Tiny Shiny Apps – iPhone and iPad App Development

Both AppMakr and TapLynx provide a method of rapid application development for iPhone apps based on the aggregation of existing content from feeds.

This comparison was produced based on the latest versions available in January 2010.

	AppMakr	TapLynx
Adding Feeds	Very simple. Search wizard guides the selection of suitable feeds for inclusion.	Most changes only require amendments to property list XML file.
Editor	Web based intuitive interface on any platform.	Mac running XCode required.
Transparency	Submission timelines from AppMakr depends on volumes. Process is not clear for someone unfamiliar with iPhone app development. App was released to AppStore without notification.	Apple Developer account needed. This provides full control over release.
Ownership	By default, your app is published by AppMakr on your behalf. With a Developer account, your app is published with your details. If long term extension of your app is planned check the options for moving from one account type to the other.	You publish your app under your Apple Developer account.
Metrics	AdMob stats are available if you are serving ads in your app. Otherwise there are no details available via AppMakr on downloads or usage.	iTunes Connect offers metrics on downloads and usage.
Ads	Easy to configure with a multiple ad networks. Integration with Admob was very simple. Admob stats provide some app usage data.	Requires inclusion of ad network libraries. Well documented steps and simple integration.
Quality	Fit for purpose app. Lack of formatting of RSS text looks clumsy. Includes sharing functions. Allows offline reading.	High quality app. Includes sharing functions. Allows offline reading.
Performance	Downloads feeds per tab as they are accessed which only retrieves the feed required but also introduces a downloading pause as each feed is read.	Background downloading of all feeds at app startup offers a better user experience.
Price Setting	With the Basic account there is no option to set a price, your app is released for free. You will need a Developer account to charge for your app.	No restrictions.
Cost	$199 – although discount codes of $50 have been available. Developer account $499.	$599
Next Steps	Additional feeds can be added and the application republished.	As the application is an XCode project, additional functionality can be added to take full advantage of the iPhone.

Updated: included comments on Ads, Quality, Performance and Price Setting.

If you would like to discuss either of these services and their suitability to your needs, please contact us.

Building Apps with AppMakr

AppMakr sounds to good to be true for content makers and too good to be bad for iPhone developers. Of course, the truth lies somewhere in between.

AppMakr does what it does, brilliantly. What it does is also limited but limited to very large market that want a brochureware type iPhone application.

App Building

Entering a search term into the site, retrieves feeds for the term in the form of blogs, Youtube and Flickr. It does this quickly and easily. If you know the URL of the feeds you are planning to use, this process is even easier. That’s how the MacLife app could be created so simply.

Building the app by assigning an RSS feed per tab is simple. AppMakr handles the addition of multiple tabs and the More button. It also provides icons for the tab bar and limits the character input for display.

The AppMakr Dashboard serves as a simple interface for developers and agencies managing apps on behalf of third parties. If there are clients who want to extend the application to the next level then this may not be possible with AppMakr.

App Store Submission

It is perfectly possible to create and post an app to the App Store without even knowing what the App Store is. And in some cases this may be ideal. Hiding the complexities of App Store submission from someone creating an application which is not likely to hit any issues is a positive.

Feedback

There was a lack of feedback on process which took only a couple of weeks. When the initial status was Awaiting Submission this was not App Store submission but was actually an AppMakr process prior to AppStore submission. An email was received to advise that AppMakr had submitted to the app to Apple. No email was received to indicate that Apple has accepted it, although this was displayed in the Dashboard which needed to be checked repeatedly. Being informed that the app has been accepted is important to allow promotion and marketing activities to begin.

Support

Very little support was necessary but many channels are available. The phone line support at $120/hour is unlikely to be required.

Pricing

This evaluation was carried out in January 2010 using discount code TECHCRUNCH for only $49. Normal price for the basic service would be $199. The Developer service costing $499 allows publishing using an Apple Developer account. Consideration should be given to anyone using the service on the long term plans for your iPhone app and taking advice where necessary.