Question

I released a new iPhone app 5 days ago. Already it has received high ratings, and many downloads, so I think it can be quite successful. (It’s currently ranked in the top 10 paid music apps.)

What do you think is the best release strategy:

• Release many micro-updates, often. (Just 1 or 2 new features per update, as they are completed.)

or

• Release major updates less frequently. (Perhaps one new version every 1 or 2 months.)

The app is currently priced at $0.99 USD. Originally I planned to raise the price after the first major update. But if the app continues to sell well, I may leave the price alone.

Just curious to know how others have handled their app release cycles. Thanks!

Answer 1

Apple suggests (here):

High frequency updates – crashes or data loss
Updates to your application
that address crashing and data loss
should be submitted as frequently as
necessary. Fixing as many related bugs
as possible in each update is highly
recommended.

Medium frequency updates – minor
enhancements and usability
improvements Consider a release
schedule between two to four weeks
that groups together updates which do
not affect the core functionality of
your application, such as user
interface improvements, spelling
corrections, and minor functionality
enhancements.

Low frequency updates – new features
Applications with new features should
be submitted on a periodic, monthly
basis. A high frequency of new feature
updates suggests poor development
planning and can be confusing to your
customers.customers.

They say that submitting updates really often may impact the time it takes for your updates to get approved, (because each update has to be checked manually by the app store reviewers).