Mobile app development (iOS + android)

Michaelp42

I have several ideas for apps but I have no programming experience, I was just wondering has any got apps made, if so what and where did you go , iv researched the usual options of app development companies which of course cost a arm and a leg and more...so is there any developers out there willing to take on the jobs for a % basis or is it all cash

jgh_

Michaelp42 wrote: »

I have several ideas for apps but I have no programming experience, I was just wondering has any got apps made, if so what and where did you go , iv researched the usual options of app development companies which of course cost a arm and a leg and more...so is there any developers out there willing to take on the jobs for a % basis or is it all cash

I'll be honest with you, it's very unlikely that you'll get a developer on board strictly for a percentage unless you're friends.

Mobile development is a hot field and we can charge an arm and a leg plus a percentage because thats what people are willing to pay. Not only that, development can take quite a bit of time and we have rent to pay just like everybody else.

Draco

jgh_ wrote: »

I'll be honest with you, it's very unlikely that you'll get a developer on board strictly for a percentage unless you're friends.

Mobile development is a hot field and we can charge an arm and a leg plus a percentage because thats what people are willing to pay. Not only that, development can take quite a bit of time and we have rent to pay just like everybody else.

This. A thousand times this. I don't know any mobile dev who'd have time to take on a non-paying project as there's plenty of paying work on top of having ideas of their own to develop.

The Corinthian

Michaelp42 wrote: »

so is there any developers out there willing to take on the jobs for a % basis or is it all cash

Sure; I'll do it, but take 99% of the equity :cool:

You may get someone on the basis of a percentage of equity or a hybrid of equity and cash (one means of paying a lower rate). However, for someone to agree to buy into something that's effectively a pig in a poke, you will need to sell to them both the concept and yourself to them.

That's right; you need to sell the idea/yourself - not them. They need to be convinced, not you.

The vast majority of people in your position can't unfortunately. Sometimes because they overvalue their idea or themselves, sometimes because they can't sell, but often also because their initial concept or idea just isn't that good when looked at with dispassionate eyes.

crashbangwollop

Can anyone recommend quality web/mobile app developers please? I'm at the early stages of setting up my business and need a top quality website and app. I'd like to discuss the idea with talented developers to suss out costs and explore what is possible etc. Thanks in advance

Male30something

I'm an app developer for iOS, Android, Windows 7 and webOS platforms. If you're looking to learn app development there are steps you can take to start programming yourself. Depending on how complex your ideas are, some apps can be developed in standard HTML and packaged for a specific platform using free open source technologies such as PhoneGap.

On a related note.... nearly everyone thinks they have great app ideas these days :-) Have a look on the app store and see how unique or innovative your idea is compared to the hundreds of thousands of apps already out there.

crashbangwollop

Hi M30S, thanks for the reply. I am not looking to learn myself, and as the product will be pretty complex, I'm looking to find the better coders in Ireland to discuss price, timeframe and functionality. Are there any examples of great apps built by Irish coders/companies (I'd prefer to keep business within the country)?

Graham

What type of App are you talking about? A graphic intensive game will require an entirely different skill-set to an enterprise app with back-end integration.

What platforms are you looking to support?

crashbangwollop

Hi Graham, I know what you mean, it wouldn't be a graphic intensive game, more along the lines of the Discover Ireland app... And it would be for android and iOS. Again as I say I'm still figuring it all out, but I'd like to talk to a strong coder to discuss what is actually possible as well as the price and timeframe. Have you any other questions that would make it a little clearer as to what I'm looking for?

Francie Barrett

crashbangwollop wrote: »

Hi Graham, I know what you mean, it wouldn't be a graphic intensive game, more along the lines of the Discover Ireland app... And it would be for android and iOS. Again as I say I'm still figuring it all out, but I'd like to talk to a strong coder to discuss what is actually possible as well as the price and timeframe. Have you any other questions that would make it a little clearer as to what I'm looking for?

The Discover Ireland app looks like it would have taken 2 months or so to complete. To give you some perspective on costs, for a decent Android/iOS developer, realistically you're looking at paying about €350 a day. So that means you're looking at the guts of €20k for developing an app, and that's not including graphic designers doing shiny images, photographers doing nice image/videos.

crashbangwollop

€350 per day?? Maybe I will look into learning myself!... I had been thinking closer to the €10k mark, but I guess I won't know the complete cost until everything is further defined. Thanks so much for the feedback guys. Any suggested developer or company suggestions welcome also.

Graham

crashbangwollop wrote: »

Have you any other questions that would make it a little clearer as to what I'm looking for?

It would probably help if you could broadly outline the required features. A few other things you could clarify (off the top of my head):

Will it have static content or will the content be delivered/updated from a back-end.
Will it need to cache date to work offline?
Video, streaming?
Camera/photo functionality?
Location based services? Mapping?
Augmented reality?
Will data just be pushed out to users/devices or will they be sending back to your back-end servers?
Will it target a local or international market? Multiple language support?
How scaleable will the solution need to be? Any estimates/targets for number of users.
Any online commerce/subscriptions/in-app purchase.
Phone and/or tablet support?

Depending on the App, the back-end could require as much development as the App itself.

crashbangwollop

Yes: updated content, cache date possibly, gps/mapping, multilingual, support, in app purchases possibly.
No: video, photo, augmented reality.
How does that impact on the bottom line?

Graham

So we're talking about predominantly text based content? I'm assuming at least some of this will be overlaid on a map focused on the users current location. Will the app users just consume this content or will they be interacting with it?

Is the content going to be multi-lingual too? How many languages (for App and content). Who will generate the content? Do you already have the content? How often will the content update? Who will update the content, you, your staff, users via an app or web portal? What will the in-app purchase buy? Will it be a one off purchase/subscription?

Do you already have a list of requirements, a functional spec or wireframes/sketches of what you have in mind? If not are you planning to develop these yourself?

crashbangwollop

Yes mostly text and using users current location. Minimal interaction. Content multilingual, English, German, French to start. I/staff will generate content. In-app location-based purchases, not subscription. I'm still working on requirements, functionality and ux. I will do the sketches and discuss further with developer. Do you develop Graham?

Atomic Pineapple

crashbangwollop wrote: »

Yes mostly text and using users current location. Minimal interaction. Content multilingual, English, German, French to start. I/staff will generate content. In-app location-based purchases, not subscription. I'm still working on requirements, functionality and ux. I will do the sketches and discuss further with developer. Do you develop Graham?

You could probably get a decent app with that content for €10k if you cover the design, graphics and translations outside of that budget. Remember though that iOS and Android are two very different operating systems and a design for one won't necessarily suit the other. A mistake a lot of companies make is designing an app for iOS and then porting it over to Android without following the Android guidelines which can infuriated Android users as the way the iOS apps behaves won't suit Android.

crashbangwollop

Yes design, graphics and translations would be separate. Thanks draffodx, I'll keep that in mind. Any developer or company recommendations?

The Corinthian

crashbangwollop wrote: »

Yes mostly text and using users current location. Minimal interaction. Content multilingual, English, German, French to start. I/staff will generate content. In-app location-based purchases, not subscription. I'm still working on requirements, functionality and ux. I will do the sketches and discuss further with developer.

There's quite a bit of functionality there, and not the sort that a junior mobile developer can do comfortably. Going for a 'cheap' option is a bad idea because of this, IMO.

You're also going to have to consider a few issues; LBS essentially rely upon matching a geo-location with a Real-World asset; for example coordinates to a tourist attraction, so you need those actual coordinates. Then, let's not forget any maps you may use - as once the volume of those using your app reaches a certain level, you have to pay for the mapping service.

In-app purchases can also be tricky technically. However, probably most important is the fact that be it Apple or Google, 30% of your sale goes to them. Have you accounted for this in your margins, as it can make many potential business models non-viable?

As for the multilingual aspect, languages are easy enough, as long as you have translators and they understand the context in which what they're translating sits, however there's a lot more to localization than translating text; try translating to German and then see how much of it no longer fits in your various screen buttons or labels.

And of course, you also have to consider marketing your app. That's extra.

Overall, I agree with draffodx's €10k assessment to a great degree, but feel that from what you have now, to a fully designed and assessed specification that you can hand over to a developer there's going to be a lot of work involved, which will ultimately get you much closer to a €20k final bill than €10k.

Actually, you seem to be at such an early stage that I think you'd have to be very optimistic to think that you're only going to be paying €20k between now and launch.

Atomic Pineapple

I should clarify that by decent app I meant a version of the app that you would probably be happy enough with to go for an initial soft launch but will not be fully functional as per your design and the other posters stating a figure of 20k for a fully complete app are on the right track for a complete solution.

Graham

crashbangwollop wrote: »

Yes design, graphics and translations would be separate. Thanks draffodx, I'll keep that in mind. Any developer or company recommendations?

Does your data already exist? Is it in a database? Does it have an API?

crashbangwollop

Thanks guys, you have been most helpful. I am early stage at the minute, but hopefully I'll have the functionality of the app more defined in a few weeks and I can maybe discuss further with some of you privately?