Kinetik 2 - App Recommendations from the people you care about.
An iPhone user on average has spent $19 on apps and downloaded 100 apps. Therefore, a user did not download 599.900 apps. Sound familiar?
Besides the storage capacity of the phone, there’s a limit to the time a user has to browse and search the App Store. Moreover, charts and the bad search experience are limiting the user demand of apps because the reality is no one has time to browse over 600.000 apps, and search is still an unsolved pain. There is Apple’s Genius, but ask anyone when was the last time they use or discovered an app with Genius. However, we still believe giving users the best app recommendations is key, because it saves the users time, and eliminates the need of search. Done right is magic.
Kinetik App Filtering
From 100 to 200 apps
We launched Kinetik 1.0 with the goal to get app recommendations from the people you care about, your Facebook friends and the people you follow on Twitter. We belief your social network can give you the best recommendations because it’s a great filter of information.
However our data showed us that people have even less time to share the apps they love. On Kinetik 1.0 there have been about 6,000 apps recommended. That is 1% of all apps available. Does this mean that only 6,000 apps are worth downloading? Maybe.
To put that number in context, in a year the major tech blogs have covered even less apps, around 3,000. On average a major tech blog covers 3 apps per day and about half cover the same apps. So does it mean only 3,000 apps are worth downloading? Maybe.
With iOS 6 we’ll be able to know what apps our friends like. Finally the App Store is becoming a bit more social. But let’s assume a friend “likes” 3 apps and say you have 200 friends that is 600 app recommendations. Does it mean only 600 apps are worth downloading? Maybe.
Kinetik 2.0
We started Kinetik 2 from scratch, we completely re-designed and re-imagined Kinetik and App Stores. We did not want to do a Free a day or Deals app. There are many of those. More importantly, we believe Apple users are, and will be guided by quality and craftsmanship not by a dollar off. Most of our users care about quality and can pay $1 for an app they love, we know this because of the top 5 most loved apps 3 are paid.
We believe buying apps should be a personal, visual, and social experience. Kinetik 2.0 gives you a new way to get the best app recommendations from the people you care about.
Kinetik 2 is available on the App Store for Free. www.kinetik.com/app
Meet the App Creators: Santiago Morrone
“Meet the App Creators” is a series featuring mobile app developers and designers. We talk about their inspirations, ideas, tips and the future of apps.
A few weeks ago we talked with Santiago Morrone, creator of Finger Olympic Here is our conversation with him:
Why did you create Finger Olympics?
We were always interested in the videogame industry, and considered the Apple platform an interesting market to start.
How did you get the idea of creating FO?
The idea emerged as an answer to Touch on the iPhone; this allowed us to consider the possibility to do a game in which the participants can compete demonstrating their speed and precision to Touch the screen.
Why the name FO?
It is tribute to a game in the 80’s called Hyper Olympic
What is your favorite app?
I don’t have a favorite app. I enjoy casual games of sports, racing and fighting like “KungFu”.
What are joys of creating apps?
When your app is downloaded by a lot of people and you get support messages and suggestions from your fans on how to improve the app, that is one of the biggest motivations we have.
What are the limitations of creating apps?
The main limitation we have is usually monetary; the budgets usually end up shorting the projects. Once we surpass that limitation, I think that the limitation is in our brains.
What is the future of app development?
I’m not sure, we are new to the industry, but I like augmented reality and social games.
What are you working on right now?
We are working on new events for FingerOlympic.
Some cool sites you visit on a regular basis for design/development?
http://google.com
http://stackoverflow.com/
http://www.kinetik.com/
Follow Dribbble Designers on Kinetik!
We are absolutely thrilled to announce that we just added a Dribbble category on Kinetik, making it easier to get app recommendations from the best designers in the world.
Dribbble is an invite-only community of designers, sharing designs that inspire millions of people and we are really exited about featuring them on Kinetik.
Designers are an integral part of creating an App, and their opinion will impact App discovery on Kinetik in a very positive way.
Designers are highlighted with badges to easily identify them. We encourage you to follow your favorite Dribbble designers, because they will provide invaluable insights on what apps you should download, including the best designed apps, the most polished UI’s, and much more.
Share the apps you love on Kinetik for iPhone
Kinetik is now available online!
Hey App fans,
We have some awesome news that we wanted to share with you — Kinetik is now available on the web!
Thank you for being part of the Kinetik.
Cheers,
Kinetik Team
Meet the App Creators: Mic Pringle
“Meet the App Creators” is a series featuring mobile app developers and designers. We talk about their inspirations, ideas, tips and the future of apps.
This week we talked with Mic Pringle, creator of Audium. Here is our conversation with him
How did you get the idea of creating Audium?
Audium is my first app and as such I used the development as a learning process. I wanted to build something that would appeal to me personally and which I would use. I’m really into my music so decided that would be a good direction to follow and which would help maintain my focus. I’m a huge fan of app’s that do one thing, and do it well. Great design is also a big draw for me. I wanted my app to encompass all these things, but also have its own unique concept. Once I started thinking along these lines, it wasn’t long before I came up with the idea for Audium.
Why did you create Audium?
I’m not a fan of the stock iPod app, I feel its design is terribly bland and its quite feature bloated. I’ve tried many third party music app’s (and continue to do so) but I feel the majority of them are trying to compete directly with, and out-feature, the iPod app rather than provide something that is designed to co-exist.
Why the name Audium?
Audium was originally called Unplayed, but at the request of another indie developer who already had a product with that name, albeit in a different space, I changed the name. Audium is simply a mash-up between Audio and Album, which I also thought, sounded pretty cool.
What is your favorite iPhone app?
This is a really tough question to answer as there are so many I use daily, including Kinetik! But if I really have to pick one I’d say Tweetbot. I have a huge respect for what both Paul Haddad and Mark Jardine have achieved on the iOS platform, and for the quality of the app’s they deliver. People say that Apple has made all other handset manufactures up their game; I feel Tapbot’s have done the same in the app development space.
What is your favorite band? Easy; Pink Floyd.
What are joys of creating apps?
The frameworks, the tools, the devices, the open-source community, the indie developer community, the speed in which you can take an idea and have something up and running on a device; there are far too many to list.
What are the limitations of creating apps?
Right now I personally don’t really feel there are any. My app’s don’t really push the devices to their limits so I don’t find myself restricted by the devices themselves. Also, I know a lot has been made of Apple’s walled approach and their review process but I just see them as a necessary evil. I’m more than happy developing for Apple’s ‘closed’ platform.
What is the future of app development?
It’s huge; the space grows year on year, and more and more opportunities for people like me are appearing. Apple has brought the idea of the ‘bedroom developer’ back from the eighties and it seems to have been even more successful this time around.
What are you working on right now?
I’m currently working on a huge update to Audium, but I’m also dividing my time between another music related app, and a photo app; both of which are new, top secret projects.
Some cool sites you visit on a regular basis for design/development?
For design inspiration I can be found lurking around Dribbble and popular review sites like Beautiful Pixels. For development GitHub, Ray Wenderlich’s site and Stack Overflow are all a god send. Ole Begemann also has some really good iOS content on his site
Meet the App Creators: Rob Cleaton
“Meet the App Creators” is a series featuring mobile app developers and designers. We talk about their inspirations, ideas, tips and the future of apps. This week we talked with Rob Cleaton, creator of Oatbook. Here is our conversation with him.
Why did you create Oatbook?
OATBook was created to be a quick and easy record of all medical notes for users prescribed Anticoagulants (blood thinners). Irregular appointment dates, prescriptions and often changing daily dosages are common, so keeping on top of it all was the most important focus. Being a first hand user I thought it would be a great way to tailor an App specifically to these requirements.
How did you get the idea of creating Oatbook?
Experiencing the problems first hand and a 3 second memory was probably the biggest reason. It currently exists as a small yellow record book that is issued to patients prescribed anticoagulants and are required to take it to the clinic each time you have your blood test.
Why the name Oatbook? Acronym of ‘Oral Anticoagulant Therapy’ Book and a nod to a Notebook for all your personal details
What is your favorite app?
Hmm.. hard to pick a favourite. There’s a lot out there that are crammed with gimmicks that can’t hold my attention for more than a few uses. I think an unobtrusive App you can use frequently and have a positive effect on your lifestyle are most appealing to me. Square, Sleep Cycle, RunKeeper and Nike Fuelband are all great examples of this.
What are joys of creating apps?
This was my first App so was a massive learning curve and thought there were many joys on the way. However the anticipation of submitting the App to the store and going through review is beyond exciting and nail bitting at the same time.
What are the limitations of creating apps? Without sounding like a true ass, imagination :)
What is the future of app development?
With developments in mobile device features I see the future of App development working more inline with these. Apps that innovate and integrate with the phones technology to change a lifestyle for the better will be the ones that will stand out.
What are you working on right now? With OATBook being so well received I’m keen to develop some new features
You can learn more about Rob and the Oatbook app here: http://www.warface.co.uk/oatbook-app-blog
