bol.com partner event 2013 - presentatie pieter siekerman

Creating iOS appsPieter Siekerman, The Saints

17-1-2013

pieter@the-saints.nl

• 2005

• 15 people

• Mobile apps for customers

• iOS & Android

The Saints

• Voetbal International

• Eredivisie Live

• Geenstijl & Dumpert

• Lowlands

• Het Financieele Dagblad

• Leeuwarder Courant

• Wired

• Webwereld

• Red Bull

• Happinez

• Mees Kees

• ...

• No code

• Things you won’t learn from a book

• Ask questions any time!

About this presentation

1.Work with a designer

• Default UI components look dated

• Mobile design has evolved

• Use other apps to keep in touch

• If this is not your cup of tea, find a designer!

• But... know the basic tools

Design

2.Develop for iOS 5 & 6

iOS 6

iOS 5

iOS 4

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

iOS version

Data: 15-01-2013

iOS version growth

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

0 30 days 60 days 90 days 120 days

iOS 6 iOS 5

iPhone 5

iPhone 4S

iPhone 4 & iPod 4

iPhone 3GS

iPad

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Devices (mobile)

Data: 15-01-2013

iPad Mini

iPad 4

iPad 3

iPad 2

iPad 1

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Devices (tablet)

Data: 15-01-2013

• Downloads: equal to iOS

• Active users: close to iOS

• In App Purchases: 10% - 20% of iOS

Android

3.Develop on device, not

simulator

• Simulator

✓ Quicker

• Device

✓ Actual performance

✓ Actual SDKs

✓ Actual UI

Device vs Simulator

4.Provisioning profiles

won’t bite

Development Certificate

Distribution Certificate

Private Key

Public Key

Certificate Assistant

Keychain

UDID

Device ID

App ID

Apple ID

Bundle Identifier

Bundle Seed ID

Team ID

Member CenterProvisioning Portal

Development Profile

Ad Hoc Provisioning Profile

Development Provisioning Profile

App Store Provisioning

Profile

.p12

Ad Hoc build

Enterprise Program

Push Distribution Certificate

iTunes ConnectXcode Organizer

• iOS Developer Program (€80,-)

‣ 100 devices

‣ App Store

• iOS Developer Enterprise Program (€240,-)

‣ Unlimited devices

‣ Private distribution

Developer Account

Private Key & Certificate

+App ID / Bundle ID (nl.thesaints.app)

+Devices (UDID)

=

Provisioning Profile

https://www.testflightapp.com/

5.Stay away from

WebViews

• Objective-C

• PhoneGap

• Appcelerator Titanium

• Mobile webpage

• ...

Options

• Efficient multi-platform

• Existing language skills

but ...

• Performance of webviews is terrible

• Lowest Common Denominator

Cross-Platform

• Native “feel”

• All features

• Always cutting edge of platform

Native

• Currently two relevant platforms

• Each platform has unique qualities

• If possible, always build native

• Avoid webviews!

Our opinion

6.Apple’s word is law

• App Store Review Guidelines are final, but...

• ... not all rules are enforced as written

• ... rules change over time

• ... reviewers make mistakes

• ... reviewers test as end-users

The rules

• Read the rules

• Some ‘common wisdom’ is outdated

• Don’t try to outsmart Apple

• Don’t touch Apple’s 30%.

• Roll with the punches

Solutions

7.Never commit to a

launch date

• Currently 1 week, but ...

• ... can take longer

• ... can take shorter

• ... only when you are approved

The review process

• Always plan for delayed approval

• Publish a launch date after approval

• Apps for events are tricky

• Expedited reviews

• Contacts inside Apple

Solutions

8.Track your app

AppViz

http://www.ideaswarm.com/AppViz2.html

• Sales

• Rankings

• Reviews

AppViz

9.Your app will (probably)

not make any money

• A peak and then nothing

• Invisible in the mass of apps

• Building a good app is a must, but not enough

• Gimmicks hardly attract attention anymore

• Mobile ads are no goldmine

• Making money in The Netherlands is hard

• NL is 60/40 not 70/30

A typical app

• Any attention helps: press, advertising, App Store visibility, related channels

• Established brands are powerful

• Freemium models work, payed apps are harder

• Jailbreaked devices and cracked apps are often a small problem

• Validate In App Purchases

Solutions

10.Go for it!

• Mobile is here to stay

• You will have a job

• It’s very visible

• People will understand what you’re talking about

• Still much to be discovered

Benefits

Questions?

Pieter Siekerman, pieter@the-saints.nl