When Apple released its first iPhone in 2007, few people knew what a “smartphone” even meant. A device with internet capabilities? Sure, that made sense. But applications available for download with endless possibilities, manufactured to accomplish tasks and find information we only knew previously via a web browser (and, for older generations, a library)? Revolutionary.
In 2008, the smartphone continued to boom but was not as common of a commodity. This was the year Apple launched the iPhone 3; one of the most successful earlier models. A television advertisement in 2009 took the world by storm through a simple phrase:
“There’s an app for that.”
This slogan was incredibly effective, to say the least. Because since then, the number of mobile applications available for download have jumped from 35,000 (April 2009) to over 2 million (June 2016). That is a 5,600% increase – in less than a decade. (via statista.com)
Apps never stop improving in efficiency or growing in popularity. The more technology progresses the more clear it becomes that we have so much yet to uncover.
New ideas blossom each day – not just from major corporations. But by regular mobile users like you who have enough ambition.
If you have an idea for an app, get in touch with a local investor if you have less than $5,000 to pour into the project. Basic apps start anywhere between $5,000-$10,000, and if there are several complexities involved there is a small chance it can even launch into the 6 digits.
If you have no idea what it will cost to bring to life, create a digital prototype using basic software like Visio – or, if you are more old-school – Photoshop, for a simple “storyboard”. Any developer viewing your project will be able to give you an accurate quote based on this more detailed information, in addition to an offer to build it for you.
If you find this quote not to be financially feasible, try to find sponsors or even shareholders to buy in to the idea. If your app truly blossoms and goes viral, there is always a chance you could be bought out later on. This is a great time, as an entrepreneur, to use your marketing skills. Kickstarter and Indiegogo are great platforms to not only raise money and awareness but to gage how much interest your idea can generate. You do not want to design something that won’t get downloaded, right?
Gain a following, get followers, and contact your developer and follow up on how to tweak your idea if you’ve been given better ideas to improve your prototype. The App Store has a yearly fee of $100 a year to host any app, and Google Play has a one-time fee for $25. Hosting is fairly inexpensive; but what is important is quality, functionality, and marketing, which is why the cost of its initial development is exponentially greater.
Do not keep your idea in the dark. Get a quote today!
