2021 iOS App Sales and Discussion

I disagree that a dev lowering their prices then moving them back where they feel they are worth “devalues” the app or the dev. 4pockets is just the type of dev who we want to be well taken care of by his work cuz if they are NOT, then they will be gone soon cuz the skill they have is in high demand. Such high demand that major companies line up to snatch these folks right fresh out of school. Its rather crazy how much flexibility these people have. And this person here, they got some serious proof of their skills. All we gotta do is show enough disrespect and drama and they will be gone. We already lost a lot of devs and probably even more with the loss of IAA.

Poppadocrock · December 2021

These are samples that I shared in the 2021 plug-in and samples list but I’ll put it here too…

Ghosthack has an advent calendar giving away a free sample pack every day up until December 24.
There’s already like 9 free packs available.

https://www.ghosthack.de/adventcalendar2021/

Poppadocrock · December 2021

@Cyp3 said:
I disagree that a dev lowering their prices then moving them back where they feel they are worth “devalues” the app or the dev. 4pockets is just the type of dev who we want to be well taken care of by his work cuz if they are NOT, then they will be gone soon cuz the skill they have is in high demand. Such high demand that major companies line up to snatch these folks right fresh out of school. Its rather crazy how much flexibility these people have. And this person here, they got some serious proof of their skills. All we gotta do is show enough disrespect and drama and they will be gone. We already lost a lot of devs and probably even more with the loss of IAA.

Yea I agree. I guess i could see how one might perceive it that way, but it definitely doesn’t devalue anything for me. I see it as a marketing/sales strategy and nothing more. It is completely within any developers right to do as they please in an attempt to generate more sales and keep their apps coming up on sales lists like this one, and other popular app sale websites. I love almost everything 4 pockets creates.

Poppadocrock · December 2021

Not sure if it’s been mentioned but the SoundPrism and Audanika bundle is available. Check it out, you might get audanika free or a good deal.

https://apps.apple.com/de/app-bundle/audanika-soundprism-complete-bundle/id1597379870?l=en

Littlewoodg · December 2021

@Poppadocrock said:

@Cyp3 said:
I disagree that a dev lowering their prices then moving them back where they feel they are worth “devalues” the app or the dev. 4pockets is just the type of dev who we want to be well taken care of by his work cuz if they are NOT, then they will be gone soon cuz the skill they have is in high demand. Such high demand that major companies line up to snatch these folks right fresh out of school. Its rather crazy how much flexibility these people have. And this person here, they got some serious proof of their skills. All we gotta do is show enough disrespect and drama and they will be gone. We already lost a lot of devs and probably even more with the loss of IAA.

Yea I agree. I guess i could see how one might perceive it that way, but it definitely doesn’t devalue anything for me. I see it as a marketing/sales strategy and nothing more. It is completely within any developers right to do as they please in an attempt to generate more sales and keep their apps coming up on sales lists like this one, and other popular app sale websites. I love almost everything 4 pockets creates.

I honestly am of two minds, re price bouncing.

Tim Webb had an issue with it. He felt a caveat emptor for the buyer was appropriate. There may have also been some name calling on his part, given Tim’s styie.

Note that his chart of the bouncing #s of various devs was also a service to those hoping to save $: there was a detectable pattern that the bargain shopper could benefit from.

Meanwhile i vote with my wallet and as mentioned i buy all the 4Pockets stuff and also software from some of those other devs that bounce their prices

Poppadocrock · December 2021

@Littlewoodg said:

@Poppadocrock said:

@Cyp3 said:
I disagree that a dev lowering their prices then moving them back where they feel they are worth “devalues” the app or the dev. 4pockets is just the type of dev who we want to be well taken care of by his work cuz if they are NOT, then they will be gone soon cuz the skill they have is in high demand. Such high demand that major companies line up to snatch these folks right fresh out of school. Its rather crazy how much flexibility these people have. And this person here, they got some serious proof of their skills. All we gotta do is show enough disrespect and drama and they will be gone. We already lost a lot of devs and probably even more with the loss of IAA.

Yea I agree. I guess i could see how one might perceive it that way, but it definitely doesn’t devalue anything for me. I see it as a marketing/sales strategy and nothing more. It is completely within any developers right to do as they please in an attempt to generate more sales and keep their apps coming up on sales lists like this one, and other popular app sale websites. I love almost everything 4 pockets creates.

I honestly am of two minds, re price bouncing.

Tim Webb had an issue with it. He felt a caveat emptor for the buyer was appropriate. There may have also been some name calling on his part, given Tim’s styie.

Note that his chart of the bouncing #s of various devs was also a service to those hoping to save $: there was a detectable pattern that the bargain shopper could benefit from.

Meanwhile i vote with my wallet and as mentioned i buy all the 4Pockets stuff and also software from some of those other devs that bounce their prices

Good point. I think if I saw a product in a store do this I might have a different opinion. However in this situation it seems ok. Maybe it’s because I’m invested in the success of iOS music making as well as a developers success so they can continue to create the amazing tools we use.

Poppadocrock · December 2021

Why are these cheerios going up and down $2 dollars every other 2 days, lol. Is this a bad batch?

NeuM · December 2021

@Poppadocrock said:
Art

My Brushes Pro is free usually $2.99

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mybrushes-pro-sketch-paint-and-draw/id681045199

Caution on this one. There are more negative reviews than positive ones on this app.

Simon · December 2021

@Cyp3 said:
4pockets is just the type of dev who we want to be well taken care of by his work cuz if they are NOT, then they will be gone

100%.

Life without Neon, Helium and MultiTrack would be rough...

jonmoore · December 2021

@Littlewoodg said:

@Poppadocrock said:

@Cyp3 said:
I disagree that a dev lowering their prices then moving them back where they feel they are worth “devalues” the app or the dev. 4pockets is just the type of dev who we want to be well taken care of by his work cuz if they are NOT, then they will be gone soon cuz the skill they have is in high demand. Such high demand that major companies line up to snatch these folks right fresh out of school. Its rather crazy how much flexibility these people have. And this person here, they got some serious proof of their skills. All we gotta do is show enough disrespect and drama and they will be gone. We already lost a lot of devs and probably even more with the loss of IAA.

Yea I agree. I guess i could see how one might perceive it that way, but it definitely doesn’t devalue anything for me. I see it as a marketing/sales strategy and nothing more. It is completely within any developers right to do as they please in an attempt to generate more sales and keep their apps coming up on sales lists like this one, and other popular app sale websites. I love almost everything 4 pockets creates.

I honestly am of two minds, re price bouncing.

Tim Webb had an issue with it. He felt a caveat emptor for the buyer was appropriate. There may have also been some name calling on his part, given Tim’s styie.

Note that his chart of the bouncing #s of various devs was also a service to those hoping to save $: there was a detectable pattern that the bargain shopper could benefit from.

Meanwhile i vote with my wallet and as mentioned i buy all the 4Pockets stuff and also software from some of those other devs that bounce their prices

Considering the volume of traffic that the likes of AppSliced drive towards the App Store, the part which I don’t think is fair, is that the ‘price bouncers’ end up obscuring the efforts of other developers because e.g. 4Pockets pretty much has one product or another discounted at all times. And they are just one developer. A new trend is the developers that list paid apps being free, when in fact, the equivalent app can only be purchased via an IAP.

These are obviously just the dirty end of marketing tactics. But it’s a pity that other independent developers that only use price changes sporadically and often linked to innovative new features, end up with less exposure on the likes of AppSliced because of the ‘listing manipulators’.

I’m not anti-marketing, if you’re a creator, you have to make folk aware of your creations. I just rather engage in marketing that doesn't feel like an endless barrage of cheap classified ads, typeset in bold capital letters.

Poppadocrock · December 2021

Setlist Live is free usually $2.99 sync Setlist wirpth band mates, see lyrics, etc…

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/setlist-live/id1558899571

Poppadocrock · December 2021

Utility

Tube Cleaner is free usually $.99 Safari extension for YouTube

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tube-cleaner/id1598601006

espiegel123 · December 2021

@jonmoore : I don’t see how 4Pockets strategy hurts any developer. There aren’t a ton of affordable avenues open to devs…and the payout is meager.

What suits your aesthetics may turn out not to be effective and affordable. I can’t see begrudging someone something as innocuous as price bouncing. There is nothing underhanded about it.

You don’t like the strategy. Your choice.

Simon · December 2021

@jonmoore said:
I just rather engage in marketing that doesn't feel like an endless barrage of cheap classified ads, typeset in bold capital letters.

Ad snob!

You can't blame 4Pockets for having regular sales to stimulte sales.

I have bought several of Paul's apps at full price and also some when they go on sale. The sale actually prompted me to pick up a few other of his apps.

I really don't need his "Time Machine" app but if it went under the AU$8 price I would pick it up for a bit of fun. But it has gone the other way - up to $10 so I might wait for next year's Black Friday.

Same with Bleass - only thought I'd get a few of them but with the recent sale I ended up with a folder full of Bleass. Not a bad thing....

jonmoore · December 2021

@espiegel123 said:
@jonmoore : I don’t see how 4Pockets strategy hurts any developer. There aren’t a ton of affordable avenues open to devs…and the payout is meager.

What suits your aesthetics may turn out not to be effective and affordable. I can’t see begrudging someone something as innocuous as price bouncing. There is nothing underhanded about it.

You don’t like the strategy. Your choice.

But of course it’s a subjective point of view. But I do have the right to voice my opinion.

Ailerom · December 2021

@jonmoore said:

But of course it’s a subjective point of view. But I do have the right to voice my opinion.

To be honest I thought your comments were more like observations of what is taking place than an opinion. Seemed pretty accurate to me.

ashh · December 2021

@Simon said:

@jonmoore said:
I just rather engage in marketing that doesn't feel like an endless barrage of cheap classified ads, typeset in bold capital letters.

Ad snob!

You can't blame 4Pockets for having regular sales to stimulte sales.

I have bought several of Paul's apps at full price and also some when they go on sale. The sale actually prompted me to pick up a few other of his apps.

I really don't need his "Time Machine" app but if it went under the AU$8 price I would pick it up for a bit of fun. But it has gone the other way - up to $10 so I might wait for next year's Black Friday.

Same with Bleass - only thought I'd get a few of them but with the recent sale I ended up with a folder full of Bleass. Not a bad thing....

I think that you missed the point. The discussion, at that point (I know you like to be very specific), was around supporting the practice of constantly raising and lowering the prices of apps in order to generate publicity.

So. I don’t like it. I would rather an app had a thoughtful or meaningful way to advertise itself or it’s brand. That said, it must work or it would not be a thing and it is a thing. So people vote with their wallets, which was what Jon was saying.

It’s not sobbery (I realise you will claim it was a joke and reference your emoji but in that case, why not simply call him a Pterodactyl? Well, that’s because that name wouldn’t be connected to any of your thoughts regarding your view of Jon’s). Or, at least, I don’t believe it is. It’s more a case of morality. What a person believes is the right way or the wrong way to behave in these matters.