My experience of selling the same apps on iOS and on Android (with numbers)

http://speedanatomy.blogspot.com/2010/10/iphone-vs-android-app-sales-numbers.html

80 20 16 years ago

speedanatomy.blogspot.com

mehmeta• 16 years ago

I think this (Double your price! (and no, I'm not kidding) - http://tinyurl.com/3xcounq) is a must read for you, particularly concerning the MD versions of your app.

elcron• 16 years ago

Direct link:http://jacquesmattheij.com/Double+your+price+(and+no,+Im+not...

pohl• 16 years ago

I get a 404 with your link, but the tinyurl above works.

muhfuhkuh• 16 years ago

It's the "Sophie's Choice" for mobile developers: Give up your sense of freedom and openness for smaller exposure but 2x the revenue, or work on your own terms in front of a large and receptive base of customers who loves the sizzle but is "meh" when it comes time to pay for the steak.

Perhaps there will be a critical mass that forms when the geek legion legitimizes the cool factor of Android devices and the consumer comes in and starts snapping up apps in the same way it does on iOS, but, if you _have_ to make a choice between the two right now, which would it be?

Unfortunately, I have to go where the money is.

mhd• 16 years ago

I think for a large quantity of apps, that's an unnecessary choice. If your codebase isn't likely to be too large, maintaining a separate port won't be too much effort, even if you don't use some cross-platform technology. And for most "lifestyle" apps that mostly consist of a few screens, that's certainly the case. And I think for those kind of programs, the increasing popularity of Android – and especially for lower price devices – is a big boon.

If you're developing a medium- to large-size productivity app, things look quite different, and I would guess that right now the iOS "platform" would be a better choice.

dminor• 16 years ago

Given that his Android revenues are 50% of iOS, seems like supporting both is where the money is.

I'm surprised it's that high actually - not long ago people were throwing out figures like 10%.

elblanco2• 16 years ago

Looking at it another way, most companies would sell one of their vice presidents to figure out a way to get 50% more business. This could be an easy route to increasing revenue.

auxbuss• 16 years ago

I think you mean Hobson's Choice.

blasdel• 16 years ago

Indeed — Sophie had to choose which of her children would be murdered by Nazis.

pchristensen• 16 years ago

Summary: Android marketplace has more free downloads, fewer paying downloads, and requires more support.

Also, yuck:

"Another hypothesis is that I might still be disadvantaged by being Canadian. For example yesterday I received a support e-mail for someone who is usually able to purchase apps with his credit card but wasn't able to pay for my apps. The Google Checkout support site states: "The types of cards accepted through Google Checkout are based on the seller's location."

"I get a few e-mails per day about failed credit card transactions. It's possible that this happens with Apple also and that they simply hide it from us but it's worrisome nonetheless. All of this also amounts to an annoying level of e-mails and considerable amount of time spent answering support mail for stuck installations."

p_h• 16 years ago

Have any other Canadians had trouble selling apps on Android?

slantyyz3• 16 years ago

I'm curious how Apple handles the HST for Canadian developers selling to multiple countries.

msbarnett2• 16 years ago

Pretty simply; the buyer's location is known, and Canadian sales tax rules are much simpler than US ones: the buyer's province is all that matters. They add the tax rate for that province (if any) and the Federal GST, or a blended HST if that exists for the province, or no tax if the buyer isn't in Canada.

It beats having to set a bunch of money aside and work it out yourself at year end.

slantyyz3• 16 years ago

Do they collect and remit the HST, or do they pass it on to you for remitting to the CRA?

Sorry, I'm not an iPhone developer, and I was always wondering how the accounting would be handled.

My experience of selling the same apps on iOS and on Android (with numbers)

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