Of course, you may well be happy to follow your nose in Apple’s iPhone on-device AppStore. If you’re anything like me, it’s proving rather addictive. Am I the only one who taps eagerly on the icon each day hoping for new updates, new apps, new ideas? The iPhone AppStore is certainly by far the most active third party software scene on the planet at the moment!
In an attempt to control my own addiction and perhaps help yours, here are some realistic AppStore tips…
- First and foremost, recognise that you are, at some point, going to be spending some money. Get used to it. Although there are hundreds, if not thousands, of free applications in the AppStore, an awful lot of them aren’t actually much good. You may have realised this already. More importantly, a ‘Paid for’ equivalent of much higher quality is often also available for only a UK pound or a couple of US dollars. Definitely a case of getting what you pay for. In most cases, you’ll want bug fixes, updates and improvements, so don’t throw out the notion of a commercial application just because it’s not free.
- Note (and underline it in your brain) that, unlikemost web shops, you buy an iPhone application with only one tap and the entry of your iTunes password. That’s ten seconds at most. After which you’ve just blown $5 or $10 or perhaps $15. Usually when making impulse purchases online, common sense and guilt creep in halfway through the five minute, six screen checkout process and I cancel. Buying is so easy with the AppStore that you need to be MUCH more careful. Or maybe you’re rich.
- Just because you don’t see an application you like in the current ‘New’, ‘Hot’ or ‘Top 25’ lists doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Popular applications often stay popular because they’re in the ‘top’ list and they’re all new users see. A self-perpetuating cycle. Which perhaps explains Koi Pond’s status in the iPhone charts. Instead, head for ‘Search’ and try keywords that interest you. For example, I’m into computer pool and was getting frustrated by the very average Vegas Pool. I’ve used Celeris’ excellent Virtual Pool Mobile on other platforms and was astounded, after typing in ‘Pool’, to see that they did a version of the game for the iPhone. Virtual Pool Mobile isn’t in any of the ‘Top’ charts and, as far as I know, it has never been, yet there it was, almost unheard of. So – make a point of searching for the sorts of applications and games you want to see – maybe they already exist!
- When considering buying an iPhone application, wait for other people to review it first. In many cases, new applications achieve initial popularity through sheer newness (or low price) even though they might be, not to put too fine a point on it, absolute cr*p. But reading through half a dozen reviews should tell all you need to know!
- Play your part and submit intelligent reviews of the iPhone apps that you’ve grabbed (or paid for) – these comments will be as helpful for others as theirs have been for you.
- Watch out for limited special offers – take full advantage of them. Because it’s quite easy for developers to change the price of their items, you’ll often see a $10 game reduced to $4 (for example) for a limited period. There’s no magic way to find these offers, but if you visit the AppStore daily you should be able to spot special offers like this by virtue of a sudden dramatic jump in popularity.
- Finally, do stay up to date with your installed applications. If you’ve gone crazy with the AppStore and now have 200 apps with updates backing up to be installed faster than you can install them then can I suggest you need to see a psychiatrist – you’re obviously more of an addict than me. As a guide, with four screens full of icons (i.e. over 50 third party apps), you’ll come across an update every day on average, which is more than manageable. In many cases, application updates add new features and improvements, so they’re well worth ten seconds of your time to tap on and enter your password afresh to start downloading.
The AppStore is arguably the jewel in the iPhone’s crown – so make sure you get the most from it!