favours here either.

The $10k revenue guarantee is a hedge. They're betting that if you make an app that satisfies their Built for BlackBerry criteria (see: https://developer.blackberry.com/builtforblackberry/document...), it's good enough to sell 100 copies, and make at least $1k in revenue, then it's good enough to make $10k in revenue.

They're hoping that your app will be so awesome that they won't have to pay you anything. Bear in mind, this guarantee is over a 12-month period, so there's plenty of time to make that $10k on your own. Furthermore, by being Built for BlackBerry, you get special exposure in the App World storefront.

Personally, I think it's a fantastic idea, and I'm definitely going to be submitting an app or two. But I think a lot of people are taking it as "RIM is paying devs $10k to make an app." That simply isn't true. They're making you work for it, and then saying, "If after all of this work, you still don't make $10k, we'll front you the rest."

So the incentive to promote your app past $1,000 in revenue is that if you're putting in this much work, you should really try to maximize your return.

I assume its tied to device, so it's more like:

Build $1 app; purchase 1000 blackberry phones on 1000 contracts; purchase 1000 copies; profit???

Build $1 app; set up Facebook giveaway of a couple iPhones if the app hits $1k in revenue; profit.

Build $500 app, purchase twice, profit.

1. Build an app

2. Sell it for $100

3. Pay 10 people $200 each to buy it.

4. Collect $8000

Seems like in-app payments factor into the $1k calculation.

1. Build free app

2. Purchase virtual "<whatever>" for $1,000.

3. Collect $8,000.

Alas, the last time they mentioned this program, you app had to be "Certified" - presumably they verify it's not crap. It now sounds like they've added a second restriction - it not only can't be crap, it also has to sell $1000 worth as well.

Yes, you are missing Symbian developers ;-)

I don't follow your point. Is it that you think the glut of free apps will make it hard for paid apps to compete, or what?

Cut the rope has been on playbook since the beginning of the year.

Today was the official announcement of the details, guidelines, and dates. No difference, just that it's more solid now.

I have no idea how difficult it would be on Blackberry, but I've made > 1k on over a dozen different apps on iOS. That's really not that hard. Of those, only a few have made 10k though.

Presumably, the ability to make more than $11,000.

More revenue? It's not clear how the $10K promise works (the official site[0] doesn't have the T&C populated yet[1]), but there's surely some time within which you must earn between $1k and $10k. After that time, I'd guess that more purchases would still be yours. But it's unclear until the official rules and conditions are posted.

[0] https://developer.blackberry.com/builtforblackberry/commitme...

[1] https://developer.blackberry.com/builtforblackberry/document...