Starting an iPhone® Application Business For Dummies®

Chapter 7. Sizing Up the Competition

In This Chapter

• Using competitive analysis tools

• Analyzing the competition

• Creating a spreadsheet to make feature comparison charts

• Reading free information sources

• Finding paid research

• Listening to the buzz

After you've spent some time to think of the idea behind your iPhone application and you've formulated your thoughts into a concrete document, while surveying the marketplace and your own strengths, it is now time to combine everything you're doing. Imagine that your iPhone app is created, approved, and ready to enter the App Store. Ask yourself what kind of competition your app will face in the already-well-established App Store — and what welter of products your prospective customers may have to wade through as they try to decide whether to buy your app or go with a competitor's product. Since you're the new player in the Apple world, you need to do something called competitive analysis to figure out how and where you can go after and attract customers. Don't worry — we're not going to suggest using supercomputers, highly complex formulas, or tens of thousands of dollars in focus groups and research. Your computer, your wits, a little spending cash, and this book should guide you just fine.

This chapter gives you a look at different methods you should use to perform competitive analysis, pitting your iPhone app against any potential competitor currently in the App Store or (to the best of your knowledge) in development by someone else. We encourage ...