Today Google has announced that Google Play, has passed 25 billion downloads with over 675,000 available apps and games. Good news for the battle between Android and iOS and others, but I keep on asking myself the value of the downloads to developers especially Kenyan developers. In a numberĀ of tech eventsĀ which have gone to, developers talk of having thousands and thousands downloads. And that has been the mark of success for most them. The questions is in terms of money or other measure of success, what is the value of these downloads?
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How are the two related? I mean who doesnt want millions of downloads? Didnt Angry birds get their first break coz of the popularity of the app, their model, free on Android with in-app ads(with a version that is paid), paid on iOS, Symbian and Blackberry.
Just taking that as a case study, you note if a product is does not scale in a way of getting many downloads, the developer wont have users demanding the products, which in essence gives them the motivation to either get a premium version of rework a revenue plan. James Mwai scaled with no revenue model on AroundMe app, he now has a paid version and in-app ads.
Samsung Kenya has helped Kenyan android devs get more noticed on the Samsung Apps store. What’s a good revenue model without the users?
Let’s not be sensational here enough to forget the good things that come with it.
Good argument. I think James Mwai is a good case study but there are many developers talking about the downloads without moving forward as James Mwai has done. Agree with you on the. Point that it is a starting point and shows the level of the demand for the product . But the follow up is needed with a paid app. One thing I would like to know especially from Mwai is whether introduction of payment affected the level of demand for his app