 Under the Radar RSS Feed Overcast Link iTunes Link PocketCasts Subscribe Link  I am delighted to announce that today I am launching a new development related podcast with Marco Arment.  It is called Under the Radar and starts today on the fine Relay FM Network. I have been doing Developing Perspective since July 13, 2011 (roughly 4.5 years).  During that time I have chronicled the rises and falls of being an independent developer in the App Store.  I am immensely proud of Developing Perspective and glad that I have it to refer to later on as I look back on my career. The time has come now to embark on a new adventure in podcasting. Back in late 2010 a new podcast was started called Build &amp; Analyze with Marco Arment and Dan Benjamin.  I hadn’t really heard of either of them before but I immediately latched onto it. Marco’s experiences and perspectives in being a developer were both relevant to my work and engaging to hear.  For the entire run of Build &amp; Analyze you’d always find me in the chatroom listening live, suggesting titles. In many ways it was the show that most motivated me to start podcasting. To create a venue for sharing my experiences and hard learned lessons.  I was very sad when it finally wrapped up its 108 episode run.  All that makes the prospect of starting a new development podcast with Marco a great joy. If you liked listening to Developing Perspective I’d really encourage you to subscribe to Under the Radar.  It is in many ways the spiritual successor to Developing Perspective and Build &amp; Analyze.  A venue for us both to discuss and examine what being a developer means today — the challenges we face, the opportunities we see, the lessons we learn.  Oh, and it’s never longer than 30 minutes. So let’s get Started

<ul> <li><a href="http://www.relay.fm/radar/feed" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Under the Radar RSS Feed</a></li> <li><a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1055685246/under-the-radar" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Overcast Link</a></li> <li><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/under-the-radar/id1055685246?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes Link</a></li> <li><a href="http://pcasts.in/feed/www.relay.fm/radar/feed" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PocketCasts Subscribe Link</a></li> </ul> I am delighted to announce that today I am launching a new development related podcast with Marco Arment. It is called <a href="http://relay.fm/radar" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Under the Radar</a> and starts today on the fine <a href="http://relay.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Relay FM Network</a>. I have been doing Developing Perspective since July 13, 2011 (roughly 4.5 years). During that time I have chronicled the rises and falls of being an independent developer in the App Store. I am immensely proud of Developing Perspective and glad that I have it to refer to later on as I look back on my career. The time has come now to embark on a new adventure in podcasting. Back in late 2010 a new podcast was started called Build &amp; Analyze with Marco Arment and Dan Benjamin. I hadn’t really heard of either of them before but I immediately latched onto it. Marco’s experiences and perspectives in being a developer were both relevant to my work and engaging to hear. For the entire run of Build &amp; Analyze you’d always find me in the chatroom listening live, <a href="https://david-smith.org/blog/2012/12/26/2012-5by5-showbot-rundown/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">suggesting titles</a>. In many ways it was the show that most motivated me to start podcasting. To create a venue for sharing my experiences and hard learned lessons. I was very sad when it finally wrapped up its 108 episode run. All that makes the prospect of starting a new development podcast with Marco a great joy. If you liked listening to Developing Perspective I’d really encourage you to subscribe to <a href="http://relay.fm/radar" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Under the Radar</a>. It is in many ways the spiritual successor to Developing Perspective and Build &amp; Analyze. A venue for us both to discuss and examine what being a developer means today — the challenges we face, the opportunities we see, the lessons we learn. Oh, and it’s never longer than 30 minutes. So let’s get Started

Developing a New Perspective

I tend to think of my app business in terms of revenue per day.  Breaking it down to that level helps me keep a close eye on it and know how well or poorly I’m doing.  Today I walk through the reasoning for this as well as do a thought experiment of what the numbers might look like for a new business.

I tend to think of my app business in terms of revenue per day. Breaking it down to that level helps me keep a close eye on it and know how well or poorly I’m doing. Today I walk through the reasoning for this as well as do a thought experiment of what the numbers might look like for a new business.

#225: Users per Day.

Some thoughts on the implications of having to take an unplanned absence from your work when you are self-employed.  There are a lot of benefits of being independent that manifest themselves in a situation like this but also a few things to be careful of and plan for.

Some thoughts on the implications of having to take an unplanned absence from your work when you are self-employed. There are a lot of benefits of being independent that manifest themselves in a situation like this but also a few things to be careful of and plan for.

#224: Unplanned Absence. 

An overview of what to expect this summer:  the beta schedule, timing for release, the importance of RADARS, my growing interest in Swift and an encouragement for everyone to build something new this summer. Will Hains’ iOS Beta History

An overview of what to expect this summer: <ul> <li>the beta schedule,</li> <li>timing for release,</li> <li>the importance of RADARS,</li> <li>my growing interest in Swift and</li> <li>an encouragement for everyone to build something new this summer.</li> <li><a href="http://www.thinkybits.com/blog/iOS-versions/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Will Hains’ iOS Beta History</a></li></ul>

#223: What to expect this summer.

First Impressions from WWDC 2015.  These are my initial reactions right after the Keynote, I’ll probably do another episode later in the week which has more considered reactions.

First Impressions from WWDC 2015. These are my initial reactions right after the Keynote, I’ll probably do another episode later in the week which has more considered reactions.

#222: WWDC 2015 First Impressions.

Some high level thoughts about WWDC and my excitement for it.  Then, a few thoughts about whether mobile advertising is in a precarious position.

Some high level thoughts about WWDC and my excitement for it. Then, a few thoughts about whether mobile advertising is in a precarious position.

#221: Circular Revenue.

Today I begin a new Start-to-Finish series discussing the creation of an application from idea to the App Store. My Essential Experience Target: An application focused on surfacing the data currently collected by the Apple Watch and iPhone and presenting it in a useful, actionable, and encouraging way. Blizzard’s Games I discuss:  Hearthstone Heroes of the Storm  My previous Start-to-Finish series discussing the creation of Check the Weather:  #91: Thank you and the Road from Here. #90: Check the Weather #89: Counting Down. #87: Basic App Marketing. #86: App Pricing. #85: Pragmatism. #84: Shipped it. #83: Performance and Letting Go. #82: Localizing an App. #80: Managing functionality. #77: Prototyping a new project.

Today I begin a new Start-to-Finish series discussing the creation of an application from idea to the App Store. My Essential Experience Target: An application focused on surfacing the data currently collected by the Apple Watch and iPhone and presenting it in a useful, actionable, and encouraging way. Blizzard’s Games I discuss: <ul> <li><a href="http://us.battle.net/hearthstone/en/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hearthstone</a></li> <li><a href="http://us.battle.net/heroes/en/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Heroes of the Storm</a></li> </ul> My previous Start-to-Finish series discussing the creation of <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/check-the-weather/id557872119?ls=1&amp;mt=8&amp;at=10l3KS&amp;ct=blog" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Check the Weather</a>: <ul> <li><a href="http://developingperspective.com/2012/10/18/91/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#91: Thank you and the Road from Here.</a></li> <li><a href="http://developingperspective.com/2012/10/17/90/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#90: Check the Weather</a></li> <li><a href="http://developingperspective.com/2012/10/16/89/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#89: Counting Down.</a></li> <li><a href="http://developingperspective.com/2012/10/09/87/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#87: Basic App Marketing.</a></li> <li><a href="http://developingperspective.com/2012/10/05/86/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#86: App Pricing.</a></li> <li><a href="http://developingperspective.com/2012/10/04/85/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#85: Pragmatism.</a></li> <li><a href="http://developingperspective.com/2012/09/28/84/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#84: Shipped it.</a></li> <li><a href="http://developingperspective.com/2012/09/27/83/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#83: Performance and Letting Go.</a></li> <li><a href="http://developingperspective.com/2012/09/25/82/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#82: Localizing an App.</a></li> <li><a href="http://developingperspective.com/2012/09/19/80/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#80: Managing functionality.</a></li> <li><a href="http://developingperspective.com/2012/09/06/77/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#77: Prototyping a new project.</a></li></ul>

#220: The Essential Experience.

 2015 Developing Perspective t-shirts (4 days to order, ends May 18.)  One of the most dangerous traps when learning from someone else’s experience is ascribing intentionality to what in reality was accidental.  This can make it feel somehow magical or impossible to learn from.  We are all just muddling along.  Pedometer += 1,000,000 Joe’s Extraordinarily Kind Words

<ul> <li><a href="http://teespring.com/happycoding" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2015 Developing Perspective t-shirts (4 days to order, ends May 18.)</a></li> </ul> One of the most dangerous traps when learning from someone else’s experience is ascribing intentionality to what in reality was accidental. This can make it feel somehow magical or impossible to learn from. We are all just muddling along. <ul> <li><a href="http://david-smith.org/blog/2015/05/11/hitting-one-million/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pedometer += 1,000,000</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.joecieplinski.com/blog/2015/05/13/different-approaches/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Joe’s Extraordinarily Kind Words</a></li></ul>

#219: Accidental.

 2015 Developing Perspective t-shirts (1 Week left to order.)  Once again the topic of sustainable revenue has surfaced around our lovely community.  I’ve recently been changing/adapting my thinking on the subject so it seemed the time to wade in again.  Tim on the App Store  “The app store had its best quarter ever, with a record number of customers making purchases, driving a new record for revenue, and 29 percent year on year growth.”  App Store Metrics  In April, 2015: 1,561 apps per day (35,929 non-games, 12,451 games, 48,380 total) Where we are:  Redacted for Mac Launch Realmac Product Revenue Snapshot Sensor Tower Top Grossing Analysis  From here:  Inquisitive: Behind the App #11 Learning to Ride a Bicycle, Again. Sam Soffes on Developing Perspective #208

<ul> <li><a href="http://teespring.com/happycoding" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2015 Developing Perspective t-shirts (1 Week left to order.)</a></li> </ul> Once again the topic of sustainable revenue has surfaced around our lovely community. I’ve recently been changing/adapting my thinking on the subject so it seemed the time to wade in again. <ul> <li><a href="http://sixcolors.com/post/2015/04/this-is-tim-apples-ceo-in-his-own-words/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tim on the App Store</a></li> </ul> <blockquote>“The app store had its best quarter ever, with a record number of customers making purchases, driving a new record for revenue, and 29 percent year on year growth.”</blockquote> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.pocketgamer.biz/metrics/app-store/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">App Store Metrics</a></li> </ul> <blockquote>In April, 2015: 1,561 apps per day (35,929 non-games, 12,451 games, 48,380 total)</blockquote> Where we are: <ul> <li><a href="http://blog.soff.es/redacted-for-mac-launch/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Redacted for Mac Launch</a></li> <li><a href="http://dancounsell.typed.com/articles/product-revenue-snapshot" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Realmac Product Revenue Snapshot</a></li> <li><a href="https://blog.sensortower.com/blog/2015/05/05/this-is-how-dominant-us-top-grossing-ios-apps-really-are/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sensor Tower Top Grossing Analysis</a></li> </ul> From here: <ul> <li><a href="http://www.relay.fm/inquisitive/37" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Inquisitive: Behind the App #11</a></li> <li><a href="http://david-smith.org/blog/2015/04/27/learning-to-ride-a-bicycle-again/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Learning to Ride a Bicycle, Again.</a></li> <li><a href="http://developingperspective.com/2015/01/15/208/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sam Soffes on Developing Perspective #208</a></li></ul>

#218: Blazing Trails.

 2015 Developing Perspective t-shirts My WatchKit Apps Release Notes Conference  In some ways this week’s episode is a follow up to last week’s show about hustle.  All that thinking about the role that asking for money plays in my business got me to thinking about some of the complications that being the face of your business carries.  When you are an independent business owner your own personal brand becomes the brand of your products.  This can be awesome but also makes certain parts of promotion and discourse more complicated.

<ul> <li><a href="http://teespring.com/happycoding" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2015 Developing Perspective t-shirts</a></li> <li><a href="http://david-smith.org/blog/2015/04/20/my-watchkit-apps/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">My WatchKit Apps</a></li> <li><a href="http://releasenotes.tv/conference" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Release Notes Conference</a></li> </ul> In some ways this week’s episode is a follow up to last week’s show about <a href="http://developingperspective.com/2015/04/23/216/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">hustle</a>. All that thinking about the role that asking for money plays in my business got me to thinking about some of the complications that being the face of your business carries. When you are an independent business owner your own personal brand becomes the brand of your products. This can be awesome but also makes certain parts of promotion and discourse more complicated.

#217: The Brand.

Developing Perspective is a podcast discussing the news of note in iOS Development, Apple and the like.  Hosted by David Smith, an independent iOS developer. Never longer than 15 minutes.

Always an enjoyable listen. David is thoughtful and addresses topics of interest. I recommend it.

This review is never longer than 15 words, so let's get started

Developing Perspective

 Cloud Sync Beta Introducing Lion Recovery Lion’s Whole-Disk Encryption Petabytes on a Budget v2.0:Revealing More Secrets Developer Machine Landscape

<ul> <li><a href="http://culturedcode.com/things/blog/2011/07/cloud-sync-beta.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cloud Sync Beta</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.apple.com/macosx/recovery/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Introducing Lion Recovery</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/1935/lions-whole-disk-encryption" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lion’s Whole-Disk Encryption</a></li> <li><a href="http://blog.backblaze.com/2011/07/20/petabytes-on-a-budget-v2-0revealing-more-secrets/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Petabytes on a Budget v2.0:Revealing More Secrets</a></li> <li><a href="http://developingperspective.tumblr.com/post/7884596014/developermachine" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Developer Machine Landscape</a></li></ul>

Show 0.7

 Reading on the iPad iPad 2 and Verizon iPhone Take Some Wind Out of Android’s Sail Designing GitHub for Mac What Google’s Famous Cafeterias Can Teach Us About Health The iPhone’s Home Button The Back Button Dilemma Rumors.

<ul> <li><a href="http://shawnblanc.net/2011/07/reading-on-the-ipad/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Reading on the iPad</a></li> <li><a href="http://blog.flurry.com/bid/66618/iPad-2-and-Verizon-iPhone-Take-Some-Wind-Out-of-Android-s-Sail" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iPad 2 and Verizon iPhone Take Some Wind Out of Android’s Sail</a></li> <li><a href="http://warpspire.com/posts/designing-github-mac/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Designing GitHub for Mac</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/life/print/2011/07/what-googles-famous-cafeterias-can-teach-us-about-health/241876/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">What Google’s Famous Cafeterias Can Teach Us About Health</a></li> <li><a href="http://ignorethecode.net/blog/2011/07/14/the_iphones_home_button/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The iPhone’s Home Button</a></li> <li><a href="http://ignorethecode.net/blog/2011/07/15/the_back_button_dilemma/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Back Button Dilemma</a></li> <li>Rumors.</li></ul>

Show 0.5

 Michael Gartenberg: ‘Why Apple Dares to Change Your Apps’ Yes to Lion, no to cruft: get a clean start with manual Mac migration Auto-Incrementing Build Numbers for Release Builds in Xcode Founder Stories Volume 01: Slicehost iOS Integration Testing God in a Cup

<ul> <li><a href="http://www.macworld.com/article/160934/2011/07/gartenberg_final_cut.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Gartenberg: ‘Why Apple Dares to Change Your Apps’</a></li> <li><a href="http://arstechnica.com/apple/guides/2011/07/making-a-clean-start-with-lion-migrating-without-assistance.ars" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Yes to Lion, no to cruft: get a clean start with manual Mac migration</a></li> <li><a href="http://iphonedevelopment.blogspot.com/2011/07/auto-incrementing-build-numbers-for.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Auto-Incrementing Build Numbers for Release Builds in Xcode</a></li> <li><a href="http://37signals.com/founderstories/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Founder Stories Volume 01: Slicehost</a></li> <li><a href="http://corner.squareup.com/2011/07/ios-integration-testing.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iOS Integration Testing</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0055AXSCC" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">God in a Cup</a></li></ul>

Show 0.4

 An Analysis Of Apple’s Adjustment Of International App Store Prices  Ready, Set, Whoops. Showbot Rapid DHCP: Or, how do Macs get on the network so fast? Moving Back to BBEdit from TextMate iAd isn’t dead.

<ul> <li><a href="http://www.macstories.net/news/an-analysis-of-apples-adjustment-of-international-app-store-prices/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">An Analysis Of Apple’s Adjustment Of International App Store Prices</a> </li> <li><a href="http://tapbots.com/blog/tweetbot/ready-set-whoops" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ready, Set, Whoops.</a></li> <li><a href="http://pileofturtles.com/2011/07/showbot/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Showbot</a></li> <li><a href="http://cafbit.com/entry/rapid_dhcp_or_how_do" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rapid DHCP: Or, how do Macs get on the network so fast?</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.idolhands.com/ruby-on-rails/bbedit-on-rails/moving-back-to-bbedit-from-textmate/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Moving Back to BBEdit from TextMate</a></li> <li><a href="http://developingperspective.tumblr.com/post/7622273540/iadisntdead" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iAd isn’t dead.</a></li></ul>

Show 0.3

Simultaneous Invention or setting realistic expectations for uniqueness.  Simultaneous Invention

Simultaneous Invention or setting realistic expectations for uniqueness. <ul> <li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_discovery" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Simultaneous Invention</a></li></ul>

#214: App Store Snowstorm.

After a longer than typical break I’m back with another episode…on a related note I’m talking about how to get unstuck.  How I manage the situation that seems to happen often enough where I get stuck in a creative rut.  Then I talk a bit about how to manage the process of submitting WatchKit apps. Chart of my consistency track record for Developing Perspective:

After a longer than typical break I’m back with another episode…on a related note I’m talking about how to get unstuck. How I manage the situation that seems to happen often enough where I get stuck in a creative rut. Then I talk a bit about how to manage the process of submitting WatchKit apps. <h4>Chart of my consistency track record for Developing Perspective:</h4>

#213: Showing Up and Shipping Apps.

In the run up to Apple’s media event on March 9th I keep hearing the phrase ‘Gold Rush’ over and over again.  Today I unpack that concept and whether it might apply to the Apple Watch. The Phases of Gold Rush:  The Rumor The Legend The Rush The Reality  Luck = Opportunity + Preparation  My WatchKit Series Scott Forstall, “Whole new Gold Rush” The California Gold Rush Trism WatchCon 2  There is unfortunately no shortcut to gaining expertise in a subject. You can only truly understand something by working on it, by immersing yourself in it, by building terrible prototypes and throwing them away. You cannot throw away what you haven’t made.

In the run up to Apple’s media event on March 9th I keep hearing the phrase ‘Gold Rush’ over and over again. Today I unpack that concept and whether it might apply to the Apple Watch. The Phases of Gold Rush: <ul> <li>The Rumor</li> <li>The Legend</li> <li>The Rush</li> <li>The Reality</li> </ul> Luck = Opportunity + Preparation <ul> <li><a href="http://david-smith.org/watchkit" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">My WatchKit Series</a></li> <li><a href="http://youtu.be/Xk5OcvKSZNc?t=4m50s" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Scott Forstall, “Whole new Gold Rush”</a></li> <li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Gold_Rush" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The California Gold Rush</a></li> <li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trism" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trism</a></li> <li><a href="http://david-smith.org/blog/2015/02/20/ailw-watchcon-2/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WatchCon 2</a></li> </ul> <blockquote>There is unfortunately no shortcut to gaining expertise in a subject. You can only truly understand something by working on it, by immersing yourself in it, by building terrible prototypes and throwing them away. You cannot throw away what you haven’t made.</blockquote>

#212: Four Phases of a Gold Rush.

Prompted by some thinking I did around building the App Preview for Pedometer++, I start to wonder about honesty in advertising.  How honesty should I be?  What level of candor is appropriate, helpful, reasonable?  Building an App Preview

Prompted by some thinking I did around building the App Preview for Pedometer++, I start to wonder about honesty in advertising. How honesty should I be? What level of candor is appropriate, helpful, reasonable? <ul> <li><a href="http://david-smith.org/blog/2015/02/12/making-an-app-preview/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Building an App Preview</a></li></ul>

#211: Asterisk Free Marketing.

I’m not a huge fan of the term polymath. It sounds kinda pretentious but sometimes the best word for something is that way.  Today I was struck by the wild variety of tasks and skills that it takes to run a business principally on your own.  So I wanted to walk through some of disparate aspects of the ‘job’.  Hopefully giving someone who is considering going out on their own some good food for thought. My intention isn’t to scare anyone off, but just to help you understand the inherent complexity of this line of work, and an appreciation for the things other people handle for you in a J-O-B, job. General Development  Software engineering Bug tracking Product Design Release planning Customer support Version Control iTunes Connect submission lifecycle  iOS Development  Objective C, Xcode, Interface Builder Device and iOS version management Photoshop, PaintCode Testing / QA  Server Development  Ruby on Rails Postgres Memcached, nginx, redis Queueing, sidekiq Linux system administration, Backups, Security updates  Operations  iTunes Connect, contracts, payments, Accounting, Taxes and banking. Budgeting Compliance, Local, State, Federal, Business Licenses Benefits / Welness General hosting, email, domains, etc  Marketing  Websites ‘Brand’, personal and otherwise Photoshop Marketing concepts and ideas Microeconomics

I’m not a huge fan of the term polymath. It sounds kinda pretentious but sometimes the best word for something is that way. Today I was struck by the wild variety of tasks and skills that it takes to run a business principally on your own. So I wanted to walk through some of disparate aspects of the ‘job’. Hopefully giving someone who is considering going out on their own some good food for thought. My intention isn’t to scare anyone off, but just to help you understand the inherent complexity of this line of work, and an appreciation for the things other people handle for you in a J-O-B, job. <h4>General Development</h4> <ul> <li>Software engineering</li> <li>Bug tracking</li> <li>Product Design</li> <li>Release planning</li> <li>Customer support</li> <li>Version Control</li> <li>iTunes Connect submission lifecycle</li> </ul> <h4>iOS Development</h4> <ul> <li>Objective C, Xcode, Interface Builder</li> <li>Device and iOS version management</li> <li>Photoshop, PaintCode</li> <li>Testing / QA</li> </ul> <h4>Server Development</h4> <ul> <li>Ruby on Rails</li> <li>Postgres</li> <li>Memcached, nginx, redis</li> <li>Queueing, sidekiq</li> <li>Linux system administration, Backups, Security updates</li> </ul> <h4>Operations</h4> <ul> <li>iTunes Connect, contracts, payments,</li> <li>Accounting, Taxes and banking.</li> <li>Budgeting</li> <li>Compliance, Local, State, Federal, Business Licenses</li> <li>Benefits / Welness</li> <li>General hosting, email, domains, etc</li> </ul> <h4>Marketing</h4> <ul> <li>Websites</li> <li>‘Brand’, personal and otherwise</li> <li>Photoshop</li> <li>Marketing concepts and ideas</li> <li>Microeconomics</li></ul>

#210: Polymaths.

Today I walk through my history thinking about Swift.  From WWDC to now I’ve done a lot of thinking about Swift as whether I should be using it.  The result makes me feel a bit conflicted, but the brutally pragmatic part of me is winning out.  Swift on Apple.com My WatchKit series

Today I walk through my history thinking about Swift. From WWDC to now I’ve done a lot of thinking about Swift as whether I should be using it. The result makes me feel a bit conflicted, but the brutally pragmatic part of me is winning out. <ul> <li><a href="http://apple.com/swift" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Swift on Apple.com</a></li> <li><a href="http://davidi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">My WatchKit series</a></li></ul>

#209: Not so Fast.

Sam Soffes

I take a break out of my normal 15 minute format for a return of my occational interview series.  This week I’m delighted to talk to Sam Soffes about balancing your own product work with doing consulting, different ways of thinking about success and deciding what it is you want to do with your time. Sam has been developing for iOS since 2008 and has worked on a wide variety of successful products.  He is currently working on Whiskey, a Markdown editor for Mac and iOS.

I take a break out of my normal 15 minute format for a return of my occational <a href="/interviews" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">interview series</a>. This week I’m delighted to talk to <a href="http://soff.es" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sam Soffes</a> about balancing your own product work with doing consulting, different ways of thinking about success and deciding what it is you want to do with your time. Sam has been developing for iOS since 2008 and has worked on a wide variety of successful products. He is currently working on <a href="http://usewhiskey.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Whiskey</a>, a Markdown editor for Mac and iOS.

#208: Sam Soffes.

Today I think out loud about the implications of an App Store that is functionally full.  Where applications cannot realistically thrive simply because of novelty or freshness.  Whatever you do now you are facing up against a hyper-competitive marketplace.   I think this changes significantly how we need to pursue things from a business perspective as well as helps us be realistic about what to expect. As an experiment I also recorded this episode as a video.  I’m not really sure how valuable this is but I’ll never know unless I try.  I’m thoroughly enjoying trying out video recently as a medium for sharing within our community. As a result of how my recording was setup the audio for this episode as a bit more echo than I would have liked, I’ll get that buttoned down if I try this again.  YouTube version of this Episode

Today I think out loud about the implications of an App Store that is functionally full. Where applications cannot realistically thrive simply because of novelty or freshness. Whatever you do now you are facing up against a hyper-competitive marketplace. I think this changes significantly how we need to pursue things from a business perspective as well as helps us be realistic about what to expect. As an experiment I also recorded this episode as a video. I’m not really sure how valuable this is but I’ll never know unless I try. I’m thoroughly enjoying trying out video recently as a medium for sharing within our community. As a result of how my recording was setup the audio for this episode as a bit more echo than I would have liked, I’ll get that buttoned down if I try this again. <ul> <li><a href="http://youtu.be/i_zQR8STb3k" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube version of this Episode</a></li></ul>

#206: Can the App Store be Full?

Thinking out loud about why I recently starting my series called As I Learn WatchKit.  I’ve learned a lot about the creative process by giving myself permission to put unpolished things into the world.  My first attempt at Youtube  Then, I dive into the economics of building WatchKit apps.  In general I think that the economic realities of building apps for it are consistent with any other app endeavor.  If it was a good idea before it is likely doubly so to add a Watch extension.  If it is a new idea you have a great opportunity to be an early adopter.

Thinking out loud about why I recently starting my series called <a href="http://david-smith.org/blog/2014/12/01/introducing-as-i-learn-watchkit/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">As I Learn WatchKit</a>. I’ve learned a lot about the creative process by giving myself permission to put unpolished things into the world. <ul> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Rn4b2FpQwk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">My first attempt at Youtube</a></li> </ul> Then, I dive into the economics of building WatchKit apps. In general I think that the economic realities of building apps for it are consistent with any other app endeavor. If it was a good idea before it is likely doubly so to add a Watch extension. If it is a new idea you have a great opportunity to be an early adopter.

#205: AILW - Economics of WatchKit Apps.

My first reactions to WatchKit.  I’m really glad Apple has given is some genuinely powerful capabilities with this first generation of APIs.  Getting Started with WatchKit My Initial Impressions Apple’s Main WatchKit page Developer Forums

My first reactions to WatchKit. I’m really glad Apple has given is some genuinely powerful capabilities with this first generation of APIs. <ul> <li><a href="http://david-smith.org/blog/2014/11/18/getting-started-with-watchkit/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Getting Started with WatchKit</a></li> <li><a href="http://david-smith.org/blog/2014/11/18/initial-impressions-for-watchkit/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">My Initial Impressions</a></li> <li><a href="https://developer.apple.com/watchkit/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple’s Main WatchKit page</a></li> <li><a href="https://devforums.apple.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Developer Forums</a></li></ul>

#204: Delightfully Pragmatic.

For a while now I’ve had an episode idea discussing some of the ‘interesting math’ about working on a project by yourself.  I discuss how working on something by yourself is so very different than in working on any other sized team.

For a while now I’ve had an episode idea discussing some of the ‘interesting math’ about working on a project by yourself. I discuss how working on something by yourself is so very different than in working on any other sized team.

#203: Divided by One.

Today I’m going to dive into the world of app updates.  Why we do them, how often we do them and whether they are important. Context I did a long analysis of the update trends in the App Store.  I recommend you visit that yourself but the short version is:  50% of Top Apps are have been updated in the last 3 months (26% overall) 86% of Top Apps in the last year (60% overall) 300,000 apps were updated in the last 3 months. 480,000 apps are effectively abandoned (no updates in last year)  Types of Updates An actual shipped update might include more than one of the following categories but it is likely constructive to think about why you are making a change before you make it.  Compatibility: An update that exists to allow the existing feature set to work on new hardware, operating system, API, etc. Remedial: An update that exists to correct a flaw or deficiency in existing functionality. Defensive: An update that exists to keep up with the competition. Enhancement: An update that adds functionality or capability to the app. Marketing: An update with purpose of drawing attention to the app or garnering revenue. Refactor: An update that does not change the user facing portions of the app but improves it internally.  Things to consider  Is this update necessary? Why, concretely, am I doing it? Does adding this functionality improve the app for most users? Would adding the functionality hurt the experience of any of my users? How do I expect to be compensated for the time I put into this update?

Today I’m going to dive into the world of app updates. Why we do them, how often we do them and whether they are important. <h3>Context</h3> I did a <a href="http://david-smith.org/blog/2014/08/04/app-store-longevity-and-freshness/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">long analysis</a> of the update trends in the App Store. I recommend you visit that yourself but the short version is: <ul> <li>50% of Top Apps are have been updated in the last 3 months (26% overall)</li> <li>86% of Top Apps in the last year (60% overall)</li> <li>300,000 apps were updated in the last 3 months.</li> <li>480,000 apps are effectively abandoned (no updates in last year)</li> </ul> <h3>Types of Updates</h3> An actual shipped update might include more than one of the following categories but it is likely constructive to think about why you are making a change before you make it. <ul> <li>Compatibility: An update that exists to allow the existing feature set to work on new hardware, operating system, API, etc.</li> <li>Remedial: An update that exists to correct a flaw or deficiency in existing functionality.</li> <li>Defensive: An update that exists to keep up with the competition.</li> <li>Enhancement: An update that adds functionality or capability to the app.</li> <li>Marketing: An update with purpose of drawing attention to the app or garnering revenue.</li> <li>Refactor: An update that does not change the user facing portions of the app but improves it internally.</li> </ul> <h3>Things to consider</h3> <ul> <li>Is this update necessary? Why, concretely, am I doing it?</li> <li>Does adding this functionality improve the app for most users?</li> <li>Would adding the functionality hurt the experience of any of my users?</li> <li>How do I expect to be compensated for the time I put into this update?</li></ul>

#193: Update Treadmill.

I will be on vacation for the next two weeks, so unless something monumental happens in between now and late July there won’t be any episodes of Developing Perspective. Back at WWDC, basking in the glow of the river of great new announcements I had quipped “Wow, they gave us everything but a business model.”  That comment is clearly absurd but it does drive towards a more honest and worthwhile point.  In many ways the situation iOS developers find themselves in heading into the Autumn of 2014 isn’t about technology or tools, it is about business.  As the market has matured the natural consequence is that older inefficiencies that may have propped up unsustainable models have fallen away. The App Store and related ecosystems are now extremely efficient.  If there is an opportunity to be exploited we can expect it to be found and exploited.  If you come up with a great new idea it will be analyzed, dissected and the interesting parts copied with often head-turning pace.  As I have navigated this transition myself I have started to see many issues with the approach I had been taking to my business.  Some of which I have been able to address but many of which I’m still working through. For the purpose of today’s episode I thought it might be constructive to take a quick tour of the various models and their various strengths and weaknesses.  I’m going to be working in rough order of which I think they are desirable in the current ecosystem. Subscriptions tl;dr - People pay you on an ongoing basis for providing software and software related services. Pros - So long as your subscription base is enough for your expenses and your renewal/signup rate exceeds your cancellations you are golden. Cons - Often tricker to get someone to make a long term commitment. Managing credit cards, expirations, etc.  Typically smaller user base needed (yay!), each requiring and feeling owed more (not so yay). Advertising tl;dr - People use your software and are presented a message from someone else you pays you. Pros - Strong possibility for ongoing revenue.  Can make your software free. Cons - You need to show other people’s messages in your apps.  Requires large customerbases for reasonable revenue. Consumable In-App Purchases tl;dr - People make (typically) small, repeated payments to continue to gain access to aspects of your software.  Gratuity based models also fall into this category. Pros - Strong possibility for ongoing revenue.  Lets you segment your customer base by how much they are willing to spend. Cons - Can quickly get very dodgy. One Time In-App Purchases tl;dr - People make payments to gain access to specific parts of the application or content therein. Pros - Gives users a clear trial of the experience before needing to make a commitment. Cons - Often very tricky to work out what part of the application can be segmented off.  If you are too generous nobody will buy, too stingy and nobody will buy. Up Front One Time Purchase tl;dr - People pay money to be able to use your software. Pros - Simple and straightforward. Cons - Trickier to make sustainable since your effectively cap your income per user. Single Price. Long term support gets hard to justify. Free tl;dr - You create software, everyone uses it without charge. Pros - Wide adoption potential. Cons - Often hard to sustain long term.  Most often seen in either altruistic or venture based software. What is best? It is going to vary for each business.  What I have found over the last 6 years is that models that have more of a focus on ongoing revenue are more sustainable than things that are more one-time oriented.  Mixing as many as you can often is important too. It is also absolutely imperative that you have a good working definition of what success looks like for yourself before you can make a thoughtful choice.

<blockquote>I will be on vacation for the next two weeks, so unless something monumental happens in between now and late July there won’t be any episodes of Developing Perspective.</blockquote> Back at WWDC, basking in the glow of the river of great new announcements I had quipped “Wow, they gave us everything but a business model.” That comment is clearly absurd but it does drive towards a more honest and worthwhile point. In many ways the situation iOS developers find themselves in heading into the Autumn of 2014 isn’t about technology or tools, it is about business. As the market has matured the natural consequence is that older inefficiencies that may have propped up unsustainable models have fallen away. The App Store and related ecosystems are now extremely efficient. If there is an opportunity to be exploited we can expect it to be found and exploited. If you come up with a great new idea it will be analyzed, dissected and the interesting parts copied with often head-turning pace. As I have navigated this transition myself I have started to see many issues with the approach I had been taking to my business. Some of which I have been able to address but many of which I’m still working through. For the purpose of today’s episode I thought it might be constructive to take a quick tour of the various models and their various strengths and weaknesses. I’m going to be working in rough order of which I think they are desirable in the current ecosystem. <h3>Subscriptions</h3> tl;dr - People pay you on an ongoing basis for providing software and software related services. Pros - So long as your subscription base is enough for your expenses and your renewal/signup rate exceeds your cancellations you are golden. Cons - Often tricker to get someone to make a long term commitment. Managing credit cards, expirations, etc. Typically smaller user base needed (yay!), each requiring and feeling owed more (not so yay). <h3>Advertising</h3> tl;dr - People use your software and are presented a message from someone else you pays you. Pros - Strong possibility for ongoing revenue. Can make your software free. Cons - You need to show other people’s messages in your apps. Requires large customerbases for reasonable revenue. <h3>Consumable In-App Purchases</h3> tl;dr - People make (typically) small, repeated payments to continue to gain access to aspects of your software. Gratuity based models also fall into this category. Pros - Strong possibility for ongoing revenue. Lets you segment your customer base by how much they are willing to spend. Cons - Can quickly get very dodgy. <h3>One Time In-App Purchases</h3> tl;dr - People make payments to gain access to specific parts of the application or content therein. Pros - Gives users a clear trial of the experience before needing to make a commitment. Cons - Often very tricky to work out what part of the application can be segmented off. If you are too generous nobody will buy, too stingy and nobody will buy. <h3>Up Front One Time Purchase</h3> tl;dr - People pay money to be able to use your software. Pros - Simple and straightforward. Cons - Trickier to make sustainable since your effectively cap your income per user. Single Price. Long term support gets hard to justify. <h3>Free</h3> tl;dr - You create software, everyone uses it without charge. Pros - Wide adoption potential. Cons - Often hard to sustain long term. Most often seen in either altruistic or venture based software. <h2>What is best?</h2> It is going to vary for each business. What I have found over the last 6 years is that models that have more of a focus on ongoing revenue are more sustainable than things that are more one-time oriented. Mixing as many as you can often is important too. It is also absolutely imperative that you have a good working definition of what success looks like for yourself before you can make a thoughtful choice.

#190: Everything but a Business Model

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