Here’s a quirky story: Israeli iPhone app dev house ApParty released an app back in December 2008 called iFog (iTunes link).
The premise being that the user selects a photo which then has a steam effect superimposed upon it. The steam can be wiped away by running a finger over the screen surface. Blowing on the iPhone microphone fogs the screen back up.
Cute. Simple. And lucrative—it was bought 200,000 times for $0.99 a pop.
As soon as it was released, iFog climbed the iPhone app charts, reaching the number one download spot in most European counties and even made it into the top 20 in the US version of the App Store. Since then—unsurprisingly—sales have flattened to a steady pace of about 250 per week. Until two weeks ago, where out of the blue iFog’s sales surged again and more than doubled.
The two developers behind the app had no clue what the reason for this revitalization could possibly be.
A couple of days ago, the mystery began to finally unravel. A friend of one of the developers who happens to live in Miami asked whether it was possible that she saw iFog on TV. Fat chance seeing as ‘Television Ads’ isn’t on any line in the company’s P&L. The friend was able to recall though that she saw the app in a new T-Mobile myTouch commercial (embedded below). Lo and behold, none other than Dana Carvey is seen with the same exact app, except it actually happens to be a knock-off made for Android.
The ApParty guys added two and two together and realized that there was a spillover effect from the commercial, where iPhone owners that saw it rushed over to the App Store and found iFog.
Go figure, huh?
The T-Mobile commercial featuring Dana Carvey:
I just can’t see how android will compete with the app store no matter who backs them. The app store works well, it’s simple to use and very helpful. Apple have been doing these kinds of apps for ages, firstly as widgets for the mac dashboards and now fine tuned as apps for the iPhone. I may be biased as i have an iPhone and love the app store and therefore can’t see anyone competing to this level. It’s like microsoft with BING in comparrison with Google… no chance.
Adam @ weloveweb.net
_____________________
Your logic is inherently flawed. You said much about Apple’s App Store. Yet you said nothing about Android’s. So what you are saying is essentially, X is very good, therefore nothing will ever be as good as X. I hope you see how faulty such reasoning is. Something will surpass X if X is something that people want.
It’s alright, this video is totally hilarious in it’s own right. It’s amazing how T-Mobile forgot to research on similar application on other smartphone before posting such advertisement.
I guess T-Mobile should run a “musical” campaign for iPhone next, just like what David Pogue have composed.
http://pinoytut...rom-david-pogue
App Store works well for users, not for developers who get screwed by Apple’s approval process. It didn’t take long for the AppStore to fill up with apps, and if ppl actually start buying Android phones, while the Android AppStore is good to developers, it won’t take long for Android to take over.
Google > Apple. Nothing like Bing and google.
The Android Market works well too. If you used an Android device you might actually know that!
You ARE biased, and more to the point bigoted – “i have an iPhone and love the app store and therefore can’t see anyone competing to this level” – therefore?! I love something therefore it is unbeatable?!
Foolish words…
Ha – very cute. Bet Android didn’t see this one coming. I’m biased too – just downloaded it for a little fun on the subway ride to work.
This app was also shown a couple of weeks ago on The Gadget Show in the UK as part of a segment where two of the presenters created their own apps and sold them on AppStore. I can’t recall that the name of the app was shown, but the fogging of the screen and the wiping with the finger etc was.
Their apps are iLoogie, iSplat, iFog, iFog Deluxe & Mr. Mistletoe Kiss.
love android
be open fk apple
There is also iSteam that does the same thing, which was free a few months back.
A similar app by a company of the same name?? is Hot iSteam Camera – from “GreatApps LTD” whereas iSteam is from “Great Apps”.
@Adam, Except in both cases Google is a party. It may take time and extreme incentive from both phone company and Google but at some point Android will be considered a success.
For the record I’m biased too… just bought a copy of iFog. Freaking cheap entertainment 2 hours before starting my day. =)
My God, Chevy Chase got OLD!
That’s great
This is awesome!
@Android users, here is the link to the Android version of this app:
http://swisscod...ne_steamy_.html
and the free version: http://swisscod...ne_steamy_.html
Have fun!
That’s pretty cool. Knock off apps, knock off phones, what will they think of next?
An article on TC has never been known to hurt sales either…
Funny how the article doesn’t even mention the android app.
It seems to be this one: http://swisscod...ne_steamy_.html
I think the most interesting part about this story is what it implies about what people really care about, apps. Forget android v iphone. People just want tools that are useful or fun. They see an example of something that can be either useful or fun, even if it is for another gadget, and they seek it out for their own gadget. My translation of this article, provide apps people want, and the people will come.
best comment on the thread.
Most realistic comment on the thread. TC needs more people like @benhargreaves
Yeah talk like no app has ever been on android first. You gonna talk about how iphone apps copied off the Layer apps that were on android a YEAR before they were on Iphone? Android already has an amazing 3d navigation app that basically uses your camera and shows yout he navigation lines on the road in front of what you actually are seeing. You get to a turn off and a big red arrow comes up from the screen overlayed on what you are actually seeing. Iphone sucks. Most of my friend’s have switched to android from Iphone. Why…customization and propriety software without the need for a freaking jailbreak.
and lets not forget the pathetic attempt iphone tried at imitating google sky maps and their inferior bar code scanner.
At $.99 an install, you are talking about $600 US in increased sales or so?
Just downloaded iFog. So simple, yet so brilliant!
These Israeli guys are amazing.
I just downloaded the Android app “Steamy Pro”, quite awesome! Simple concept but tons of fun.
iSteam is so much better dude:
http://itunes.a...748973&mt=8
Just downloaded iFog and took it for a spin at the local hangout. People are amazed!
I was massively surprised when developers and mates contacted to say MouthOffâ„¢ had apeared on a TMobile US addvert, they I saw some developer had ripped off the app, (when we investigated we found out that we had actually submitted the first build of MouthOffâ„¢ to this guy, as he had a iPhone review site.. obviousely using it purely to rip off apps in android!!!) Sadly the Android version is a pretty bad copy, with low quality design and animation. Needless to say he has done us a favour as MouthOffâ„¢ Android launches any day now!!!
This is cool but I don’t think all that surprising. The fact that in watching a commercial produced by one brand, consumers would think to Another brand that they know and trust speaks volume as to Apple’s brand equity. Much harder to quantify than sales figures, etc. But of undeniable value in the case of a company like Apple. John Tantillo has done several pieces on his marketing blog, dissecting just what Apple has done so Right.
(If you saw a commercial for a non-Kleenex brand of tissues, might you not be more likely to go out and buy tissues? And actually end up buying Kleenex brand rather than brand X?)