Key indicators for iPhone app success

Rating: Media reviews, user feedback and an App Store rating, perhaps?

It’s interesting to see what criteria app developers are using to judge how successful their iPhone app are. Brian Akaka, founder of Appular disclosed his criteria. The answer is a mixture of rave reviews in the media; user feedback; and a rating on the iTunes app store itself.

As Appular points out, there are already over 100,000 apps in the App Store and that number is growing daily. So Appular specialises in working with developers to create a marketing strategy that will maximise the visibility of their apps.

As Akaka says, “It has become increasingly challenging for developers to differentiate their apps from thousands of others. So what does he do? He contacts GoMo News for a start.

Akaka is particularly keen to pump up the success of Crosswords. No prizes for guessing what this app does.

It’s the app for crossword fans to get their fix where ever they are, apparently. The app costs $9.99, and has received a 4.5 rating in iTunes with over 1,700 reviews.

“For it to be so popular - at that price point - you know that this app is well executed,” Akaka enthuses. The app is obviously US orientated because it provides players with access to puzzles from US publications such as Boston Globe, Village Voice, Wall St Journal, and the New York Times Classic.

Crosswords can be found on the App Store here.

Appular is also promoting Simplenote ( download here) which is a note-taking app for the iPhone that syncs notes between the desktop and the iPhone.

It’s purportedly received rave reviews from Wired’s Charlie Sorrel and Daring Fireball’s John Gruber. If you go onto the Appular site, you can win a $25 iTunes voucher for coming up with an interesting use for Simplenote.

Big marketing budget, huh?

The last app being promoted is an iPhone version of the game, Urban Rivals (download it here). This is reportedly a popular online trading card game with over 7 million registered users and 50,000 daily plays.

Happy downloading folks!

Tony is based in Surrey and is a veteran comms journalist. Tony also writes on the UK market… contact him here tony@mobileinsight.co.uk