Might be worth taking note of this if you've got an app launching or updating or price dropping or anything else to do with the store http://www.theappside.com/2012/11/09/apple-reveals-plans-for-app-stores-christmas-shutdown/
Thanks Thanks - really useful. We were thinking about releasing at the end of the month but just this morning changed our minds - partly because we felt we were rushing it and wanted more time to build up a following, and partly because we thought we'd get drowned in December. Your link confirms our decision was sound and that with all those new devices being activated over Christmas we're more likely to get a good start in January. Any more tips for a successful January launch?
It's something we've been debating as well. I'd really like to hit the post-Christmas bananza of iTunes gift card redemption and REALLY need to see some income in Feb, but releasing games into the middle of the Christmas themed cash in seems reckless. Anyone with experience with December sales? Am I operating on the wrong assumptions? IS there a spike on the 25th-26th as people use gift cards? If we release on the 15th, will that be after all the Christmas themed games, or right in the middle of the rush?
I'd assume that a release before christmas is more likely to be noticed, 'cause there are 7 days with no releases and people will search more intensely for games. And there's also always a bigger post-christmas-release with apps which didn't make it before christmas. And remember that a lot of devices and gift cards are unwrapped at christmas (mostly iPads and iTouch devices), as stated in the article. Lots of people will get their first apps at that point, between Dec. 25th and Dec 27th.
I remember last year a bunch of reviewers (Eli?) were tweeting "I wonder why nobody targets the week after the Christmas break." If I recall correctly, there was NOTHING noteable getting posted that week, so if you're looking for more discover-ability, there might be something in that. Haven't tried it myself, all of my apps have been spring/fall releases (so far)
Yeah, we're going to be releasing early in the new year - on the basis that we don't want to risk getting drowned out by all the sales and Christmas apps (and to give ourselves a bit more time - it would be a rush otherwise). I'll be sure to report back on our experience of this. Hopefully there will be plenty of people searching the app store to find apps for their new devices. January is usually an on-the-cheap month after all the festive spending. Free games are a perfect way to kill the time until January pay day, right? Can anyone who has experience releasing in January comment further?
January launch date? I'm hoping to rekindle this debate to get some more feedback on when to launch. So, if you were to launch in January, which date would you chose and why?
We actually have a blog post on this very subject (below) One of the journalists that use us describes the Christmas period as a "blood bath". I think if you've got an app on the market and you can afford to drop the price then you'll do well from all those people finding smart phone under the Christmas tree but launching around this time I guess you'll get drowned out. http://www.appromoter.com/blog/2012/10/when-to-launch-your-app/