Android Strategy
New Platform, Same Techniques
Android is a software stack for mobile devices that includes an operating system, middleware and key applications. There are thousands of apps in the Android Market and over 20 new Android handsets are expected this year, including the recently introduced Nexus by Google and Droid Eris by HTC.
Experienced Google Android Software Developers
On the Android platform we have rock star programmers with broad experience in Android software development.
- Android Software Development Kit (SDK)
- Native applications and hybrid native/web applications
- SOAP, RESTful, Web Services, XML Parsing
- Accelerometer, GPS, Compass and Location Services
- Push Notifications
- Media support for common audio, video, and still image formats
- Android Market submission
Android User Interface Design
We are clearly seeing that the best selling Android apps have a well thought out and nicely designed clean user interface, over those thrown together using Eclipse with ADT.
Good mobile user interface isn’t easy, regardless of the tools given to you by a device API. It takes a considerable amount of time and thought to understand how to effectively lead users to their goals in the ever changing mobile context.
Same problems, different platform
Luckily we’ve been designing mobile user interfaces for both native and web platforms for a very very long time. The Android is an amazing platform, but it suffers from all the same design challenges that have plagued the mobile industry for close to a decade.
We start the design process on paper, sketching out the various states the user will go through. Once established, we move to Photoshop, creating a visual presentation that feels native on the Android, but is distinctly your brand. Only then do we move to Eclipse ADT, putting the design together as something you can use and getting it ready for development.
Java Development
Android applications are written in the Java programming language. The Android SDK provides the tools and APIs necessary to develop applications on the Android platform using Java programming language. The compiled Java code — along with any data and resource files required by the application — is bundled into an Android package, an archive file. This file is the vehicle for distributing the application and installing it on mobile devices; it’s the file users download to their devices.
What this means for you is you aren’t paying for our staff to learn Java programming, you are paying for them to build your project, quickly and efficiently. It also means avoiding any App Store approval hassles with basic rookie mistakes.
Let’s talk about how we can help build out your Android App.
Android Market Submission
Android Market is a hosted service that makes it easy for users to find and download Android applications to their Android-powered devices, and makes it easy for developers to publish their applications to Android users.
Unlike Apple’s iPhone App Store, Google’s Android Market doesn’t have any approval process for applications. Once submission, we can begin offering your applications in the store without any further validation or approval
Finding the timing
The trick to success in the Android Market is having the right app launch at the right time with the right price – not an easy feat. We work with you to determine the right price point of your application (which is becoming a science on its own), then look for the right timing of when to launch your app in order to maximize the opportunities given by market swings.
Buzz Building
Getting into the Android Market is the easy part. Getting users to your app is the bigger challenge. Everyone wants to be featured or make the Top 25 in the Android Market, since it can double or triple your downloads, but the only way to do that is with good design, good press, and even better sales.
Deck Placement lives again!
With no control over what gets featured within the store, it is up to us to drive sales outside the Android Market. Great initial exposure means decent spikes in downloads, which increase your chances of getting featured.
This is the age old dilemma (well at least as old as mobile) of deck placement – getting your application promoted within an outside directory – though with the App Store it is much easier and more effective to do.
By the way, we realize that “Buzz Building” sounds a bit trite, but “Social Media Marketing” sounds even worse. Basically we help you with the best kind of marketing: good word of mouth.
Let’s talk about building your brand outside the Android Market.
Sales Strategy
The typically lifespan of an Android app is about 30 days, though some apps share more time in the spotlight. Managing your sales strategy in out out of the App Store is key to maximizing the exposure or profit of your app.
It’s all about downloads
Getting featured and listed in the Top 25 is all about driving downloads. The more downloads you get in a certain period of time means your chances of being featured are exponentially increased. Less expensive or free applications benefit from a significantly higher downloads, but can cannibalize sales of your premium apps and frustrate customers who paid full price.
The bad news is, as you can see, there are no clear cut answers here. It depends on your app, your customer and the competition in your apps space. The good news is we are confident we can help you find a sales strategy that works to meet your business and brand goals. We look both in the store and outside of the store for ways to get your app downloaded en masse, increasing your chances of getting your app in the spotlight.
