Interview
What It Really Takes To Get Your App Into iTunes – The Alex Shah Interview
on Mar 6, 2009 - 10:10 PM PSTThe full program
This is an audio program. Listen and/or download it here:
A few lessons from this program
Apple may not love it, but Alex Shah is willing to talk about what it’s really like to get an app through Apple’s bureaucracy and onto people’s iPhones.
He’s the founder of FaceDouble, an app that lets users discover which celebrity they most resemble. Here are edited excerpts from our interview.
What’s the biggest lesson you learned?
Probably the most significant thing is that the directory is ordered by release date. When you submit your iPhone app for approval, they ask you, “what date do you want this released?”
What did is say, “I want this released tomorrow. Why should I wait?”
So when they approved it three weeks later, the release date that my app had was 3 weeks old. So when the directory got sorted I WAS NOT EVEN ON THE FRONT PAGE!
Oops! That was a huge mistake!
How did you get your first users?
I have 2 million FaceDouble customers on my site and on Facebook. So what I did is massively email them and tell them, “I have a new iPhone app. If you have an iPhone go download it.”
You released 3 versions of your app at 3 different prices. How does price impact user feedback?
I think the perceived value is an important factor. If people spend $3.99 for an app, when they un-install, they’re very unlikely to rate it 1 star.
What did you learn about virality?
Focus on the customer’s friends, more than your customer.
After someone downloads your iPhone app, you have 10 days to get them to understand the functionality–and tell their friends about it. That’s your time window. You better build an app that’s freaking easy to use, so that they could get the value and either tell their friends, or some way get the viral effect.
Now, on my app, you get to the end of it, and you get your FaceDouble look alike. Immediately, I say, “send it to your friends.” You can’t do anything else. You have to exit the app if you want to get out of this.
Why haven’t you been paid by Apple yet?
It’s been 6 months and I’ve had some success, but Apple’s just sitting on my money. They can’t pay me because the online developer process doesn’t accept my bank’s SWIFT code. My bank is Union Bank, it’s a big bank.
I probably should open an account with Bank of America, just to get around this problem.
[Thank you Parand Darugar for suggesting this interview.]
View Comments to “What It Really Takes To Get Your App Into iTunes – The Alex Shah Interview”
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March 7th, 2009 at 12:37 am
Thank you Andrew and Alex! Wonderful insight on the iTunes application process.
March 7th, 2009 at 2:19 am
[...] the opportunity to introduce one friend, Alex Shah, to another, Andrew Warner, leading to this fun interview on how to approach and launch iPhone apps. Stop by and take a quick [...]
March 7th, 2009 at 1:57 am
Thanks. He gave a lot of great info. I hope I excerpted enough to show
how open Alex was.
Andrew Warner
(sent from my mobile)
March 7th, 2009 at 2:43 am
Strange that Apple would even let you publish with a release date other than the actual one.
March 7th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
That really answered a mystery for me, Michael.
I couldn't figure out why, when some apps I use got new updates their
release dates were so old. I always wondered how I could have missed the
updates for so long.
March 7th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Andrew, you eerily post the most informative interviews of stuff I have either been pondering, wondering or discussing with friends within a couple days of wondering it – are you clairvoyant?!
March 7th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Thanks Justin.
One of the best things that I got from posting these interviews is meeting
you through a comment you made a few months ago.
March 16th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
This candid interview provided a very informative view of what it means to be an entrepreneur in this market space. Alex also has a fun way of delivering the info.
March 16th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Thanks.
March 24th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Hey Andrew, I've got a question for Alex.
What kind of information about the users does Apple provide to the app developer when they buy/download a paid or free app? Email? Phone? Or just # of sales and nothing beyond that?
March 24th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
I'll into you by email. He's a great guy. I'm sure he'll help.
September 3rd, 2009 at 4:28 am
Hey Andrew,
Thats the best information i've found on the internet, really appreciate someone actually taken the time to explain all this, especially as im due to release my own app next month.
September 3rd, 2009 at 5:48 pm
I love hearing that Dave. I'd love to hear how your app does. Email me
if/when you have an update.
December 16th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
Old interview, but still a gem!
VERY useful information especially since I will be releasing an iPhone app very soon.
Thanks, Andrew!
June 8th, 2010 at 10:34 pm
It looks good,I have learn a recruit!
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April 29th, 2011 at 11:09 am
[...] far my least favorite of the tablets currently on the market. it is far too closed and it is very difficult to get apps into the itunes appstore. this limits the development that users are able o do on their own devices and does not support [...]