Introduction

Hi, it’s Mark and … I’m back! Some of you might remember the first edition of this work. I focused on the very early part of the learning curve for new Android app developers—such as what to do even if you have never heard of the Android operating system or marketplace. I demonstrated how to download programs such as Java and the Eclipse IDE, and showed you a thing or two about programming using these software tools. I also introduced subjects that are basic to marketing anything, such as reaching a target audience, establishing your application’s “culture,” spreading the word about your applications through various online and print sources, how to publish on Google Play (then called Android Market), and what to do after your initial launch. For the most part, I believe that I succeeded in my endeavor, but even more is required if you really want to establish yourself in the midst of a crowded Android market.

For this second edition of the book, I teamed up with Roy Sandberg, an experienced Android app developer. Roy talks about his experiences developing and marketing apps under his Sandberg Sound label (www.sandbergsound.com). Roy also does contracting work for Android, so you might want to contact him if you need a level of support that exceeds what this and other books can provide. You can find his e-mail address on his website, www.sandbergsound.com. Roy also has a background in communications theory, robotics, audio, and digital signal processing. Believe me when I say that hairy technical problems make him happy! Roy knows the technical, business, and, in some cases, legal issues encompassing the Android development process. He created a family of apps that use clever sound-processing algorithms to do some interesting things. More importantly, you’ll learn from his “boots on the ground” experiences with marketing his apps. He’ll let you know what worked for him and, perhaps more importantly, what didn’t work.

As the author of the first edition of The Business of Android Apps Development, I am quite glad to have Roy on board. As for this second edition, it is not really a sequel, but more of a redux. Just so I can set your mind on the right track, this isn’t really a book on how to create that million-dollar idea for an app or how to write all the code for that million-dollar app. Of course, creating and programming that application is a necessary part of Android marketing, and we’ll give you some guidance in that area, but building the application is only one essential step to creating an application that will shine in the very crowded world of Android applications.

This book focuses on how to navigate marketing in the world of Android, and what it takes to make an Android app really shine. From the moment you first conceive of an app idea, all the way to supporting an existing application, we’ll explain the best way to get things done.

The Purpose of this Book

It might be easier to explain what this book isn’t instead of going into detail about what it is. This is not, at its heart, a programming book. Although we will give you a quick overview of programming on Android, you will have to look elsewhere for all the details. Rather, this book gives a high-level overview of all the considerations a developer must balance when bringing a new Android application to market.

As far as programming goes, we will certainly point you in the right direction, so if you’re a beginning programmer, this book is a great way to get oriented. We suggest you also check out some other books from Apress:

• Android Apps for Absolute Beginners, by Wallace Jackson
• Beginning Android 3, by Mark Murphy
• Pro Android, by Satya Komatineni, Sayed Hashimi, and Dave MacLean
• Pro Android 2, by Satya Komatineni, Sayed Hashimi, and Dave MacLean
• Pro Android 3, by Satya Komatineni, Sayed Hashimi, and Dave MacLean
• Pro Android Web Apps, by Damon Oehlman and Sébastien Blanc
• Android Essentials, by Chris Haseman
• Learn Java for Android Development, by Jeff Friesen

It is essential that you as an Android developer continuously learn about the Android platform (and programming in general) in order to stay current. However, just as important as the nuts and bolts of programming is what to do once that incredible mobile app has been created.

Proper business planning, marketing, promotion, and advertising are the keys to success. If you are in the business of making money from your Android mobile software, the information contained within these pages is essential reading.

How to Use this Book

This book teaches you the business of Android app development, from the very genesis of your idea, all the way through ongoing support of your published app.

• Chapter 1: “The Android Market: A Background.” The smartphone revolution has changed the way that we work and play. Android is a leader of the revolution, and this chapter discusses the history of this open-source operating system for smartphones and tablets. We also explain how Android has changed over time, and discuss porting difficulties for programs written in other coding languages.
• Chapter 2: “Making Sure Your App Will Succeed.” As you well know, the Android Market is flooded with applications, so you have to find out what will set yours apart from the others. We discuss what you can do to create a product that will be in demand and how to analyze the competition. A key factor is using a business plan to see and correct issues with your strategy, ensuring your app finds a market. Your business plan will involve thinking about the problem you are solving, analyzing your competition, and determining your target market. We also analyze the technical, execution, and market risks and how to price your app to succeed. At the end, we share a checklist you can use to make sure your app has what it takes!
• Chapter 3: “Legal Issues: Better Safe than Sorry.” An eye toward legal matters is a necessary part of the app-creation process. If you are not aware of what is at stake, you should read up on what you need to do to protect yourself legally because no one wants to be sued. We discuss personal liability; incorporation; EULAs; privacy policies; and intellectual property, which includes copyrights, trademarks, patents, licensing, and nondisclosure agreements. Like Chapter 2, it concludes with a checklist so you will be prepared!
• Chapter 4: “A Brief Introduction to Android Development.” As stated before, this isn’t a book about programming on Android, but we do discuss the basics of programming on Android including the Eclipse IDE, the Java programming language, the Android operating system, and app deployment.
• Chapter 5: “Develop Apps Like a Pro.” Professional developers don’t just hack code; numerous techniques and systems are also used by pros to ensure that their code is high quality. We discuss some of these techniques in this chapter. If you’re a professional developer, this chapter is a basic review, but if you’re new to development, it is an excellent backgrounder. We also discuss some coding tips and tricks that you can use to help you along the way.
• Chapter 6: “Making Money with Ads on Your Application.” Just because you are giving away an app for free doesn’t mean that you can’t get something out of it. Find out how to estimate revenue and what financial model to use on your application. We also discuss the types of ads that can appear on your application, including banner and full-screen. It is important to know how to understand and analyze the reporting information to better estimate revenue and uncover revenue trends.
• Chapter 7: “In-App Billing: Putting a Store in Your Application.” In-app purchases are yet another way for developers to make money on their Android apps, including offering user subscriptions and virtual products. This chapter describes when you will best benefit from in-app purchases and when you might want to avoid them. We also discuss numerous online stores that provide in-app purchasing capabilities. We go into particular detail of how to implement in-app purchases with Google Play and the Amazon Appstore.
• Chapter 8: “Making App Market Places Work for You.” As an Android developer, you have the benefit of multiple market places in which to sell your app. We show you how your marketplace listing will attract users; what screen shots to use; and how to create the appropriate icons, promotional graphics, feature graphics, and videos to promote your app. We also tell you how to beta test in the marketplace and discuss the ever-growing Amazon Appstore, among others.
• Chapter 9: “Getting the Word Out.” Publicity is a necessary step before getting your app out there in the world. You know the importance of publicity, but we break it down into a number of options. You should develop a plan using marketing techniques to get the word out about your app. We also discuss how to do a SWOT analysis, advertising, public relations, free publicity, Internet marketing, guerrilla marketing, trade shows, web advertising, mobile advertising, and more.
• Chapter 10: “After You Have a User Base.” After your app finds a user base, your job as a developer is far from done. You might want to develop a system for customer support, use Google Play Statistics, use Google Analytics, and even A/B test. All these techniques ensure that your app stays relevant and continues to fulfill the needs of your users.