Confessions of an iOS app developer - I'm moving my efforts to WP8 (long)

[unstoppablekem]

First off, I'm new here - so...hi!

Yes, I'm a cheater. For two years I developed apps for the iOS platform. Had a good deal of success. Most of my apps were in the sports team and sports scores arena.During in September last year, one of my apps was #2 overall in the sports category. But my relationship with Apple, it's just not working out. At night, I sneak away and find myself entertaining the siren song of superior development tools, superior coding platform, and frankly a better company to work with.

Apple and I butted heads a number of times. For those of you who don't know, they rule their store with an iron fist. They are really not developer friendly. And their IDE and platform of choice (objective C) are absolutely horrible to work with.

What does this mean for WP8 users? In short - the apps are coming. And they're coming fast.. Developing in C# on the .net platform is much preferred for developers. Working in Visual Studio 12 is a dream. But frankly we didn't take the Windows platform seriously until now. Microsoft didn't really step up to the plate with a unified vision or a serious marketing plan. And the hardware partners, until the Lumia 900, really weren't putting forth an effort that would bring developers on board. But when Nokia released the 900 - we started taking notice.

I've canceled my Apple iOS developer account. I've already had the break-up talk. I've pulled my apps from the store. And I'm packing up and moving all my efforts to WP8. I'm working on an app now that is currently an area completely unserviced by the Windows App Store. You all will see a lot of this in the coming months from many developers.

So just hang with Windows Phone. You'll be happy you did.

You know WP8 has native code. Native C++.

 

[unstoppablekem]

I would love to see an app that integrates with wallet.

 

[agd87]

Thank you for that. I really hope your prediction is correct.

 

[crystal_planet]

Listen, I see that your avatar is Alabama (no, I'm not going to "Roll Tide" you) so that makes you college football fan.

So I am beseeching you on bended knee to please, please make a college football app. There is nothing worth getting in the store and what there is I've downloaded (and it's just awful). I'd like something you can pick your favourite team and maybe a live tile for scores? Heck, people will pay for quality. I know I would.

Oh, and please make it available for Canadian customers as well. That would be swell.

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

Let me ask you all this - what do you think goes through a developer's mind when he reads that the 920 is sold out everywhere?

And what about the Lumia 820 selling out in a lot of places too... Jesus I was all ready to sign a contract for the Nokia Lumia 820 on Three, and then BAM Tesco had sold out... FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU... Even now I'm still using a Titan even though they're in stock because I'd already lost that magic moment to get the Lumia...

 

[iPwnza]

I could do something like that, extend the features of wallet.... I've already done it with speech with my "Speech+" app, currently passing certification.

 

[bamagrad03]

Listen, I see that your avatar is Alabama (no, I'm not going to "Roll Tide" you) so that makes you college football fan.

So I am beseeching you on bended knee to please, please make a college football app. There is nothing worth getting in the store and what there is I've downloaded (and it's just awful). I'd like something you can pick your favourite team and maybe a live tile for scores? Heck, people will pay for quality. I know I would.

Oh, and please make it available for Canadian customers as well. That would be swell.

If I have anything to do with it, there will be one in the store in time for college football next year. Along with many other sports.

 

[brmiller1976]

And what about the Lumia 820 selling out in a lot of places too... Jesus I was all ready to sign a contract for the Nokia Lumia 820 on Three, and then BAM Tesco had sold out... FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU... Even now I'm still using a Titan even though they're in stock because I'd already lost that magic moment to get the Lumia...

This can't be true. I was just reading that nobody cares about WP and nobody wants it, in sixteen troll threads!

 

[baseballbert]

There's definitely a need for better sports apps. AtBat is decent, not as good as iOS/Android, the ESPN apps suck and are shells of the mobile site and if there was something like Sportacular on iOS, it would make a killing.

ScoreMobile is good, but it is a poor effort based on what I've seen for their iPhone app.

 

[TMavC5]

If I have anything to do with it, there will be one in the store in time for college football next year. Along with many other sports.

Can't wait to see your apps.

 

[RduNC]

I thought I would revive this thread. Anyone seen or heard of any new apps from bamagrad03? Going on almost a year now.

 

[anony_mouse]

I'm also interested in this. Obviously bamagrad03 was right in one respect - there's been a real storm of quality apps for WP this year, and no-one bothers much with iOS any more.

 

[codehelix solutions]

I actually started off with windows phone development and have to say C# and the development platform is just a breeze to use compared to android and then ios. The similarities of both the SDK and Java will make android development comfortable for most windows phone developers ( although some things are still too verbose ), but still much easier than ios development.

You have to factor in the fact that since windows phone came out last, it has the gift of hindsight and has brought a lot of useful features to the sdk/platform ( e.g. trial version, tiles, UI development ). I can actually put together a prototype very quickly.


-Kishore

 

[AndyCalling]

Also, in developing an app for WP8 I'm given to believe you've pretty much made an app for Win8/RT as well, all bar a few tweaks. With 8.1 being only a few weeks away now, that's gotta be interesting for devs.



Yes, WP is certainly the new cool in the UK. India is full of WP as well it seems. Everywhere you look, there's another Windows Phone. Though I'm not really big on sports, all I suggest is that you don't over focus on the colloquial US sports market. Try releasing a really good cricket app and watch the wonga flood in. Add a definitive soccer app and you might just be able to retire.

 

[Guzzler3]

So, if one wants to develop Apps for Windows phone, Windows, and Windows RT (metro apps), is it still advisable to stick with C#?

 

[azcruz]

So, if one wants to develop Apps for Windows phone, Windows, and Windows RT (metro apps), is it still advisable to stick with C#?

I would say yes, but that's me.





Sent from my Windows Phone 8S by HTC using Tapatalk

 

[Arjun KR]

Want to know from the developer,do you think Windows Phone platform will yields you better revenue than iOS? if so how?

 

[envio]

@bamagrad03, wow I'm both impressed and encouraged by what you've had to say. It's a fancinating insight into the mindset of an iOS developer and the relationship with Apple. I'm glad that you won't be simply porting your iOS creations to the WP platform and will instead create user experiences that make best use of and exploit the uniqueness of WP. I'm not a US football fan but your sentiments have made me smile today, I can't wait to see what you come up with. Welcome.