5 App Success Stories You Want to Hear. When Apple first introduced the concept of apps onto the world stage, we were all mystified at how this would once again transform technology. And, change was made.
Almost immediately, people jumped onto the app development bandwagon–similar to a gold rush for the mobile market. And, amongst the plethora of new apps-there were a few standout success stories that made instant millionaires of their creators.
They are stories we love to hear about. If they can do it, so can we. And, you can with the right idea. It’s amazing how taking the first step of developing an app idea and following through to launch, can reap in some serious benefits.
Here are five of the most prevalent app success stories you want to hear.
Trism
This app was created by Steve Demeter, and we’re writing about him because he was the first person to make a living off of the App Store. Wouldn’t it be nice to create one app and reap the rewards month after month? Since he is a pioneer, Demeter had no way of knowing just how much he could stand to make.
He released his game early in the iPhone’s life. And, he made millions from an initial investment of $5,000. Sure, we don’t all have $5,000 just lying around. But, if you knew you could turn $5,000 into millions–would you find a way to get it? Only two months after Demeter released his game, he made $250,000. Now, that’s what you call taking an app to the bank.
Flight Tracker
This app lets you track the details of any commercial flight in the world. It’s similar to what you would get on airport screens. Furthermore, you can find real-time departure information, gate numbers and delays. It was also developed by Ben Kazez.
We write about Kazez because he was only 19 when he published the app. Within one year, the app generated over $1 million in sales. In addition, Kazez had gained the clout to sell his company to Expedia.
Summly
This app was created by Nick D’Aloisio who was only 15 at the time. Summly summarizes long news articles into 100 or so words. As a result, users were able to read several headlining stories in minutes. Due to Summly’s massive success, he was able to sell it to Yahoo for $30 million–when he was only 17. Impressive.
Draw Something
This is one great success story for creator Charles Forman. This app can be described as a cross between Pictionary and Scrabble. You would draw an image to be guessed by an online opponent. Moreover, you can play against your friends or randomly selected app users.
In only seven weeks, it topped the app charts in almost every country. At its peak, it had 35 million downloads. Oh, and Forman was able to sell it to game developer Zynga for a whopping $180 million.
App success stories won’t be complete without WhatsApp–one of the most popular social apps today. Creator Jan Koum was born and raised in a small village outside of Kiev, Ukraine. He and his mother then immigrated to Mountain View, CA when he was 16.
They were able to get a small, two-bedroom apartment with government assistance. By the time he was 18, Koum taught himself computer networking by purchasing manuals from a used book store.
He attended San Jose University to study engineering and was hired by Yahoo. Although, he left Yahoo in 2007. He then applied to Facebook and was turned down.
He bought his first iPhone in 2009 and saw the potential. He initially created WhatsApp in 2009, but it really picked up a few years later. And, in 2015 he sold it through a $19 billion megadeal to Facebook. That’s right, Facebook would not hire Koum in 2007. But, he received the ultimate satisfaction with WhatsApp. Amazing.
Conclusion
By now, you’re probably thinking all you have to do is create an app. If only it were that simple. The app stores are currently filled with millions of apps.
Some will make it big, while others won’t. If you want your name listed as an app success story, you will have to learn how to develop an app idea. We all have ideas, but what you do with them is what matters most.