The document discusses lessons learned from 3 years of developing apps for the iOS App Store. It covers why the author chose to develop for iOS, the typical investment required, strategies for coming up with ideas, tools and frameworks used, the importance of design, implementation considerations, setting goals, avoiding shortcuts, not reinventing the wheel, asking for help, backing up code, icon design, pricing strategies, and marketing tactics. The author emphasizes following your passion, paying attention to design, not taking shortcuts in development, asking for help when needed, and testing different pricing strategies.

1. Lessons Learned from 3 Years
on the App Store
Mohammad Azam
Wednesday, November 20, 13

2. Mohammad Azam
Wednesday, November 20, 13

3. Mohammad Azam
•
Manager Consultant at Sogeti
Wednesday, November 20, 13

4. Mohammad Azam
•
•
Manager Consultant at Sogeti
Founder of HighOnCoding
Wednesday, November 20, 13

5. Mohammad Azam
•
•
•
Manager Consultant at Sogeti
Founder of HighOnCoding
Creator of AzamSharp YouTube Channel (over 5500 subscribers)
Wednesday, November 20, 13

6. Mohammad Azam
•
•
•
•
Manager Consultant at Sogeti
Founder of HighOnCoding
Creator of AzamSharp YouTube Channel (over 5500 subscribers)
Microsoft MVP (2007 - 2011)
Wednesday, November 20, 13

7. Apps
Wednesday, November 20, 13

8. ABC POP
Wednesday, November 20, 13

9. Mathemachicken
Wednesday, November 20, 13

10. Math Speeder
Wednesday, November 20, 13

11. Kinder Pop
Wednesday, November 20, 13

12. My Chandas
Wednesday, November 20, 13

13. Vegetable Tree
Featured on App Store 2013
Wednesday, November 20, 13

14. Daily5
Featured on App Store 2013
Wednesday, November 20, 13

15. Agenda
Legal
Why iOS?
Investment
updates
Idea
Design
Tools/Frameworks
Marketing
Testing
Customer Service
Wednesday, November 20, 13
Implementation
iOS 7

16. Why iOS?
Wednesday, November 20, 13

17. Why iOS?
•
iOS apps make more money as compared to any other platform
Wednesday, November 20, 13

18. Why iOS?
•
•
iOS apps make more money as compared to any other platform
Users upgrade to new platform almost instantly (iOS 7 already have >
80% adoption rate)
Wednesday, November 20, 13

19. Why iOS?
•
•
iOS apps make more money as compared to any other platform
•
Mac (Once you go Mac you don’t go back)
Users upgrade to new platform almost instantly (iOS 7 already have >
80% adoption rate)
Wednesday, November 20, 13

20. Why iOS?
•
•
iOS apps make more money as compared to any other platform
•
•
Mac (Once you go Mac you don’t go back)
Users upgrade to new platform almost instantly (iOS 7 already have >
80% adoption rate)
It’s a lot of FUN!
Wednesday, November 20, 13

21. Investment
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22. Investment
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23. Investment
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24. Investment
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25. Investment
$1200 - $2000
Wednesday, November 20, 13

26. Investment
$1200 - $2000
$99 per year Apple Developer Program Membership
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27. Idea
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28. Idea
•
Get Inspired Don’t Cheat
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29. Idea
•
•
Get Inspired Don’t Cheat
Follow your passion
Wednesday, November 20, 13

30. Idea
•
•
•
Get Inspired Don’t Cheat
Follow your passion
Don’t suffer from ABD (Already Been Done) syndrome
Wednesday, November 20, 13

31. Idea
•
•
•
•
Get Inspired Don’t Cheat
Follow your passion
Don’t suffer from ABD (Already Been Done) syndrome
Use your memories/culture to your advantage
a poultry farm)
Wednesday, November 20, 13
(Mathemachicken
was inspired from my visit to

32. Idea
•
•
•
•
Get Inspired Don’t Cheat
•
Make an app about a subject you want to learn
Follow your passion
Don’t suffer from ABD (Already Been Done) syndrome
Use your memories/culture to your advantage
a poultry farm)
Wednesday, November 20, 13
(Mathemachicken
was inspired from my visit to

33. Tools and Frameworks
Xcode
Appcode
Ruby Motion
Objective-C
Xamarin
Wednesday, November 20, 13
HTML5
C#

34. Tools and Frameworks
Xcode
Appcode
Objective-C
Xamarin
Wednesday, November 20, 13
HTML5
C#

35. Tools and Frameworks
Xcode
Appcode
Objective-C
HTML5
C#
Wednesday, November 20, 13

36. Tools and Frameworks
Xcode
Appcode
Objective-C
HTML5
Wednesday, November 20, 13

37. Tools and Frameworks
Xcode
Appcode
Objective-C
Wednesday, November 20, 13

38. Tools and Frameworks
Xcode
Objective-C
Wednesday, November 20, 13

39. Design
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40. Design
•
Design represents how the app feels
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41. Design
•
•
Design represents how the app feels
Paper and pencil
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42. Design
•
•
•
Design represents how the app feels
Paper and pencil
Design time > development time
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43. Design
•
•
•
•
Design represents how the app feels
Paper and pencil
Design time > development time
Less features is better than more
features!
Wednesday, November 20, 13

44. Design
•
•
•
•
Design represents how the app feels
Paper and pencil
Design time > development time
Less features is better than more
features!
Wednesday, November 20, 13
Think about how the user will
interact with the application!
Design of a cycling app is different
than a financial app!

45. Implementation
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46. Implementation
•
Set a goal
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47. Implementation
•
•
Set a goal
Don’t take shortcuts!
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48. Implementation
•
•
•
Set a goal
Don’t take shortcuts!
Don’t reinvent the wheel!
Wednesday, November 20, 13

49. Implementation
•
•
•
•
Set a goal
Don’t take shortcuts!
Don’t reinvent the wheel!
Ask for help when needed!
Wednesday, November 20, 13

50. Implementation
•
•
•
•
•
Set a goal
Don’t take shortcuts!
Don’t reinvent the wheel!
Ask for help when needed!
Backup your code!
Wednesday, November 20, 13

51. Goal
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52. Goal
•
Achieving smaller goals will give you confidence to move forward
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53. Goal
•
•
Achieving smaller goals will give you confidence to move forward
Give yourself a deadline!
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54. Goal
•
•
•
Achieving smaller goals will give you confidence to move forward
Give yourself a deadline!
Remove all distractions
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55. Goal
•
•
•
•
Achieving smaller goals will give you confidence to move forward
Give yourself a deadline!
Remove all distractions
Sacrifice Breaking Bad!
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56. Shortcuts
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57. Shortcuts
•
Shortcuts will later bite you in the a$$
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58. Shortcuts
•
•
Shortcuts will later bite you in the a$$
Don’t write crappy code!
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59. Shortcuts
•
•
Shortcuts will later bite you in the a$$
Don’t write crappy code!
ABC POP iPhone game quickly became hard to maintain because of ugly code!
Wednesday, November 20, 13

60. Reinventing Wheel
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61. Reinventing Wheel
•
Before creating a custom control check out CocoaControls
Wednesday, November 20, 13

62. Reinventing Wheel
•
•
Before creating a custom control check out CocoaControls
Before manually managing dependencies check out Cocoapods
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63. Ask for help
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64. Ask for help
•
Accept that you don’t know everything
Wednesday, November 20, 13

65. Ask for help
•
•
Accept that you don’t know everything
Use StackOverFlow to ask your questions
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66. Backup your code
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67. Backup your code
•
3, 2, 1 (3 copies of the item, 2 on a different medium, 1 offsite)
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68. Icon
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69. Icon
Icon is a pathway to your app, keep it clean and beautiful!
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70. Icons
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71. Icons
If I have a budget of $200 for the app I will spend all on the app icon!
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72. Icons
If I have a budget of $200 for the app I will spend all on the app icon!
and I did!
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73. Icons by Developer
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74. Icons by Designer
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75. Price
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76. Price
•
The narrower the audience, the higher
the price
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77. Price
•
The narrower the audience, the higher
the price
•
Ads degrade the app!
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78. Price
•
The narrower the audience, the higher
the price
•
•
Ads degrade the app!
Real money is in In-App purchase. And
even more money is in consumable InApp purchase (Candy Crush uses the consumable model and
generates 530K ... a day)
Wednesday, November 20, 13

79. Price
•
The narrower the audience, the higher
the price
•
•
Ads degrade the app!
Real money is in In-App purchase. And
even more money is in consumable InApp purchase (Candy Crush uses the consumable model and
generates 530K ... a day)
Wednesday, November 20, 13
Build the pricing model around
the app not the other way!

80. Bird Watching Apps
Wednesday, November 20, 13

81. Games
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82. Vegetable Tree
Wednesday, November 20, 13

83. Vegetable Tree
•
Wednesday, November 20, 13
Initial Price: $1.99

84. Vegetable Tree
•
•
Wednesday, November 20, 13
Initial Price: $1.99
Price changed: $2.99

85. Vegetable Tree
•
•
•
Wednesday, November 20, 13
Initial Price: $1.99
Price changed: $2.99
Price changed: $3.99

86. Vegetable Tree
•
•
•
•
Wednesday, November 20, 13
Initial Price: $1.99
Price changed: $2.99
Price changed: $3.99
Price changed: $4.99

87. Vegetable Tree
•
•
•
•
•
Wednesday, November 20, 13
Initial Price: $1.99
Price changed: $2.99
Price changed: $3.99
Price changed: $4.99
Price changed: $3.99

88. Vegetable Tree
•
•
•
•
•
Initial Price: $1.99
Price changed: $2.99
Price changed: $3.99
Price changed: $4.99
Price changed: $3.99
Find the high end of your app price!
You already know the bottom end!
Wednesday, November 20, 13

89. Marketing
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90. Marketing
•
Pre-release
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91. Marketing
•
Pre-release
•
Promo codes
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92. Marketing
•
Pre-release
•
Promo codes
•
Ad space
Wednesday, November 20, 13

93. Marketing
•
Pre-release
•
Promo codes
•
Ad space
•
Blogging
Wednesday, November 20, 13

94. Marketing
•
Pre-release
•
Promo codes
•
Ad space
•
Blogging
•
Social Media
Wednesday, November 20, 13

95. Marketing
•
Pre-release
•
Promo codes
•
Ad space
•
Blogging
•
Social Media
•
Set a release date for your app!
Wednesday, November 20, 13

96. Marketing
•
Pre-release
•
Promo codes
•
Ad space
•
Blogging
•
Social Media
•
Set a release date for your app!
•
Getting featured by Apple
Wednesday, November 20, 13

97. Pre-release
Wednesday, November 20, 13

98. Pre-release
•
Create a teaser trailer (Checkmark app, Perfect Weather)
Wednesday, November 20, 13

99. Pre-release
•
•
Create a teaser trailer (Checkmark app, Perfect Weather)
Write about the design and development process
Wednesday, November 20, 13

100. Pre-release
•
•
•
Create a teaser trailer (Checkmark app, Perfect Weather)
Write about the design and development process
Create a website for your app
Wednesday, November 20, 13

101. Pre-release
•
•
•
•
Create a teaser trailer (Checkmark app, Perfect Weather)
Write about the design and development process
Create a website for your app
Create high quality screenshots (placeit.breezi.com)
Wednesday, November 20, 13

102. Promo codes
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103. Promo codes
•
You get 100 promo codes per version of the app
Wednesday, November 20, 13

104. Promo codes
•
You get 100 promo codes per version of the app
•
You cannot review the app when using the promo code
Wednesday, November 20, 13

105. Promo codes
•
You get 100 promo codes per version of the app
•
You cannot review the app when using the promo code
•
Distribute to reviewers, bloggers etc
Wednesday, November 20, 13

106. Promo codes
•
You get 100 promo codes per version of the app
•
You cannot review the app when using the promo code
•
Distribute to reviewers, bloggers etc
•
Giveaway promo codes on Twitter or Facebook as a prize
Wednesday, November 20, 13

107. Ad Space
Wednesday, November 20, 13

108. Blogging
Wednesday, November 20, 13

109. Blogging
•
Blog about the process of your app development
Wednesday, November 20, 13

110. Blogging
•
Blog about the process of your app development
•
Write about how you found a solution to a complicated problem
Wednesday, November 20, 13

111. Blogging
•
Blog about the process of your app development
•
Write about how you found a solution to a complicated problem
A developer made $6000+ in sales by blogging about his experience of how standup
desk has changed his life. He sold thousands of his fitness apps!
Wednesday, November 20, 13

112. Social Media
Wednesday, November 20, 13

113. Social Media
•
Follow tags related to your app on Twitter and Facebook
Wednesday, November 20, 13

114. Social Media
•
Follow tags related to your app on Twitter and Facebook
•
Communicate with the leaders and tell them about your app
Wednesday, November 20, 13

115. Social Media
•
Follow tags related to your app on Twitter and Facebook
•
Communicate with the leaders and tell them about your app
•
Take part in discussion boards related to your app
Wednesday, November 20, 13

116. Release Date
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117. Release Date
•
Never release your app automatically!
Wednesday, November 20, 13

118. Release Date
•
Never release your app automatically!
•
Release date generates excitement
Wednesday, November 20, 13

119. Release Date
•
Never release your app automatically!
•
Release date generates excitement
•
Custom release date will help you plan your marketing strategies
Wednesday, November 20, 13

120. Getting Featured by Apple
Wednesday, November 20, 13

121. Getting Featured by Apple
Create a great app!
Wednesday, November 20, 13

122. Getting Featured by Apple
Create a great app!
Create an app that features Apple’s new API
Wednesday, November 20, 13

123. Getting Featured by Apple
Create a great app!
Create an app that features Apple’s new API
Newsstand
Wednesday, November 20, 13

124. Getting Featured by Apple
Create a great app!
Create an app that features Apple’s new API
Newsstand
Wednesday, November 20, 13
Game Center

125. Getting Featured by Apple
Create a great app!
Create an app that features Apple’s new API
Newsstand
Game Center
AirDrop
Wednesday, November 20, 13

126. Getting Featured by Apple
Create a great app!
Create an app that features Apple’s new API
Newsstand
Game Center
Blue Tooth
AirDrop
Wednesday, November 20, 13

127. Getting Featured by Apple
Create a great app!
Create an app that features Apple’s new API
Newsstand
Game Center
Blue Tooth
AirDrop
Wednesday, November 20, 13
iOS 7

128. Duke Nukem
Wednesday, November 20, 13

129. Duke Nukem
Wednesday, November 20, 13

130. Duke Nukem
Duke Nukem 3D was released in 1996
Wednesday, November 20, 13

131. Duke Nukem
Duke Nukem 3D was released in 1996
Duke Nukem Forever was released
Wednesday, November 20, 13

132. Duke Nukem
Duke Nukem 3D was released in 1996
Duke Nukem Forever was released
15 years later
Wednesday, November 20, 13

133. Duke Nukem
Duke Nukem 3D was released in 1996
Duke Nukem Forever was released
15 years later
Make sure you are not creating Duke Nukem forever!
Wednesday, November 20, 13

134. Updates
Wednesday, November 20, 13

135. Updates
•
Wednesday, November 20, 13
Updates are important

136. Updates
•
•
Wednesday, November 20, 13
Updates are important
App that do not update, do
not exist

137. Updates
•
•
•
Wednesday, November 20, 13
Updates are important
Create an update schedule
App that do not update, do
not exist

138. Updates
•
•
•
Wednesday, November 20, 13
Updates are important
Create an update schedule
App that do not update, do
not exist

139. Updates
•
•
Updates are important
•
Create an update schedule
App that do not update, do
not exist
Updates gives your app free marketing
opportunity!
Wednesday, November 20, 13

140. Vegetable Tree
Wednesday, November 20, 13

141. Vegetable Tree
Wednesday, November 20, 13

142. Vegetable Tree
Wednesday, November 20, 13

143. Legal
Wednesday, November 20, 13

144. Legal
•
Form an LLC
Wednesday, November 20, 13

145. Legal
•
Form an LLC
•
Pay for the assets (images, sounds, artwork)
Wednesday, November 20, 13

146. Legal
•
Form an LLC
•
Pay for the assets (images, sounds, artwork)
Protect your ass
Wednesday, November 20, 13

147. Legal
•
Form an LLC
•
Pay for the assets (images, sounds, artwork)
Protect your assets!
Wednesday, November 20, 13

148. Testing
Wednesday, November 20, 13

149. Testing
•
Test your app!
Wednesday, November 20, 13

150. Testing
•
Test your app!
•
TEST IT ON THE DEVICE, TEST IT ON THE DEVICE, TEST IT ON THE DEVICE, TEST IT ON THE
DEVICE
Wednesday, November 20, 13

151. Testing
•
Test your app!
•
TEST IT ON THE DEVICE, TEST IT ON THE DEVICE, TEST IT ON THE DEVICE, TEST IT ON THE
DEVICE
•
Form a team of beta testers
Wednesday, November 20, 13

152. Testing
•
Test your app!
•
TEST IT ON THE DEVICE, TEST IT ON THE DEVICE, TEST IT ON THE DEVICE, TEST IT ON THE
DEVICE
•
Form a team of beta testers
•
Use TestFlight to distribute your builds
Wednesday, November 20, 13

153. Customer Service
Wednesday, November 20, 13

154. Customer Service
Wednesday, November 20, 13

155. Customer Service
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156. Customer Service
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157. Customer Service
Wednesday, November 20, 13

158. Customer Service
Wednesday, November 20, 13

159. Customer Service
Wednesday, November 20, 13

160. Customer Service
Wednesday, November 20, 13

161. Customer Service
Wednesday, November 20, 13

162. Customer Service
•
Treat your customers with respect
Wednesday, November 20, 13

163. Customer Service
•
Treat your customers with respect
•
Customer service can increase your app ranking
Wednesday, November 20, 13

164. Customer Service
•
Treat your customers with respect
•
Customer service can increase your app ranking
Almost all the 5 star reviews of Vegetable Tree app are because of
excellent customer service
Wednesday, November 20, 13

165. Wednesday, November 20, 13

166. iOS has the same look and feel
since its release
Wednesday, November 20, 13

167. iOS has the same look and feel
since its release
Until Now!
Wednesday, November 20, 13

168. Wednesday, November 20, 13

169. iOS 7
Wednesday, November 20, 13

170. Chaos in the App Store
Wednesday, November 20, 13

171. Chaos in the App Store
•
All the apps with heavy textures will look obsolete!
Wednesday, November 20, 13

172. Chaos in the App Store
•
All the apps with heavy textures will look obsolete!
•
Opportunity to penetrate into your desired market
Wednesday, November 20, 13

173. Chaos in the App Store
•
All the apps with heavy textures will look obsolete!
•
Opportunity to penetrate into your desired market
Since, the release of the iOS SDK this is the best opportunity for any developer to
seize the moment!
Wednesday, November 20, 13

174. Apple Weather App
Wednesday, November 20, 13

175. Reminders App
Wednesday, November 20, 13

176. Apple App Store App
Wednesday, November 20, 13

177. Apple Calendar App
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178. Vegetable Tree
Wednesday, November 20, 13

179. Resources
Wednesday, November 20, 13

180. Resources
•
AzamSharp YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/azamsharp)
Wednesday, November 20, 13

181. Resources
•
AzamSharp YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/azamsharp)
•
iOS Programming by Big Nerd Ranch (Book)
Wednesday, November 20, 13

182. Resources
•
AzamSharp YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/azamsharp)
•
iOS Programming by Big Nerd Ranch (Book)
•
http://www.raywenderlich.com/
Wednesday, November 20, 13

183. Contact
Wednesday, November 20, 13

184. Contact
•
azamsharp@gmail.com
Wednesday, November 20, 13

185. Contact
•
azamsharp@gmail.com
•
@azamsharp
Wednesday, November 20, 13

186. Contact
•
azamsharp@gmail.com
•
@azamsharp
•
www.azamsharp.com
Wednesday, November 20, 13

187. Contact
•
azamsharp@gmail.com
•
@azamsharp
•
www.azamsharp.com
•
www.highoncoding.com
Wednesday, November 20, 13

188. Contact
•
azamsharp@gmail.com
•
@azamsharp
•
www.azamsharp.com
•
www.highoncoding.com
•
AzamSharp YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/azamsharp)
Wednesday, November 20, 13

189. Thank you!
See you in the app store!
Wednesday, November 20, 13