Full-time iPhone programmer

[invidia]

I was hired by my company as a .NET developer, but I was moved to creating iPhone apps. It's alright and I guess taking on Objective-C and Cocoa is nice to add to my resume. But I am in a dilemma here: I took this job to improve my .NET skills and add more .NET-related experience to my resume but I was moved to do something completely different. Now, I have been spending 3 months doing this stuff and I don't see the potential of this market for a real business. The money spent on developers to make an app >> money earned from selling apps.

I have a hard time seeing the potential money-making in iPhone apps. Yes, I read news of XXXX making $600k in 2 months. But I have more chances of winning the Powerball. Is iPhone programming more of a side-job/hobby where you make a few bucks on the side? It doesn't seem that it will do well or profitable in the future, despite all the demands for iPhone developers.


Anyone a full-time iPhone developer with a different experience?

 

[nickbits]

I'm not full time but it is a major component of my job. But our business model is more around developing apps for others than from direct sales.

I've personallly released one app and have made a few hundred. But it only took me a few hours to make so it actually is pretty good.

I think iPhone apps Are mostly a value add for another product. I.e. Skype pandora. Etc

 

[sourceninja]

We are using our mobile apps the way nickbits described. We develop them to compliment our web service. There is a huge market for useful apps however. If your app is useful and built well it will sell and you can turn it into a viable product.

Look at beejiveIM as an example. Great product and people actually pay 15 bucks for it.

 

[troytime]

you can't count money earned from selling apps as the ONLY return, unless you work for a no-name company that doesn't brand any of its apps.

if you're concerned about it, talk to your manager.

Personally, I don't see iphone app development as a permanent thing...unless you work for some gaming company that churns out games every couple of weeks.

 

[sourceninja]

We have about 6 apps planned for the iphone. Our mobile plan though is to not just target the iphone. We are a team of 3 developers, and plan to move to android, blackberry, and maybe even the pre after our initial iphone apps are developed and have matured. it seems like there is always work to do.

You have to upgrade to meet the changing api, upgrade to improve speed, fix bugs, deal with new apple shit, etc.