Is it a phase or the future?
 

Application creation is something I almost went into 4 years ago but decided not to.

I regret it.



Right now it is the hot thing and many start-ups are making money from it. But my question is this - How long will it last?

Re: Is it a phase or the future?
 

We may never know, a few centuries ago the Heavy Metal genre was considered evil, now its really popular. Keep observing and see what happens.

Re: Is it a phase or the future?
 

I think anything "mobile" will be around for a while. But will mobile sites dominate apps (or vice versa)? No one knows. I develop mobile sites and often get contacted by people who want apps. Some of them are crazy ideas but they want them and they are willing to pay.

Re: Is it a phase or the future?
 

lint631, its kinda crazy so many people want an app for their business but have no idea why or how it will help them. They are just caught up in the craze. I still think in the long run mobile sites will take over as far as local businesses go and apps will be for start ups and etc.

Either way you go definitely no a phase.

Re: Is it a phase or the future?
 

I agree. I think mobile sites will take over also but for some time there will be a place for apps.

Someone called me and wanted a "weight loss app." I asked what he wanted to do with it and he had no clue. He owned a gym so thought he needed an app. I actually talked him out of it but could of easily charged a few thousand.

Re: Is it a phase or the future?
 

Classic, not a phase when people are scrambling to use mobile just to use and have no clue why. Wait until business owners really get it and mobile sites as well as SMS are the must have marketing mediums like regular sites and email. That's the direction we're headed.

Re: Is it a phase or the future?
 

Oh yeah that will be nice when that happens. I like working with the people that have a little bit of knowledge then the ones that are clueless. I should say if they are clueless and are willing to learn then that's cool.

I think he wanted a weight loss app. I told him there are tons of free ones out there but he insisted that he could charge $ and it would sell.

Re: Is it a phase or the future?
 

Just remember for everyone who is making money from apps there are probably a 100 or more who are not.

For all the millions that are downloaded there are almost as many deleted from phones everyday.

Q

Re: Is it a phase or the future?
 

Good point. Out of the 20-30 apps on my phone I probably only use about 4-5 of them. Weather, banking, music...

Re: Is it a phase or the future?
 

Well if you think about it, we are getting more and more Smart TV's which are going to be gettting more and more apps customized for them.

So that is an emerging trend.

However, it really depends on who you are targeting.

Are you targeting business and trying to create apps for them?

Or are you thinking of targeting regular people?

I think with either of these as long as you can provide value and give them what they want, people/businesses will buy

Re: Is it a phase or the future?
 

But out of those 20-30 apps, how many have you paid for?

Re: Is it a phase or the future?
 

One. And I never use it. I bought it when working with a client and just wanted to familiarize myself with it.

Re: Is it a phase or the future?
 

The app scene is going to peak eventually. I think apps will lose their importance once entry level smartphones are capable of providing all the bell & whistles of a full browser experience or a complete application. When we do reach that point, smartphones will then just be another platform to port full applications to and your existing website will work just fine on them. For now, apps and good apps developers will be in demand.

Re: Is it a phase or the future?
 

I think the it industry is constantly evolving you got to stick with the times and mobile apps are the forefront currently

Re: Is it a phase or the future?
 

The one good thing about Apps is that they can use push notifications. Once business oweners realise the significance of that then you (As a developer) will be in high demand. The trend for Apps and mobile sites are on the increase. Will there really be and end of mobile craze? "What DECADE did the first PC shipout?" There's legs in this industry - trust me.

Re: Is it a phase or the future?
 

The one downside of push notifications is that a lot of people now disable them by default when installing new apps -- so they are nowhere near as effective as something like text message marketing.

Re: Is it a phase or the future?
 

The only apps I tend to use regularly are really specialized - like my bike computer app - hardly a project that a marketer can get into without a substantial investment

Re: Is it a phase or the future?
 

it is very hard to say.but i think it is the phase and day by day it is improving.