The U.S. market for smart-phone applications has soared past $1.5 billion, thanks to ingenious developers like Ilene Jones, cofounder of IPhone’s Hurricane storm-tracking app and Derek James, creator of paid word and card games for Android.  Their advice: Flesh out your plan completely and think local when it comes to hiring a developer, find a niche and go where the app lovers are, think before you price but don’t be afraid to experiment, and develop apps based on games consumers can easily identify.

Source: Newsweek

Date: September 15, 2010

Link: http://www.newsweek.com/2010/09/15/how-to-build-a-better-smart-phone-app.html

Questions for discussion:

• How does Google’s Android differ from Apple’s IPhone in terms of publishing an app?
• You have a great idea for an app.  What steps should you take before you hire a developer?