Android Market
After an
application is designed, developed, tested, and signed, it is ready to be
deployed into the
Android Market.To use Google’s Android Market, a Google Checkout account needs to
be created. It is used not only to pay for the initial developer fee of $25,
but is also used
for payment back to the developer for any charged apps. Public exposure to a developer’s
creation is often exciting.Within hours of upload, the application can get hundreds
of views, downloads, ratings, and reviews from around the world.A few
considerations for
publication of an app are provided here for reference.
End-User
License Agreement
Any
original content distributed in a tangible form is automatically copyrighted in
most of the
world under the Berne Convention. Still, it is common practice to add a
copyright with a
date of publication to the content, such as © 2010.The method for adding this symbol to
an Android app is discussed in Chapter 4.
This can
be taken one step further in an End User License Agreement (EULA), which is a
contract between the developer (or company) and the customer (or end user)
providing the
developer a form of protection for publicly distributed software. Most EULAs contain
sections such as “Grant of License,”“Copyright,” and “No Warranties.” It is
common practice
to add a EULA to an application, especially if it is offered for sale.The method
for adding a EULA to an Android app is discussed in Chapter 9,“Data Storage Methods.”
Improving
App Visibility
Users
find applications in three different ways. Catering to these methods helps to increase
visibility for an application.
The first
way users see an app is by choosing to list the “Just in” apps. Choose a good descriptive
name for the application and place it in an appropriate category, such as Games
or Communication. Keep
the description simple and to the point to get more views.The
Games category is over laden with apps, so there
are sub-categories. If the app is fun
but has no score or goal, consider the Entertainment category.
Even so, with over 10,000
applications uploaded to the Android Market each month, an uploaded application is pushed
off the “Just in” list within a day or two.
The
second way users see an app is by keyword search. Determine the essential
keywords users
might use and include those in either the title or description of the app. Some users
might speak a different language, so including appropriate international
keywords can help.
The third
way users see an app is by choosing the “Top” apps.This is a combination of the
highest rating and the most downloads.To get in this category takes time and
effort with possible updates to fix
bugs.This points to the last consideration for app visibility:
robustness.
Ensure the app does not contain major bugs, does not waste excessive battery, and has a
foolproof way to exit the application. Nothing turns off a potential customer more than
seeing reviews that say,“This app uses all of my battery,” or,“I can’t
uninstall this
app.”
One side
note to mention:Almost all interactions between the developer and users are done
through the Android Market. Providing developer contact information or a
supporting website
is often superfluous, as people browsing the mobile market rarely use it.
Differentiating
an App
Sometimes,
the developer creates an application only to find a similar variant already in the Android
Market.This should be treated as an opportunity rather than a discouragement. Differentiating
the app simply through a better design, interface, or execution can quickly
win over a user base. Basically, originality is nice, but it is not
required.That being said, one
must be careful to avoid using copyrighted material.
Charging
for an App
Every
time a new application or its update is uploaded to the Android Market, the
developer must
choose whether to provide it for free or charge for it. Following are the main options:
- Provide the app for free. Everyone who can access the Android market can see and install the app.
- Provide a free app, but include advertisements. In some cases, the developer negotiates sponsorship for an app. More often, the developer works with a third-party aggregator. Payouts are provided for clicked ads and less often for impressions (ad views). Figure 1.1 shows an example banner ad from AdMob. Such ads require the application have permission to access the Internet and the location of the device. Consider using coarse location instead of fine location to avoid deterring some potential customers from installing the app.
- Provide the app for a charge. Google handles its charges, but takes 30 percent of the proceeds. Countries that are not set up for charges through Google Checkout cannot see or cannot install an app for charge. For these reasons, some developers turn to third-party app stores for distribution.
- Post a free, limited version, but charge for a full version.This gives users the opportunity to try the app and if they like it, they will have less resistance to purchasing the full version. For some apps, this is a natural model (such as a game with ten free levels), but not all apps can be partitioned this way.
- Sell virtual goods inside the app.This is an important way Facebook apps work, and it is catching on in the mobile world.
Free
applications tend to get a lot of views. Even the most obscure and odd
applications seem to
be downloaded and viewed by at least 1,000 people in the first month the application
is on the Market.There are some developers who explicitly say,“This app is absolutely
useless,” and yet, they get over 10,000 downloads and a four-star rating.
Somewhat relevant
free applications can get as many as 50,000 downloads, and extremely useful free
applications have over 100,000 downloads. For most developers, such exposure is quite
impressive.
Mobile
advertisement is still in its infancy and usually does not entice enough users
to click the
ad. For now, monetizing apps is best done by charging on the Market.As long as the app
is useful for some people, has a clear description, and has a good selection of
positive reviews,
users purchase it. If an app is successful, it might make sense to raise the
price of the
app.
Managing
Reviews and Updates
Most
successful apps from independent developers come through a process of releasing
a version
and adapting to the user feedback. Users like to see a developer who is
responsive. This
leads to more people downloading an app, and as the number of downloads increases, it adds validity to
the app.
In
general, it seems about 1 in 200 people rate an application, and a small subset
of those
actually leaves a review. If someone takes the time to type a review, it is
usually worth
listening to it, especially if the review comments are constructive, such as
“Doesn’t work on
the HTC Hero,” or “Nice app, just wish it did so on and so forth.” Updates
that respond to user comments are seen in a positive light by new potential customers.
In any case, the reason for the update should be clearly highlighted. Most
users get 10 to
20 notifications a day of applications that have updates. If they do not see a good
reason to upgrade, they might not.
Alternatives
to the Android Market
Other
independent Android app stores exist.They might not have as convenient access
to Android
devices as the Google market does, but they provide other benefits for
developers such as
better app visibility, more places to charge for apps, and taking no portion of the
proceeds from an app.Also, some Android manufacturers create customized app
stores accessible
from their devices. For example, getting app visibility onto Motorola Android phones in
the China
and Latin American markets can be done through the Motorola app market at http://developer.motorola.com/shop4apps
