For the dear users of Weather Live, I am sorry to say that, as of now, Weather Live is hidden in Windows Phone Store.
As the developer of Weather Live, I have been experienced many ups and downs. Lost many sleeps, but also had some ecstasies? It was a little depressing when clicking the ?hide this app? link, which means the start of the end for this little venture. However, I guess this is in some sense a good thing.
When I started working on Weather Live, there were not many Weather applications on the marketplace. That?s what gave me the impetus of creating a ?true? Metro app for the community. Thanks in no small part to WPCentral?s introduction, which caught me by surprise BTW, the little app received a warm welcome and quickly reached the top of the chart in Marketplace under its category. And that?s when the pains and excitements started?
Since I uses Weather Underground service, I am naturally paying their service fees. After the initial discount period ended, however, I started to lose money. I tried several ways in order to attract more users. I finally resorted to switching it from a paid app with free trials to free app with in-app purchase. While the number of downloads significantly increased, the revenue stays low (or even lower). It finally reached a point where the API calls constantly exceed WUnderground service plan and I would have to change to a higher plan. Hence the situation I am in now: Unless I can increase the paying users by some six folds, this little app will never be able to be profitable.
Of course, there maybe some other things I can try before capitulating, such as turning off new WP7.8 users (because WP7.8 does not offer in-app purchase), or sprinkle purchase links throughout the app. I feel these experiments will either worsens user experience, or causes confusion, but ultimately not be good enough. This is not only a Weather Live, but also a market size problem. You only have that many Windows Phone users?
Thanks to all who voted for Weather Live in the Next App Star contest, and I am sorry to let you down. There are many good weather apps in store now so I am sure that you will find something that suits your need, and taste.
I plan to continue serving existing users until August of this year. After that, if you paid for it within 2013, you can contact me through the feedback link in the app so I can refund you the purchase price, less the portion Microsoft took.
?If you're lost and alone, or you're sinking like a stone, carry on.
May your past be the sound of your feet upon the ground, carry on? - Fun.
- Rong
As the developer of Weather Live, I have been experienced many ups and downs. Lost many sleeps, but also had some ecstasies? It was a little depressing when clicking the ?hide this app? link, which means the start of the end for this little venture. However, I guess this is in some sense a good thing.
When I started working on Weather Live, there were not many Weather applications on the marketplace. That?s what gave me the impetus of creating a ?true? Metro app for the community. Thanks in no small part to WPCentral?s introduction, which caught me by surprise BTW, the little app received a warm welcome and quickly reached the top of the chart in Marketplace under its category. And that?s when the pains and excitements started?
Since I uses Weather Underground service, I am naturally paying their service fees. After the initial discount period ended, however, I started to lose money. I tried several ways in order to attract more users. I finally resorted to switching it from a paid app with free trials to free app with in-app purchase. While the number of downloads significantly increased, the revenue stays low (or even lower). It finally reached a point where the API calls constantly exceed WUnderground service plan and I would have to change to a higher plan. Hence the situation I am in now: Unless I can increase the paying users by some six folds, this little app will never be able to be profitable.
Of course, there maybe some other things I can try before capitulating, such as turning off new WP7.8 users (because WP7.8 does not offer in-app purchase), or sprinkle purchase links throughout the app. I feel these experiments will either worsens user experience, or causes confusion, but ultimately not be good enough. This is not only a Weather Live, but also a market size problem. You only have that many Windows Phone users?
Thanks to all who voted for Weather Live in the Next App Star contest, and I am sorry to let you down. There are many good weather apps in store now so I am sure that you will find something that suits your need, and taste.
I plan to continue serving existing users until August of this year. After that, if you paid for it within 2013, you can contact me through the feedback link in the app so I can refund you the purchase price, less the portion Microsoft took.
?If you're lost and alone, or you're sinking like a stone, carry on.
May your past be the sound of your feet upon the ground, carry on? - Fun.
- Rong
although I haven't even seen your app I'm really sorry. I hope you find a way to continue developing something.
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