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vinay427

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 18, 2008
748
74
Hey guys. I am looking to develop an app, and this is my first one, so I need some simple ideas. I am only 13 years old, so I don't have a lot of time to spend due to school things. It may or may not go into the App Store; I haven't decided yet. If does, the person that thought of the idea that I choose will get a promo code, if it is a paid app. If I get a lot of replies, my top 5 will get codes. If it's free, well... If it doesn't go into the App Store, the winner will get the app using the UDID thing. Again, just a simple idea that won't take too much time. Thanks a lot in advance!
 

firewood

macrumors G3
Jul 29, 2003
8,141
1,384
Silicon Valley
Look at all the apps in the App store (else your ideas may have already been done.)

When looking, figure out which types of apps you would know how to develop in a reasonable time frame. If you can't do that yet, learn a whole bunch of general programming and software development skills first. Artwork skills may also be important.

Then figure out which types of apps currently in the App store don't hit the target for a large group of potential customers you personally know about.

Hit that target.

If the target customers have money to spend on apps, and you have some clever way of getting their attention (marketing), all the better.

ymmv.
 

NemoMac

macrumors member
Jul 10, 2007
33
0
Hey guys,

I just posted a thread myself with a request for an existing app solution or app idea:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/677283/

Basically, I would love to see a "Cover Flow" for Contacts pictures. If I turn my phone to the side, I can flip through thumbnails of all of my friends with their names listed under the pics. Tap one of them and turn my phone back upright, and it shows the pic as it appears when they are calling me (except without the "slide to answer" bar at the bottom).

It would be great to bring up some of those great Contacts pics I have taken and show them to friends. I don't even know if it is possible, though, maybe Apple hides that directory or something.

Good idea, by the way, soliciting people for app ideas! It's a lot smarter than slaving over an app that nobody would find useful, haha.
 

B master

macrumors newbie
Mar 29, 2009
29
0
How about a platform involving an ant, the main character, and he has to invade enemy ant hills? The ant could have super strength and be able to pick up then throw rocks. Then again that sounds like it's be pretty hard to make.
 

Jeremy1026

macrumors 68020
Nov 3, 2007
2,215
1,029
Hey guys,

I just posted a thread myself with a request for an existing app solution or app idea:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/677283/

Basically, I would love to see a "Cover Flow" for Contacts pictures. If I turn my phone to the side, I can flip through thumbnails of all of my friends with their names listed under the pics. Tap one of them and turn my phone back upright, and it shows the pic as it appears when they are calling me (except without the "slide to answer" bar at the bottom).

It would be great to bring up some of those great Contacts pics I have taken and show them to friends. I don't even know if it is possible, though, maybe Apple hides that directory or something.

Good idea, by the way, soliciting people for app ideas! It's a lot smarter than slaving over an app that nobody would find useful, haha.


Apple has a lock down on cover flow. Even creating your own version of it gets the app denied. if contact cover flow comes, itll be from Apple themselves.
 

mav814

macrumors member
Mar 26, 2009
37
0
To be honest, if it's your first then go as simple as maybe a interactive map. So maybe put a map of the world or the U.S. and have each area be clickable and open up to a bio or info page? I think that would be solid for a first app...
 

NemoMac

macrumors member
Jul 10, 2007
33
0
Apple has a lock down on cover flow. Even creating your own version of it gets the app denied. if contact cover flow comes, itll be from Apple themselves.

Jeremy,

That doesn't surprise me at all. C'mon Apple, give us our goodies all at once!!!

I guess I would settle for just being able to see a list of my friends' names, though, and then click on the name for the pic. I hate having to go to the contacts list, click "edit" and then click the pic.
 

mrbrightside623

macrumors regular
Mar 21, 2009
164
0
San Jose, CA
Apple has a lock down on cover flow. Even creating your own version of it gets the app denied. if contact cover flow comes, itll be from Apple themselves.

This isn't necessarily true. Pandora Radio uses cover flow to show history of the songs that been played in the time frame you have listened on Pandora Radio.

-Tony
 

vinay427

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 18, 2008
748
74
To be honest, if it's your first then go as simple as maybe a interactive map. So maybe put a map of the world or the U.S. and have each area be clickable and open up to a bio or info page? I think that would be solid for a first app...

That seems like a really great idea! I'll check it out.

This isn't necessarily true. Pandora Radio uses cover flow to show history of the songs that been played in the time frame you have listened on Pandora Radio.

-Tony

Yeah but that doesn't work nearly as smooth as in iPod.app.
 

MacToddB

macrumors 6502a
Aug 21, 2007
926
0
Rochester, NY
I'm working on an eBook that will help with such scenarios... getting an idea, and turning it into an app. One of my points is, to borrow from successful authors, "Write what you know".

You said "I am only 13 years old, so I don't have a lot of time to spend due to school things."

There are probably a lot of students in the same boat. Not all 13 year olds have iPhones, but maybe ~18 and up.

How about an app that helped students with time management? You could list all your chores (cut the lawn, etc.), classes, and extracurricular activities (soccer, movies, etc.), with the amount of time each takes, and the priority.

Create a weighted formula that helped you determine how much time to allocate to each.

After the required tasks (school, then chores) are done, it could determine that you have 3 hours available, shake the phone, like UrbanSpoon and it would tell you could take in a movie, etc. If you only had 30 minutes, you could play a video game (iPhone).

You could have a Parent Mode where parents enter the chores, activities, priorities, and students get to choose from pre-approved activities!
 

vinay427

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 18, 2008
748
74
How about an app that helped students with time management? You could list all your chores (cut the lawn, etc.), classes, and extracurricular activities (soccer, movies, etc.), with the amount of time each takes, and the priority.

You could have a Parent Mode where parents enter the chores, activities, priorities, and students get to choose from pre-approved activities!

Those two are great ideas. I could make something that somehow syncs online with the parent app and transfers it the the kid app. I'll look into that and let you know!
 

youssefm

macrumors 6502
Oct 7, 2008
386
0
I agree with that, maybe a daily planner that targets students in middle school and high school. Time to input for school, homework, chores etc. Maybe also a function to send these plannings to another iphone or ipod touch, idk just ideas
 
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