Featured Mobster: Forever Free Apps

|  Posted By : Albert  In : Developer Community, Featured Mobster

Inspired by the words of Tim Ferris in Four Hour Work Week, Billy Bambao discovered that life didn’t have to be as hard as it should be. In September 2010, Bambao quit his job and started Forever Free Apps. Six months later, Bambao has five free apps out on the market with 80,000 total downloads since December 2010. Forever Free Apps’ library include apps that helps DJs rock a party (DJ Sampler), go to sleep easier (iLullaby) and turn your body into a bobblehead (iBobblehead). You can even practice your freestyle rapping (The Cypher App), and update all your social networks from 1 app while you’re at it (BigShout).

Total Downloads: 80,000 since Dec 2010

1) What inspired you to build the app?

It has always been a lifelong dream of mine to not only work for myself, but to ultimately create a wealthy lifestyle through a passive income. I’ve also been a gadget lover and closet geek my entire life so once I saw the opportunity to jump into the app world I couldn’t resist! Apple has done a fantastic job in creating a level playing field for independent developers to run wild with groundbreaking ideas. I simply love creating things I can use, laugh at, and kill time with – sharing with others’ and seeing their positive reactions is a massive bonus!

2) Why does the ad revenue model make sense for you?
Ad revenues are a fantastic way to monetize a good app idea, if used in the right way. Instead of being paid in one instance for an app, you can earn yourself a small piece of revenue for every USE of an app. Pair that model with a great, robust, timeless idea and you’ve got potential for an excellent source of income and fulfillment. I fell in love with the idea of giving a fun or useful tool to someone for FREE, yet still being able to profit from it.

3) Why did you choose Mobclix?
I was seeing lower-than-expected revenue results from another ad network so quickly began scouring the web for options. It didn’t take long for me to find Adam (Business Development, Mobclix) on the forums, where he was seen offering valuable, genuine help to many other developers in the same shoes as I. It’s simple – Mobclix offered better value, a higher return, and an incredible willingness to connect with their audience – NO other ad network I’m with now, or was with in the past offered anything close. It really was a no brainer. 4) What tips do you have for other developers?

4) What tips do you have for other developers?

  • Create something YOU would use. The founders of 37signals.com built an entire online empire using that way of thinking. Learn from them! (great book suggestion: REWORK, written by the founders of 37signals.com)
  • Understand all risks. Research, research, research. I’ve felt the monetary pain of not researching ad networks, my target audience, and competitive apps enough before launching my product. That since has been corrected along the way, and things are really looking up now for me, but do your due diligence and then some when planning an app release.
    • Target Audience
    • Competitive Apps
    • Monetization model (Free? Freemium? Paid?)
    • Platforms (iOS? Android?)
  • Take action. Don’t be the person who said “I wish I thought of that”. If you’ve got a great idea, make the time to do your due diligence in researching the product & idea. Then take quick and swift action to get your app development & planning in motion. Even if you realize halfway through that the idea is a bad one, you’ll still gain a good amount of experience going through the motions.