While there are already hundreds of thousands of mobile apps out there, this new medium is really still
in its infancy, which means the door is wide open for new ideas. What makes a successful app? Why is
Angry Birds the all-time highest seller on mobile platforms? There isn’t a perfect formula for creating the
next smash hit, but there are a few common attributes all the best apps share.

This is the golden age of the mobile app market. Most customers aren’t clamoring for more advanced
and futuristic apps (devices yeah, apps no), they just want something useful and/or fun they can use on
what they’ve got. If your great idea will only work on the iPhone 12, it’s probably not such a great idea.
So here are some things that make an app successful.

Make it useful

The greatest apps to date have been those that do something we think we need, although we may not
realize we need it until we see it. If your app makes people think to themselves, “Whoa! I can totally
use that! Why didn’t I think of that!” you’ve probably got a winner. Whether it’s Genius Scan for taking
better notes in class, or SwiftKey or Dropbox, if it makes life more efficient or allows me to do something
on the run I previously had to do at a computer (or even worse, by hand), it has a market.

Make it fun

Diversion and entertainment are really needs, and because our lives are busier than ever, we
increasingly turn to our mobile devices to get our fun fix in multiple bite-sized chunks throughout the
day. When I’m waiting in line at the DMV, I need Angry Birds, although lately I’ve been more prone to
use my eBook reader. It’s no mystery why the best-selling apps of all time are games. Mobile games
don’t have to be very complicated or involved, they just have to look good, run smoothly, and satisfy
that unquantifiable x-factor that makes people love something for some reason they can’t quite explain.
Yeah, good luck with that.

Make…money

Successful mobile apps make money. This may seem like a result more than a tip for being successful, but you
need to identify how your app will work for you. You can either sell it on the app markets, or offer it
free as a marketing tool in the hopes that it will attract new customers to your primary business model.
Think of the apps for new movies and TV shows; they don’t really do much by themselves, but they raise
awareness and promote brand. It’s like asking you to download a commercial, and it works! If you’re
looking to make money on the app market you should consider how your app compares to others and
what you think you can charge for it. Offering a free version with limited content or ads can be a great
way to break into the market and test the waters.

Don’t reinvent the wheel… or do…

Many of the great apps, like all great ideas, are simply improvements on existing offerings. A better
camera app, a more intuitive user interface, a keyboard that lets you drag your finger. Don’t feel like you need to start with a fresh concept. If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “This is cool, but I really wish it did
this…,” you may be onto something. That said, some great apps have come out of left field. If you have
a unique idea, give it a try, but be sure it’s well developed before launch because the app market is an
imitator’s paradise.

Go for a niche

Think of a smaller audience with a very specific need and figure out how to fill it. A great example is the
Babyphone app, which lets parents turn their phones into baby monitors that call a specified number
when the baby wakes up. People with specific needs are often willing to pay for tools that help them in
those areas. You probably won’t hit the top of the charts, but you can still produce a really successful
app.

Source: [Mirnabard]