The backstory behind 37Signal's "Draft" iPad app

http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2420-launch-draft-for-ipad

by mawhidby • 16 years ago

47 22 16 years ago

tptacek2• 16 years ago

Irony(?): it's priced high relative to "professional" pure-play drawing apps like SketchPad and Brushes, but by omitting needless features like color and brush controls and adding the one feature of collaborative diagramming, it's probably going to be more valuable to me than either of those other apps, which I mostly use to goof around with my daughter.

ajg1977• 16 years ago

Finding a high priced product more valuable is not ironic :)

tptacek2• 16 years ago

I'm pretty sure I'm not finding the concept valuable because of the price point.

mchristoff• 16 years ago

I think it's debatable whether colors and brush controls in a sketching app are "needless" even though they may be needless for 37signals very narrow internal use case.

swilliams• 16 years ago

From the comments, by Jason Fried, "We might add yellow to version 2.0 in 2012."

Kind of sums up a big part of their design philosophy right there.

fredoliveira2• 16 years ago

also considered arrogance by some

jasonfried• 16 years ago

and having a little fun in the comments section by others.

jufemaiz• 16 years ago

Their choice. You're not forced to use their product. Luckily there's a market offering choice.

antidaily• 16 years ago

Funny tweet: @tedroden: 37 signals releases MS Paint for the iPad... will probably sell millions.

joubert• 16 years ago

$10?

Adobe Ideas is free: http://blogs.adobe.com/designandweb/2010/04/adobe_ideas.html

10ren• 16 years ago

I love the idea of deliberately making it imprecise to serve the specific task (to sketch; and ignore details early on.) http://37signals.com/svn/archives2/getting_real_ignore_detai...

And their pricing strategy (from the comments): encouraging other people to add Campfire integration to their own apps – even free ones

jshen• 16 years ago

they're selling the sizzle, not the steak

taitems3• 16 years ago

The app and its price tag seem to embody the true spirit of Apple hardware.

georgieporgie3• 16 years ago

To provide extremely well-engineered devices that look and feel fantastic? Apple hardware is pretty awesome. 1st gen issues aside, that is.

taitems3• 16 years ago

More so simply dress up something incredibly simple (with a brand name and implied value) and chuck an exhorbitant price tag on it.

Qz• 16 years ago

From the comments:

"I don’t think $9.99 is too expensive. What you’re paying for is the Campfire integration and the judicious removal of features."

Sad but true. This is how they earn money at 37s.

robryan• 16 years ago

I think the price also reflects though that they don't actually need to sell this to anyone, it's already paid for itself in improving internal process. The people it's mainly aimed at using campfire, I'd imagine would pay for it whether it was 99 cents or $10 if it is useful in improving business process.

The backstory behind 37Signal's "Draft" iPad app

Related Stories