• Developer name: Toby Vincent
• Developing Since: 2008
• Location:Christchurch, New Zealand
• Apps at the App Store: 20
• Company Website: www.smudgeapps.com

The Company also has recently submitted a new application called Megaphone, which turns the iPhone into a megaphone. Apple is reviewing the application and will be in the App Store soon.

iPhone footprint is happy to bring to our readers some thoughts that Toby shared about his experience as a developer for the iPhone platform and about the team he is working with.

The App Store Call

When was Smudge Apps founded? Is your company focusing only on the iPhone development platform?

Smudge was founded in late September 2008 and we launched our first product at the start of October. Currently we only have products available for the iPhone but we have started development work on some apps for the Android.

20 applications in the course of 6 months is an impressive achievement. What are the most important things that you have learned since the launch of Smudge Apps and the App Store?

We’ve been writing about 6 apps a month. Smudge is the first business that we’ve run and we’ve learnt a lot about business stuff. We have also been gaining a lot of skills and I think the quality of our apps is improving all the time. The App Store has also shown us that what we think are the best apps dont always sell the best. Sales are often defined by a lot of different factors rather than just quality.

App Store visitors seem to be more interested in free applications; in some way this is natural. Do you think developers can change this trend?

No. But having said that, free applications can still be a viable business model. As well as the inherent value in having a very large number of users of a product, a lot of companies have been generating substantial revenue from ad supported free apps.

How fast is your company growing? And what is the most impressive quality that you see in your team?

Our company is growing in terms of profitability quickly, but in terms of the size of the team, we are relatively small and will remain so for the immediate future. The most impressive quality that I see in our team is the speed that we can move from idea to finished product. We all think on the same wavelength, and most of us have worked together before. There is very little time wasted or confusion about what we are trying to achieve with a product, or arguing about different ways of doing things.

Name your three favorite iPhone apps, other than your own. OR Other than the ones you have developed yourself, what apps do you have on your iPhone / iPod. Why do you like them?

I personally have a lot of apps, and I buy a lot. I don’t think you can understand the App Store or be successful in the market without living with the iPhone, and using a lot of apps every day. Top 3 is a tough one, but probably Bloomberg, Koi Pond, and Facebook - they arn’t the three I use the most, but they are all done brilliantly.

The Applications

Jam Lite 1-Autumn Leaves and Jam Lite 2-Have You Meet Miss Jones both in the Music category are the most popular applications from Smudge Apps. What are the features that make these apps special?

I think the reason that these two apps are the most popular is that they are free. Our Jam product line is really unique though - they provide an evolutionary step forward in the way jazz musicians can practice.

iPhone users are more interested in searching for good games and Entertainment applications. Does your company have any plans to deploy applications in the games category anytime soon?

Yes. We have two games in development that will be released this month. Keep an eye on the App Store.

If you were asked to recommend the best five applications out of the 17 that your company has at present, which applications would you recommend and why?

I think the best five apps we have done (in no particular order) are Remind Me, Megaphone, Alien Choir, Moon Lighter and Jam Volumes. They all add real value to the phone in some way or another.

What is the most encouraging comment you have received from end users of your applications?

We’ve had some pretty encouraging reviews, but probably the most exciting comments we get are emails from people who like our apps so much that they want to work with us. Its the ultimate compliment.

The Technology

The iPhone touchscreen capability and accelerometer are breakthrough for a mobile to be noticed as a threat to well known gaming devices. Which of the two features you use more in your applications and how effectively? Touch Screen. Multi touch rules.

Touch Screen. Multi touch rules.

Some developers deploy applications just for the sake of deploying something in the App Store. As a result there are useless applications in the Store making it hard for people to make out the good ones from the worthless ones. What is your take on this issue?

I think the market will even itself out as it becomes harder to compete. The market will judge what is worthless and what isn’t.

The iPhone SDK has some significant limitations. Which of these would you like to be removed first?

We really enjoy working with the platform, there are a couple of niggles but we dont have any real problems with the sandboxing.

Money and the Future

Has Smudge Apps managed to generate the revenue it projected six months ago? Can startups still compete in the iPhone development platform?

Six months ago we didn’t exist. We set pretty aggressive revenue targets and we’ve been hitting them so far. To be successful financially in this market, startups need to focus on building what they think the market wants, stick to their strengths, and keep return on investment in mind.

Many developers have started deploying ad supported free applications. How profitable do you think is this move?

I know that at least one company is currently making $3k US dollars a day from Ad support on their app, which makes it a viable move. Having said that, the ad revenue grows exponentially with more users, and if your app has less than 100,000 users, ad support will generate next to no money.

What is your message to your fellow developers and iPhone users?

Developers: Stick to your strengths and keep return on investment in mind.
Users: Thanks to everyone who has supported us. Buy our apps, they are awesome.

Thanks Toby for your time.