Cost for a Iphone app

[Skinkelinke]

I started this with a question in the b-raid thread about the cost of developing a app for ihpone. I have a great idea for an app that I might wanna do, Im just not sure about the initial costs of something like this.

The app needs to be easy to update (like a news ap) on a weekley basis, you need to be able to position where you are and otherwise its read only, just beeing able to click some categories.

I know people in the guild are working with this shit so I just need to get a picture of how much money a thing like this would cost and how much time it would take to get it on the market.

[Gaeios(Graxlos)]

Can only talk for android phones, since Im allergic to apples.
Getting it on the market is very straightforward.
Getting gps coordinates is fairly straightforward.

Do these categories show lists based on some kind of database? Should it look up in an online database or a local database on the phone?

[Skinkelinke]

GPS coordinates is not a must if it makes it alot more complex.

I dont wanna give out the idea of the app ofcourse but its basicly the same as a news app where you can choose sports, economy and so on. Guessing the database would be online, not sure of how you set up the database part either

[Ino]

I'd need more info I guess.

At my work they use http://rhomobile.com/ which basically just embeds a webbrowser (which allows you to build apps for blackberry, android, iphone and windows). Multiplatform does have disadvantages (blackberry layout/functionality is a bitch, debugging is doable but still not optimal).

As a learning app I build a http://www.directadmin.com/ app which just uses the web api to control the server. Took me like 10-20 hours (I did not know Ruby).

You need at least a developer account for Mac, which is like 100 dollars or so?

I do not know exact prices for the (sometimes very simple) apps the company sells but if I recall they range from anywhere between like 1k and 30k or something silly.

tl;dr: it really depends on how advanced the app is. Really simple apps can be made quite quickly with Rhomobile.

[Skinkelinke]

Well, I don't want to build the app myself, I want someone to make a app from my idea.  Say I'm paying 2000 euro, would that get me anywhere?

I don't know anything about databases and all that might be needed, I know sales and have a decent idea that I think I could profit from. I'm just trying to sketch up a really basic return of investment here

[Ino]

I guess it could, I have absolutely no clue about prices .

You would probably need some kind of website (costs for: design/hosting/domain/database/data traffic) + the cost of building the app. I think hourly rates range from 50 to 200 dollars. Most simple apps take like 20-40 hours I guess. And then you might also have to pay for website design plus monthly for data traffic/domain/hosting.

On a little side note (not to discourage you): I once had to help build the backend for an app for someone who thought their idea (app for personal assistants) would be super awesome: she only had like 100 downloads so far. Getting an app out there is only half the battle.

[Gaeios(Graxlos)]

Yeah you really need to get some publicity its not like everyone searches the market for random apps all the time.

[Skinkelinke]

Sales and marketing is what I do what Im clueless about is what's needed behind, servers and all that

[Gaeios(Graxlos)]

The more details we get the more details we can give you

If it is as simple as you make it sound Im sure you can get it made for 2000 euro. But lots of things that non-programmers find simple might not be when it comes down to actual development and its not a ontime investment, you will need to have it maintained and updated for later versions of IOS /android. As mentioned you will probably need to have some kind of hosting solution for a website/database, that would need maintenance as well.

[shankski]

Skinke what you are suggesting seems pretty simple.

GPS can be located very easily.

Provided the data source that the app need to get info from  is updated regularly enough its relatively simple to request new data from it and display it on the app.

As I said the developers I know charge around 3000 - 7000 GBP and up for each app. This is considered pretty cheap I think.

Is the idea just a personal one or is it for your business?

I would be very interested in developing the app for you btw =). I certainly wouldn't charge anywhere near 3000 - 7000 GBP would most likely do it for free / for a cut of the sales =PP

Gimme a PM or something if u want to talk it over

[Archz]

Throw the poor shankski a bone so he can continue to raid with us!

[Skinkelinke]

Haha arch

It's just a personal idea shanks, we can discuss it over IRC