Any app that has a 4 star rating is not what I would call hobbyist app, but hobbyist apps exist. Google "Android crap apps" for some discussions on this. I am not saying anything about your app.
I am talking about the merits of the Amazon market vs, Google. The $99 threshold should be based on business expectation. I hope there is nothing elitist about that. My free app has over 100,000 downloads. I wish it made more money from advertising. The paid version went live on Christmas and has 100 downloads. I'm happy with the initial response. I do consider myself a hobbyist. Developing apps is something I do for fun in addition to my full-time job. I'm hopeful it will pay for itself and just maybe I'll have a hit app. I did not put my first test apps on the google market. Some people do that. Those apps will not be on Amazon market. The $99 is the first filter If I want to be in the app making business, then I'll make the decision on the Amazon market based on whether I think I'll get more exposure, downloads, etc. If you think you can make the $99 back, then it is worth it. If Amazon somehow features your app, then you might turn it into a big hit. I've also advertised my app on Facebook. It does not pay for itself, but it drives downloads and helps me figure out what works. I'm experimenting there too. Seeing what works in marketing for Android is still unknown. I would not consider spending $99 the criterion for an elitist. On Fri, Jan 7, 2011 at 10:01 AM, Matt Pellerin <[email protected]> wrote: > My app has a 4 star rating and 250+ downloads, I can't afford the $99 and > I'm what your elitist attitude would consider a 'hobbyist'. > On Jan 7, 2011 6:55 AM, "Carmen Delessio" <[email protected]> > wrote: > > I'm responding to the merits of using Amazon, not whether it makes sense > for > > each individual developer. > > > > But, that leads to an interesting phenomenon: > > Developers that don't have $99 will not put their apps on Amazon. > > That will keep "hobbyist" apps off the market and will make Amazon the > place > > for developers who already have some success or who see appmaking as a > > business. > > > > The $99 is the first step in filtering out "hello world" apps. > > The Amazon approval process should also improve quality. > > > > Most importantly - why don't you check into this. I'm pretty sure I read > > that the $99 was not being charged year 1. > > > > Carmen > > > > > > On Fri, Jan 7, 2011 at 9:47 AM, Matt Pellerin <[email protected]> wrote: > > > >> That's great for you, it isn't for Devs with no extra money. > >> On Jan 7, 2011 6:41 AM, "Carmen Delessio" <[email protected]> > >> wrote: > >> > The Amazon Android Market has3 things going for it: > >> > - Purchasing from the web rather than a device > >> > - Amazon's incredible ability as a merchandise/marketer > >> > - they sell a lot of Android phones > >> > > >> > I use Amazon for shopping the same way I use Facebook for social > >> > networking. It is where I go first. > >> > Their user interface, recommendations, and relevance always give me > >> > something to check or look at. > >> > If the people who purchased phones on Amazon are a bit like me, then > this > >> is > >> > a good market. > >> > > >> > Amazon may become my Android browsing experience - wherever I end up > >> buying. > >> > > >> > Carmen > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > On Fri, Jan 7, 2011 at 9:29 AM, aman <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > > >> >> > >> >> Ignore it. +1 > >> >> > >> >> I don't think it's a good way to help out developers. It's more > >> >> like Amazon's way of taking a cut from developers. Really, Market is > >> >> now covering the majorities of the world from what it seems. There > >> >> is no point of paying extra $99 a year and spending lots of time > >> >> updating your apps elsewhere everytime you make a small software > >> >> change. > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> On Jan 7, 1:29 am, Al Sutton <[email protected]> wrote: > >> >> > My view is that it's not a great place for developers. I've written > a > >> >> longer explanation athttp://blog.alsutton.com/2011/01/05/926/but in > a > >> >> nutshell the yearly $99 fee seems to be not worthwhile, the ability > for > >> them > >> >> to control pricing could be bad news for individual developers, I > have > >> >> concerns over listing as a non-US developer, and I'm a little > suspicious > >> as > >> >> to why you need to sign up to the portal just to view the T&Cs for > >> >> distribution. > >> >> > > >> >> > Al. > >> >> > > >> >> > On 6 Jan 2011, at 20:47, Rich wrote: > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > What is everyone's take on the Amazon Android market? Are you > >> waiting > >> >> to see how it goes before adding your apps, ignoring it entirely, or > >> already > >> >> adding your apps? > >> >> > > >> >> > > -- > >> >> > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the > Google > >> >> Groups "Android Discuss" group. > >> >> > > To post to this group, send email to > >> [email protected]. > >> >> > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > >> >> [email protected]<android-discuss%[email protected]> > <android-discuss%[email protected]<android-discuss%[email protected]> > > > >> <android-discuss%[email protected]<android-discuss%[email protected]> > <android-discuss%[email protected]<android-discuss%[email protected]> > > > > >> > > >> > >> >> . > >> >> > > For more options, visit this group athttp:// > >> >> groups.google.com/group/android-discuss?hl=en. > >> >> > >> >> -- > >> >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > >> Groups > >> >> "Android Discuss" group. > >> >> To post to this group, send email to > [email protected]. > >> >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > >> >> [email protected]<android-discuss%[email protected]> > <android-discuss%[email protected]<android-discuss%[email protected]> > > > >> <android-discuss%[email protected]<android-discuss%[email protected]> > <android-discuss%[email protected]<android-discuss%[email protected]> > > > > >> > > >> > >> >> . > >> >> For more options, visit this group at > >> >> http://groups.google.com/group/android-discuss?hl=en. > >> >> > >> >> > >> > > >> > -- > >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups > >> "Android Discuss" group. > >> > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > . > >> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > >> [email protected]<android-discuss%[email protected]> > <android-discuss%[email protected]<android-discuss%[email protected]> > > > >> . > >> > For more options, visit this group at > >> http://groups.google.com/group/android-discuss?hl=en. > >> > > >> > >> -- > >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups > >> "Android Discuss" group. > >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > >> [email protected]<android-discuss%[email protected]> > <android-discuss%[email protected]<android-discuss%[email protected]> > > > >> . > >> For more options, visit this group at > >> http://groups.google.com/group/android-discuss?hl=en. > >> > > > > > > > > -- > > Carmen > > http://www.twitter.com/CarmenDelessio > > http://www.talkingandroid.com > > http://www.facebook.com/BFFPhoto > > http://www.twitter.com/DroidDrop > > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Android Discuss" group. > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]<android-discuss%[email protected]> > . > > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/android-discuss?hl=en. > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Android Discuss" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]<android-discuss%[email protected]> > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/android-discuss?hl=en. > -- Carmen http://www.twitter.com/CarmenDelessio http://www.talkingandroid.com http://www.facebook.com/BFFPhoto http://www.twitter.com/DroidDrop -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Discuss" group. 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