Perhaps it's too simple, but here's mine: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dozingcats.... Runs on Android 1.6 or later, while conditionally supporting features in newer versions like camera zooming and efficient preview data buffers (2.2) front-facing cameras (2.3), and dimming software system buttons (4.0).
It's not that hard. I'd estimate less than 10% of development time was working around "fragmentation" issues, and the difference in productivity between Java and Objective-C more than made up for that.
Thanks, glad you like it! At some point I want to tweak the matrix mode so characters "fall" from the top; right now each frame draws random characters, which still works surprisingly well.
Aren't there free apps that do the exact same thing?
Yes and no. There are free (ad-supported) apps that do similar effects, but in my entirely objective opinion they aren't as polished, and I haven't seen any others that record video. And my free version (no ads) does everything the paid version does except save pictures and video.
this just seems like something that nobody would pay for
It surprised me too, especially with the constant claims that Android users don't spend money. But as the poster above said, it's fun to show to your friends, and then if somebody wants to take a picture, $2 is less than a drink...
Around $1000 a month from Android app sales: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.dozingcatsoftware..... (After Google's cut, before taxes). A few weeks ago I applied the common HN advice and raised the price from $0.99 to $1.99, which so far has increased revenue by about 50%.
Temporarily de-anonymizing myself because my Android experience is apparently not typical. My main paid app (https://market.android.com/details?id=com.dozingcatsoftware....) is getting around 25 purchases per day, with no marketing effort whatsoever. It was featured in a few blogs and podcasts, but they came to me. It's had over 10k downloads in a year, and my original goal was 1000. Reasons I think it's done better than average:
- It's not a game. As patio11 notes the competition in that area is incredibly intense. In the last few days I've picked up Angry Birds Rio for free, Galcon for $1, and AirAttack for $3. If you aren't an experienced game developer, you're not likely to produce something at that level.
- But it is fun. It has unlimited "replay value" and lets users be creative and show off what their phone can do.
- The free version converts really well, paid downloads are around 20% of free downloads. It does everything the full version does except for saving pictures and videos. There are no ads, other than a Market link to the full version.
- I don't have to spend any time or money on custom artwork. Even the buttons in the latest version I took from the camera app in AOSP.
So maybe I'm just lucky, but creating a quality app in a non-saturated field has been enough to produce a decent side income, without having to deal with business or marketing at all.
It's not that hard. I'd estimate less than 10% of development time was working around "fragmentation" issues, and the difference in productivity between Java and Objective-C more than made up for that.