iPhone App Development – It’s the New “Plastics”

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News broke over the weekend that iFart Mobile, the current #1 paid application on Apple’s iTunes AppStore, netted its creators $40,000 in two days at Christmas, according to a blog post by Joel Comm, the application’s lead developer.

The two-day holiday haul was in addition to $25,000+ in profits the app generated in the two weeks prior to Christmas.

Comm’s is by no means a unique success story. Steve Demeter, developer of the game Trism, made $250,000 in the first two months the AppStore was open; Eliza Block, the developer of “2 Across” app, was reportedly earning $2,000 per day on her application back in September.

Granted these are but three names out of the more than 10,000 apps now available for the iPhone and iPod Touch. It’s not difficult to do the math, though, and when an application designed around people’s fascination with flatulence – one of dozens dedicated to the same theme – can net its creator $40,000 in two days, it would seem irresponsible of a director attempting a remake of The Graduate not to write this exchange into the script:

Mr. McGuire: I want to say two words to you. Just two words.
Benjamin: Yes, sir.
Mr. McGuire: Are you listening?
Benjamin: Yes, I am.
Mr. McGuire: iPhone Apps.

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10 responses to “iPhone App Development – It’s the New “Plastics””

  1. Francisco Andre says:

    I don’t really believe in the numbers given of iFart Mobile sales. Actually, Joe Comm posted that article on 27th December, and from 24th until 28th the iTunes Connect was closed to every developer!

    So, tell me, how could he reach that stats one day earlier?

  2. David Clements says:

    You were able to reach the stats pages earlier that the 28th. itts.apple.com was available. I got my stats on the 27th and it could have even been available before that.

  3. AppBeacon says:

    There are 5,189 “artists” in the iTunes App Store. I wonder how many of these developers have had similar rags to riches stories. I’m sure it’s more than 3 but probably under 100.

  4. iGuide says:

    Anyone have any idea what a “typical” app developer would make?

  5. iPhone Developer says:

    it’s very good, if i am see an “TIC TAC TOE” application in my iPhone