Smiling Frog Software

Simply Lists 2.1 Update has been Reviewed and Released. The update should make its way to the app store by the end of the day.

A small update to Simply Lists was submitted today. In this release:
- Settings are now accessed in the application.
- When importing, moving, or copying lists the current folder is auto selected.
- Fixed some major issues with importing and dealing with merging tasks.

I took some time to add Insects to Gene Lab.  The update should be out in 1-2 weeks.  I’ve included a few screenshots of the new version:

Gene Lab 1.2 and Simply Lists 2.0 are both Available in the App Store now.

I have had the price of Simply Lists at $0.99 or a while now, and there was an initial increase in downloads, but this has also resulted in several people giving one star reviews.  I was making just as much on the app at a higher level, but with better reviews.  In anticipation of the release of Simply Lists 2.0 I have decided to move the price to $1.99 I think this is more than fair for the work I have done.

I have also decided to make the Gene Lab App free with embedded ad’s.

Gene Labs 1.2 and Simply Lists 2.0 Submitted to Apple today. You can expect both of these apps to be available in the App store within 1-2 weeks.

This week there has been a bunch of positive and negative discussion around the news that Tweetie 2.0 for the iPhone is nearly complete, and that it will be a new application, not a free upgrade. You can read the announcement here at the Atebits blog.  I’m a user of the Tweetie 1.0 on the iPhone and of the desktop app.  I  personally think that Tweetie is one of the best designed apps on the App store. Apple didn’t give Loren Brichter an Apple Design Award for nothing.

A couple of days later Mr. Brichter did an interview about the new version at Just Another iPhone Blog.  The reason for so much discussion is that many users are upset that they will have to spend an additional $2.99 to get the new application, instead of getting it as a free update to Tweetie 1.0.  As an iPhone developer I have been following this with great interest, because to be honest I have been pretty disappointed so far with the performance of the App store.  I don’t have any applications in the App store yet that are even remotely as popular as Tweetie, I’m still trying to find the right idea.  My primary App in the store ‘Simply Lists‘ was originally priced the same as Tweetie $2.99  I viewed this as a fair price, but in a crowded market for these types of apps I quickly found the only way to keep selling was to move to $0.99.

In the above interview with Mr. Brichter he states:

“Without the option for paid upgrades, developers (who work on anything more substantial than ringtone apps) have two options: 
1. Support the app forever and release free updates forever. 
2. Abandon the app.

No developer can afford to do (1), so the app will die.  Users can be scary to developers, even if the angry ones are just a vocal minority.  Changing the perception that iPhone apps will get free upgrades forever is going to be an uphill battle, and I think other developers are thankful I’ve taken a step in that direction.”

He is absolutely correct here. There is a balance to be found between bug fixes, minor improvements, new functionality, and major new versions of an Application.  On the desktop this is an established system.  Bug fixes and minor changes are often provided as free updates, but Major new versions are almost always paid for. If you want quality software on the iPhone then this same system must be accepted.

As for me, well I’m currently looking for a full time job again, I haven’t even been able to cover the costs of setting up my business so far.  I have done some contracting work as well to help, and I hope to continue doing so.  I will keep Smiling Frog Software going, and I’m going to keep working on new software for the iPhone in my spare time, but unless I get lucky with a new App there is no way I can currently make this a full time job.  You have no idea how disappointing it is to say that.

Simply Lists 2.0 will be submitted to the App store shortly, it contains many new features, and bug fixes.  It will be a free upgrade for existing users.

I’m currently working on Simply Lists 2.0. I’ve been changing large amounts of code and in the process I managed to break things bad.  I had introduced a double release bug that was manifesting in SDK code.  It was very difficult for me to find where I messed things up.  After downloading Clang and running it against the Simply Lists project I was able to quickly find the problem along with many many other problems that weren’t causing me any problems yet.

Big thanks to everyone working on Clang. You can try it for yourself at this link.

I was super excited to see that Just Another iPhone Blog gave my application Simply Lists a positive mention yesterday. Really happy to see that they liked it.

I have also reduced the price of Simply Lists to $0.99.  This was a hard move for me to make. I really do not like the trend for all apps to be One Dollar.  I believe the time and energy spent to develop these applications is worth more, and the trend to lower prices will result in many developers leaving the iPhone or worse producing trivial software that lacks functionality.  Only time will tell whether the changes Apple will surely be making to the app store will improve the current pricing situation.

I saw a comment on FriendFeed recently where Robert Scoble mentioned that he refused to pay more than $5 for an app. Why $5? What makes applications for the iPhone worth less than desktop software.  Is the price of the application somehow tied to the size of the screen of the device you are running the software on? Don’t get me wrong I think Scoble is entitled to set any price limit he wants on his personal purchases on the app store. I just wonder why there seems to be a perception that the work someone does for the iPhone is worth less than the same application on the desktop. Seems like a strange difference.

Gene Lab 1.1 is now Available in the iTunes App Store.