One of the most popular iPhone games has come to Android, it’s called Angry Birds. While I’m not personally a big fan (no offense, team Rovio, just not my kind of game), the game has well over 11 million downloads on the iPhone worldwide, and as of August had sold 6.5 million copies. So if my simple math holds up, at 6.5 million copies at $0.99 per sale, that’s a gross of $6,435,000, and after a 30% cut to Apple, it’s a net of $4,505,500. Today’s accomplishment of 1 million Android downloads (which truly is impressive, congrats Team Rovio!) results in a net of $0. But they could make some money down the road if the ad revenue shows up.
I’m not saying Rovio won’t make some decent money off the ad platform, after all Google did blow out revenue last quarter, and is apparently making a cool billion dollars a year on mobile ads already. But the reality here is this is a weak solution for any developer to bank on. Ad revenue for a platform game is a highly unproven model so far, and while there will certainly be wins for some, the concept that ads are the only way to make money off Android apps is pathetic.
First, it clutters the experience.
There is no possibility that an ad-laden video game is better than one without ads. None. And in the mobile space, where screen real estate is precious, it’s even more impactful.
Second, it’s not bankable.
A video game, even a casual one, is generally a pretty engaging activity. Imagine lining up your purple bird in the slingshot, ready to take down some well-defended pig to clear the level (finally!), and lo and behold, there’s an ad for something. What’s it for? Who knows, because you’re never, ever clicking on it, you’re taking down that pig.
Third, it’s a band-aid at best.
I’ve actually purchased an Android app (Robo Tower Defense – pretty fun actually), just to make sure I’ve gone through the experience. It is unpleasant to say the least (fanboys who are reading this, please click here prior to commenting, thank you very much). Did you know there are apps in the Android Market whose price points are listed as, wait for it, approximate amounts!? Now there is a reason behind it – international developers – but it’s just so awkward to see. Further, the effort it takes to even find half-decent stuff is painful. I’ve honestly found the best way to find apps is using the barcode scanner app, and simply won’t bother with paid ones.
Fourth, and most importantly, I don’t see it radically changing, ever.
Android comes from Google, who obviously knows how to monetize spam, SEO, and domain squatters advertising, but just doesn’t get user experience at all (SIX years to let us turn off Conversation View? Really? Really?). So their DNA, their “mode de vie,” is about enabling ads, not making amazing consumer-facing experiences. This, coupled with the issue that Android is an “open” operating system, means no single serving method of enabling simple transaction systems. And, because any carrier and manufacturer can bring any product to market, there’s no single source for developers to work with.
In short (too late): the Android platform cannot possibly offer a one-stop-shop approach to developers wishing to monetize application development, other than advertising.
I’ve been musing a lot on the topic of Android having a “missing link” problem recently. This may just be a hiccup in the path to having the prime mobile operating system, or it may be a fatal flaw in its ability to have serious legs. Either Google themselves will need to step in and create a core payment infrastructure to enable developers, carriers, and consumers to all work together – which seems radically unlikely – or we’re going to see even more fragmentation of the Android market, and probably in the short-to-medium term at that.
Trollfest.
Android is open. At least that’s what Google says. So it must be true.
Who cares about user experience? If your granny can’t use it, she should be dead by now. Open is all that matters. Die iPhone Die. Yeah. Google rocks.
Super trollfest.
And why would anybody ever WANT to turn off the conversation view? That’s the single most useful thing for email ever created. I wish they’d take that feature away again, because it is completely unnecessary.
You make it seem like not having a unified payment platform is a huge problem. Ok, if you are used to the iPhone AppStore I see your point. But we’ve been using desktop computers for decades without a unified payment platform and it worked out just fine.
on Rovio, i think you re not looking big enough; Rovio is building a franchise business. They probably don t care about 1 or 2 million free downloads even if ads don t bring anything. They are interested in getting penetration fast and deals with content agregators, license distributors, movies producers, toys companies….
They really think big. With that operation they bought themself a fast intro to the android population. They will certainly swictch paid soon. Once google will add Paypal (and they will), people won t feel so concerned
Regarding the market, it seems to be fragmented and it is. But eventually like on shopping what is missing is a good guide for users.
If you are interested in trying Appsfire for android, i ll be happy to set you up > ouriel at appsfire dot com
It’s on the way to a couple hundred million people using some version of Android, another couple of hundred million using other version, etc. that are big enough different markets for app developers to focus on, and for different app stores to handle, even bypass the app stores altogether. Although it’s great that more and more capable Androids can do more with mobile web. For UI, there’s MotoBlur, Sense, Touchwiz, etc. It’s great to have choices at this early stage of widespread smartphone adoption.
Hey. There’s no purple birds in Angry Birds. That negates the whole post!
Have you played the ad supported version of Angry Birds on Android before reviewing it? The ads are really well implemented with minimal impact on game play. Rovio do say they are going to release a paid version soon which of course removes the ads. This is a great model in my opinion as it let’s users play the game for free (with the developers earning a small drip feed of cash from the ads) and then if the users like the game but hate the ads they can take the plunge and buy the ad-free version.
Nice troll.
I don’t know why you’d want to turn off conversation view – but I’m happy for you, now that you have the ability to have 20 different messages cluttering your inbox that are all part of the same back-and-forth conversation, with other messages possibly coming between them.
Way to hold a grudge against Google – that little argument pretty much negates your whole point against Android, because it exposes you as an Android/Google hater, not an unbiased source.
Google’s products aren’t popular because they somehow trick people into clicking ads on squatted domains or spam sites – they’re popular because people like fast and simple-yet-powerful interfaces. Apparently you don’t.
And Angry Birds is awesome on Android – I’d gladly donate after having played it (which I may never have done if it wasn’t free). The ads have only annoyed me once, but I thought to myself how the game was free and forgave it.
This is coming from an ex-3GS user (and don’t get me wrong, I loved the phone), but there are definite advantages to Android – it’s just more customizable and more powerful. An added bonus (and the original reason I switched) is that I don’t drop calls 100% of the time when I’m talking to my clients.
Agree with Ouriel and Flipper01… for Angry Birds this is a trial to see if/how ad supported works. They’re trying out different business models to see what sticks and with whom. As for Google and Google developers, this experimentation is useful because they collect data to see what sort of business model really works and, therefore, how they should commit future development resources.
Bryan Underpants wins.
The author clearly didn’t do his homework here. What’s that saying about thinking before you speak…
Ok, just thought I’d let those who are a little ignorant on Android know that Google DOES have a ‘single unified payment system’. It’s called Google Checkout! Additionally, when buying apps from the app market it’s not any more work than a single click or two, I don’t have to re-enter my card details, I don’t have to do anything!
Google takes care of the payment, and Google pays the developers. And best of all they charge a lot LESS than 30%!!!
As for angry birds, I’ve been using the ‘lite/beta’ version and have had NO issue with ads at all! Ads are great, they give ‘poor’ folks like me the chance to have some of the simple pleasures in life that we can’t afford, and encourage those who are more than able to purchase a slightly ‘superior’ version to do so. Ads are a choice, if you don’t like them, pay your 99 cents for the apps!!
For the record I’m an android user (NOT fanboy, although I have definitely been won over!). Android is a dumb name. Android is nerdy. BUT the new android devices that are coming out (such as the Galaxy S I9000 etc) are UBBER cool and UBBER simple to use! They’re amazing, and even an iPhone 4 looks rather ‘old’ and ‘faded’ (especially the screen) when put next to it!
So, I would suggest you maybe re-consider your final verdict, and give android respect where it deserves it!