Just my 2c - the freemium model when executed well could be one answer. Basically the free app version should do enough to not invite removal due to either "not compelling" or "too irritating". But it should also entice enough so that the user just bites - again patience is key as not every one will bite the very first time.
One app that does this well is Tapatalk (I am not associated with them in any way other than being a happy, paying consumer). Their free version allows me to read from forums, supply login, read private messages etc. but then if I want to post/reply/click thru to bigger images etc I must upgrade. They didn't keep telling me I was a cheapskate just when I tried a premium feature. Loved it enough to pay up. More than the platform it is the individual app I think. As an example, the free virus scan software that Google Pack installs on the desktop is irritating me to the point I am going to replace it - asks me to upgrade whenever it can as opposed to when it makes sense. On Sat, Sep 18, 2010 at 9:40 AM, DanH <danhi...@ieee.org> wrote: > It's hard to compete against free. I've not installed many phone > apps, but in terms of desktop apps I find that quality/fit is so > variable that I'm reluctant to pay up front for an app (have only done > it on a couple of occasions), and I would imagine the same is true for > phone apps. I have on a handful of occasions (maybe 25% of those that > give the option) upgraded a free desktop app to paid to gain more > features (and a little bit out of guilt, I suppose). I don't ever > recall upgrading a "trial period" app -- for some reason they never > seem that valuable to me when the trial period expires. > > One problem that phone apps have, I suspect, is that it's difficult/ > impossible (depending on the market) to directly provide interfaces to > upgrade to a new version, whether free or paid, while desktop apps can > do it seamlessly. > > On Sep 18, 3:59 am, Alex <maroeb...@gmail.com> wrote: > > I am very interested in the responses to this thread. > > > > I only have one app on the market, a simple home page widget. It is > > free, and it has been downloaded 13,937 times with an active install > > percentage of 47%. > > > > Obviously, I would like to make some money from my apps, but when I > > look at paid versions of similar apps to mine, the download numbers > > are pitiful. > > > > We are constantly reading about the massive growth of Android and the > > 10s of millions of devices out there, so why do most apps struggle to > > even grab a tiny percentage of that user base? > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "Android Developers" group. > To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<android-developers%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
