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19% of apps (123,500) would be sharing 61% of revenue ($3.05bn), i.e. an average of $24,696 per app. So, as a skilled iOS developer you can get a salaried job

19% of apps (123,500) would be sharing 61% of revenue ($3.05bn), i.e. an average of $24,696 per app. So, as a skilled iOS developer you can get a salaried job or work on contract and easily pull down $100k/year. Or, you can bank on hitting 4 near home runs a year with your own apps. Which sounds like the smart bet?

hnhg 14y ago
It depends on what it takes to get into the 19%.
rythie 14y ago
That assumes that all of the apps are attempting to be businesses in their own right. There are loads of apps which simply support some other business, such as a shop, venue, sports team, TV programme and so on (typically those are free). A better figure would be how many paid apps are there.
- cageface 14y ago
  The apps he cites in the study are all games with some kind of price tag, whether up-front or IAP. Other statistics show that games tend to rank higher in overall revenue than any other category so this might actually be painting an excessively rosy picture already.
  - rythie 14y ago
    Oops, I missed that.
DominikR 14y ago
For me, this not an IF-ELSE question since you could do both. Furthermore you aquire many new skills while doing so, which will make you more employable and thus increases your future income.
- cageface 14y ago
  Sure. Having a few apps in the store makes it a lot easier to land a job or a client. Just don't bet your mortgage on app revenue.
adriand 14y ago
Money isn't everything. If games are art, and many indie games certainly fit that description, then these figures may well be a more profitable and rewarding path for an artist than, say, making paintings.
flatline 14y ago
The variance on a salaried job is basically zero. You at least have a chance of making it into the top 1% with app development. Unfortunately, you have a much greater chance of making it into the bottom 80%. Probably not the surest path to entrepreneurship but then what is, really? Also, if you are working for a company that is trying to make a profit primarily from app development, that zero variance proposition is pretty well off the table. There are certain advantages to working for yourself, regardless of the nature of the work.
- cageface 14y ago
  There are certain advantages to working for yourself, regardless of the nature of the work. Absolutely. But I think the big success stories have obscured the fact that for the average dev those advantages will come at a very high material cost.

hnhg 14y ago

It depends on what it takes to get into the 19%.

rythie 14y ago

That assumes that all of the apps are attempting to be businesses in their own right. There are loads of apps which simply support some other business, such as a shop, venue, sports team, TV programme and so on (typically those are free). A better figure would be how many paid apps are there.

cageface 14y ago
The apps he cites in the study are all games with some kind of price tag, whether up-front or IAP. Other statistics show that games tend to rank higher in overall revenue than any other category so this might actually be painting an excessively rosy picture already.
- rythie 14y ago
  Oops, I missed that.

DominikR 14y ago

For me, this not an IF-ELSE question since you could do both. Furthermore you aquire many new skills while doing so, which will make you more employable and thus increases your future income.

cageface 14y ago
Sure. Having a few apps in the store makes it a lot easier to land a job or a client. Just don't bet your mortgage on app revenue.

adriand 14y ago

Money isn't everything. If games are art, and many indie games certainly fit that description, then these figures may well be a more profitable and rewarding path for an artist than, say, making paintings.

flatline 14y ago

The variance on a salaried job is basically zero. You at least have a chance of making it into the top 1% with app development. Unfortunately, you have a much greater chance of making it into the bottom 80%. Probably not the surest path to entrepreneurship but then what is, really? Also, if you are working for a company that is trying to make a profit primarily from app development, that zero variance proposition is pretty well off the table. There are certain advantages to working for yourself, regardless of the nature of the work.

cageface 14y ago
There are certain advantages to working for yourself, regardless of the nature of the work. Absolutely. But I think the big success stories have obscured the fact that for the average dev those advantages will come at a very high material cost.