Today there are 129,610 iPhone apps available for download in the iTunes App Store. With such a large number of app's available for the iPhone it can get a little hairy trying to determine what app is right for you. Here are a few buyer beware tips & tricks to help you when looking to purchase an iPhone app.
1) Read Reviews- There are a tremendous number of iPhone app review sites my suggestion is to start with sites like iPhone Life and others that have real people reviewing iPhone apps with critical commentary. Be careful of iPhone app review sites that merely RSS feed in the description of an iPhone app and do not really provide a review. You will know by the lack of any editorial or minimal editorial. Also be careful of the comments or reviews in iTunes when purchasing the app. Some disingenuous public relation firms have paid interns pumping up the rating for apps in iTunes.
2) App Rankings- An app's popularity will often times cause it to bubble up to the top of the iTunes App Store in the top 100 paid or free, or in one of the other front page featured sections. Be careful though, just because an app is popular does not mean it is good. Still look over the reviews before you purchase based on mass app downloads. But in general most app's that make it to the top 100 are typically good apps.
3) Search iTunes- If you are looking for a productivity, business, utility, game app then search that keyword and you will often find duplicate apps. For example if you want a tip calculator app there are probably around 20 of these apps or more in iTunes. Some are free and some are paid. By searching your keyword in iTunes you can look around before you plunk down your hard earned cash. You may just find a free app that fits your needs. You will find a drop down listing of categories under the App Store tab in the iTunes App Store. This has all app categories.
The above tips should help you in your quest for the perfect iPhone app, if you want further information from my point of view please leave me a comment here at this post and I will try to give you more advice.
One last suggestion. So what about the old apps you no longer use on your iPhone or have already removed from your iPhone? I strongly recommend updating some apps that were enjoyable that you have not used for awhile. Because often times developers have updated the app with more levels or new functions and this is kind of like getting a free app. Mike Vallez 01/06/10
Great post, Mike
All excellent suggestions, especially updating your old downloads. I've discovered apps that weren't so great became just what I needed after a few revisions.
I wish all app developer's would put up a free, lite version. This is often enough to get the feel of the app before purchasing.
Cindy, thank you for
Cindy,
thank you for the comment. I have downloaded, thousands of apps and I get frustrated when the so called "perfect app" misses the mark due to a glitch or left out functionality. I agree, within a couple of updates the "glitch" or "missing functionality" is added and the app rocks.
Lite versions do offer a kick the tires opportunity and I strongly encourage downloading the lite versions for a test drive. That is a great add to this post and I appreciate it.
thanks again
Mike