How does one 'Create' an APP for a smart phone??

[jllundqu]

I have a genius idea for a smartphone app that does not exist yet (as far as I can tell).

I know an entire subesection of people who would pay for this app, the demand is there; however, I haven't the faintest idea how to create and/or distribute an app.

Any ideas for starters?

Mods: Sorry about location... please feel free to move to appropriate sub-forum. Didn't think this qualified as hot topic

 

[jllundqu]

Wow... 25 views and nothing.

If I make a lot of money, I'll donate to the RPI

 

[Aldanga]

If you don't know how to create an app, I wouldn't put much stock in you being able to implement it. Your best bet would be to get a mobile developer and work through the feasibility of the app. The major risk at that point is the developer taking your idea and implementing it without you.

 

[brandon]

Have you ever programmed before?

 

[jcannon98188]

First thing you need to do, is choose what platform you want to develop for. If Android, learn Java. If iOS learn Objective-C. Developing for the Android is free (AFAIK) but developing for the iOS does cost money. Also, iOS development requires access to a Mac to program and develop it in. You could realistically learn how to develop for the Android, and get a prototype going in about a month or two, depending on what the app is. Note, this is if you actually work towards it.

 

[Peace&Freedom]

Since/if you can't do it yourself, it would be simplest to go to a freelancing site, like elance (among others), and simply hire a programmer to create the app for you as per your specifications.

 

[jllundqu]

Thanks... I will check out elance. I know nothing about programming.

 

[CPUd]

If you've never written anything in Java before, you can still use the visual tools in Eclipse to design the UI, and it will generate some code for simple things like button presses, etc.

I recommend using a real android device; the emulators suck.

Start here, and learn what the names represent (Fragment, Activity, Intent, ...):
http://www.vogella.com/articles/Android/article.html


Get the development tools:
Get Eclipse:
http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/packages/eclipse-classic-422/junosr2

Get the ADT plugin for Eclipse
http://developer.android.com/tools/sdk/eclipse-adt.html

When it comes time to install the Android SDK's (see image of SDK manager below), don't spend too much time trying to figure out which ones, just get all of them:

 

[jclay2]

Go and search through xda and also completely scratch the idea and do beginner programming tutorials if this is all new to you.

 

[Warlord]

Put your project on one of those sites and let indians bid on it... what are they called? I forgot. eLance I think? Script Lance?

 

[mad cow]

Watch TV,drink beer and eat bonbons,after the revolution,trying to profit off of intellectual property will be a felony anyway.

 

[economics102]

Unless you're a developer, you'll want to find one. Preferably in America if you want to get anywhere.

Your best starting point would be if you have any friends/family who are sotware developers, they can at very least offer some detailed guidance and feedback. As others have said, the biggest risk you face at the outset is you don't want a developer to steal your idea. Having said that -- and please don't take offense to this -- 99% of the time when someone thinks they have a great idea for a hugely succesful app, it's either not really a good/feasible idea or it's already been done.

You're either going to have to pay a developer, or find one to work with you as an equity partner. The latter is difficult because developers are getting pitched on "sweat equity" projects frequently and are rightly very skeptical by default. But if you really do have a good idea you'll be able to find a sweat equity partner.

The rest is tricky because most developers suck, lacking the combination of project management, technical, logistical, business, costing, estimation and other skills necessary to pull off projects successfully. Don't hire anyone with less than 6-7 years of serious industry experience. That's the best advice, really.

Oh and if you have a friend who is very experienced in the development industry and they don't want to do the project, it woudl be smart to ask them if they'll at least help you manage it. One of the biggest failure points in outsourced development projects is that the hired developer is being managed either by a non-developer or an inexperienced developer, so they have no concept of whether the hired developer sucks or not, and no concept of whether the project is going smoothly or headed for a cliff.

 

[Tod]

I'm not a developer kind of guy, so this advice is probably worthless, but I would first design a flowchart of what the app does and sketch up what each screen would look like, documenting what I wanted to end up with. Once that was done, I would get a notary to notarize the design if I wanted to help ensure that I were able to profit from the thing. Then if I were interested in learning to write the program myself I would learn how or if I wasn't interested in those details I would locate someone to write the program.

 

[economics102]

I'm not a developer kind of guy, so this advice is probably worthless, but I would first design a flowchart of what the app does and sketch up what each screen would look like, documenting what I wanted to end up with. Once that was done, I would get a notary to notarize the design if I wanted to help ensure that I were able to profit from the thing. Then if I were interested in learning to write the program myself I would learn how or if I wasn't interested in those details I would locate someone to write the program.

Writing an app if you don't know how to program is like doing surgery without any prior medical background. I know people learn things like HTML on their own and so there's a lot of people going around saying you can pick it up in your spare time as a hobby, but actual application programming is a different beast. HTML is not even a programming language. Creating entire applications in Java/C++/Javascript/PHP/etc is not something you just pick up with a few months of study.

(Tod: the above comment is not directed specificalluy at you -- several people in this thread have suggested the OP try to build the app himself even though he has no programming experience)

Your advice on the notary is wise though. I'm not a big legal expert, but I would say do that, and make any developers you discuss the idea with sign an NDA or at least make sure you have very credible proof that a meeting took place (this combined with the notarized flowcharts/etc would be helpful).

 

[jtap]

Someone could beat you to market with a similar idea if you tried to learn to program yourself while trying to create this. Also, it's highly likely that your app would not be designed well, be spaghetti code and be a nightmare to maintain and need a complete rewrite if it ever took off.

Great ideas are hard to find. Developers are easy to find. Great implementations of great ideas are hard to find. An experienced developer would go a long way to ensuring your idea has a chance.

 

[jllundqu]

Unless you're a developer, you'll want to find one. Preferably in America if you want to get anywhere.

Your best starting point would be if you have any friends/family who are sotware developers, they can at very least offer some detailed guidance and feedback. As others have said, the biggest risk you face at the outset is you don't want a developer to steal your idea. Having said that -- and please don't take offense to this -- 99% of the time when someone thinks they have a great idea for a hugely succesful app, it's either not really a good/feasible idea or it's already been done.

You're either going to have to pay a developer, or find one to work with you as an equity partner. The latter is difficult because developers are getting pitched on "sweat equity" projects frequently and are rightly very skeptical by default. But if you really do have a good idea you'll be able to find a sweat equity partner.

The rest is tricky because most developers suck, lacking the combination of project management, technical, logistical, business, costing, estimation and other skills necessary to pull off projects successfully. Don't hire anyone with less than 6-7 years of serious industry experience. That's the best advice, really.

Oh and if you have a friend who is very experienced in the development industry and they don't want to do the project, it woudl be smart to ask them if they'll at least help you manage it. One of the biggest failure points in outsourced development projects is that the hired developer is being managed either by a non-developer or an inexperienced developer, so they have no concept of whether the hired developer sucks or not, and no concept of whether the project is going smoothly or headed for a cliff.

I have a couple friends/family who are computer programmers. I have approached them about the idea. I have already sought a small startup capital from a group/website that would most benefit from such an app. Anyone have any idea how much it costs to have someone develop an app? It's a simple app that would interface with Facebook and use geo-tagging, similar to the "check-in" feature currently used in FB. Users could take photos with their smartphones and post them to FB or other social media, but for a specific purpose...

 

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

Elance, as mentioned. Look for other freelancer sites. (search)

Unless you're a developer, you'll want to find one. Preferably in America if you want to get anywhere.

I'll disagree with that, mostly. I know indian and russian coders who will run circles around american coders, for half the price. I know a few good american coders too.

You're either going to have to pay a developer, or find one to work with you as an equity partner. The latter is difficult because developers are getting pitched on "sweat equity" projects frequently and are rightly very skeptical by default. But if you really do have a good idea you'll be able to find a sweat equity partner.

Yeah, that's a minefield, even for experienced people.

The rest is tricky because most developers suck, lacking the combination of project management, technical, logistical, business, costing, estimation and other skills necessary to pull off projects successfully.

All true, imo. You really have to be the project manager yourself to make it happen. Certain people are excellent at pieces of it.

I have a couple friends/family who are computer programmers. I have approached them about the idea. I have already sought a small startup capital from a group/website that would most benefit from such an app. Anyone have any idea how much it costs to have someone develop an app? It's a simple app that would interface with Facebook and use geo-tagging, similar to the "check-in" feature currently used in FB. Users could take photos with their smartphones and post them to FB or other social media, but for a specific purpose...

Search sourceforge. The code might already be there. (for your programmer friends) Otherwise, find someone who shows they've done similar projects in the past.


Read everything jtap said above and believe it.

 

[economics102]

find someone who shows they've done similar projects in the past.

Very important.

 

[Gage]

Download the app making app. /sarcasm

 

[CPUd]

Elance, as mentioned. Look for other freelancer sites. (search)





I'll disagree with that, mostly. I know indian and russian coders who will run circles around american coders, for half the price. I know a few good american coders too.


Read everything jtap said above and believe it.

It depends- the Indians you find on oDesk are mostly coders, but not developers. And the people you deal with are not going to be the same people who do the actual work. They are good at giving you exactly what you ask for. If something is not right, they will be very quick to point out that the reason for the issue is that you didn't give them the proper spec. If you don't know how to write a design document, you will need to pay someone who can.