What is the best way to get someone to develop an app for you?

[iPhone envy]

I have an idea for an app, something simple but usefull. One that I think could be sold for a low amount and would easily sell to a market in need of the product. I'm not a programmer, so I'd need to find someone to do that work for me. Ideally as a 50-50 partner. Their programing labor, my funding the apple costs, and providing the idea and background info for the app.

Has anyone looked into finding a programer partner with and help them develop an idea for the app store? Any tips, suggestions for going about this?

 

[firewood]

iFund

If you can sell your idea, you can always submit it to the iFund for review:
http://www.kpcb.com/initiatives/ifund/index.html

Once funded, or the funding looks promising, you can hire developers who want to get in on the ground floor of an iFund company.

Even if you aren't thinking that big, you still have to convince developers that your idea is worth investing their time (how many hours, at $50 to $200 per, for someone with experience, or at least above minimum wage for a college student who will be learning as they go with time they could be investing elsewhere).

Even if you have an idea for a free app, you would still have to convince a freeware developer that your idea would be the most interesting and rewarding alternative for them to spend the time to develop (or would look good on their resume).

Basically, you've got to sell your idea here, or other places where developers might find your proposal.

I've already had to turn down a few excellent suggestions for iPhone apps, because my limited time is already committed at present.

.

 

[jroller]

Depending on your intentions, you could hire a freelancer to program it for you. Elance is one such service where you could submit a bid.

 

[iPhone envy]

Thanks firewood

I think the challenge on my end is that I have no funding to pay for someone to develop for me upfront. Hence the partnership idea. iFund sounds interesting, I will check it out - THANKS

I assume everyone has a great idea for an app these days. Its like a landrush. Of course the guys who sell services to the speculators are the real ones who make fortunes.

 

[firewood]

Lots of innovators have no funding. What they do is to sell their idea to funders: partners, family, friends (fools), angel investors, venture funds, banks, etc.) That's how most start-up companies (like Apple itself, and a zillion others in Silicon Valley) get going. One of the Steve's sold their minivan to start Apple I think, then Arthur Rock put in the real funding.

When there's a boom, even dot.bomb's can occasionally get funding. Then you have to bid on the limited talent chasing the richest opportunities.

 

[ayasin]

We do custom iPhone development, mostly on a time and materials basis. Most consultants work that way. I've done "take a cut of the profits" before, but it's hard to manage and the upside has to be really big.

 

[Vaphoron]

If I wanted to get into writing apps myself, what exactly would I have to learn and how long would it take? I'm no idiot and I'm very patient and dedicated when I do something but I wouldn't have any experience going in.

 

[Jeremy1026]

If I wanted to get into writing apps myself, what exactly would I have to learn and how long would it take? I'm no idiot and I'm very patient and dedicated when I do something but I wouldn't have any experience going in.

Check the iPhone Programming forum down the page a bit, there are links in there to help you on your way.

 

[Vaphoron]

Check the iPhone Programming forum down the page a bit, there are links in there to help you on your way.

Ahh, didn't notice that there. Thanks much...

 

[skubish]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_0 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5A347 Safari/525.20)

www.elance.com
Probably a good way to get freelance work done.