Christopher Ross views a mobile universe a tiny differently than many entrepreneurs.
Christopher Ross
He worked during Microsoft for a improved partial of a decade, in positions including U.S. craving sales director, obliged for Windows and Office deployment and adoption. He started his possess record consulting business in 2010 and was after supposed into a Founder Institute startup accelerator in Chicago. He incorporated his startup, FotoJelly, in Dec 2011, with a idea of building a apartment of print pity apps formed on a platform-as-a-service model.
Based on his background, he motionless to make a app for Windows Phone first.
So what has it been like? Well, he doesn’t have to contest with Instagram. He won an ultrabook and a recliner in a Microsoft app developer competition, recognizing a guarantee of a FotoJelly app. (His mom got a La-Z-Boy.) But he has also struggled to get investors vehement about a idea of betting on Microsoft’s mobile platform. (FotoJelly is now in a center of a crowdfunding campaign.)
GeekWire recently held adult with Ross around email for an inside demeanour during one app maker’s knowledge building for Windows Phone.
Why did we confirm to rise initial for Windows Phone? What are a hurdles and opportunities?
Ross: There were 3 factors that shabby my decision: First, we wanted to rise on a height and to inclination we was informed with, creation it easier to work alongside a technical roles we brought on and tell a FotoJelly story from my possess experiences. Secondly, we knew that if FotoJelly was supposed into Microsoft’s BizSpark module we could get developer collection and server licenses for tiny or no cost. That was a poignant savings. Most importantly, we wanted a fighting possibility to have a apps seen and adopted, even if it meant being a “big fish in a tiny pond” for a while. Seeing what a Microsoft selling juggernaut was ramping adult for WP8, my advisors and we we felt that if we built a good product that maybe we could float a coattails of their expansion to a indicate where we could afterwards rise for and benefit prominence in a iOS and Android app stores.
Without question, a biggest plea has been Microsoft’s preference to fundamentally waif WP7 in preference of WP8. The compulsory growth environment, lateness of a SDK availability, and cost to squeeze inclination hasn’t helped either. As a long-term devise it substantially creates sense, though it unequivocally puts startups in a formidable position. For example: do we stop your WP7 development? If so, what about stream users of your app, who might not refurbish their phones for 2yrs? With no SDK available, we flattering many sat on your hands or maybe attempted following Microsoft’s superintendence to prioritize migrating your WP7 app to a Win8 app store. Well, that might not be a applicable trail for your app, and could need training your developers as well. In my case, it’s a $1,500 responsibility usually to buy WP8 devices, unlocked, for contrast and demoing, assisting my contractors ascent their OSes and tools, and a “bench time” required to get efficient with a new OSes. Deciding to hindrance growth and wait for a SDK was a tough decision; and a time squandered roughly killed my company. Again, we know since they did it, though we consider we see that impact in both a peculiarity and apportion of WP8-specific apps accessible right now.
How do investors conflict when they hear you’re targeting Windows Phone first? What has it been like to try to lift money?
I like to fun that if we had usually $10k for each intensity financier who pronounced “Looks nice. Let me now when you’re on iOS or Android” we would not be posterior a crowdfunding campaign! In all candor, it’s been tough, perplexing to be taken severely when creation a box for Windows Phone as a initial device you’re supporting. Pitching yourself as a association that’s primarily targeting a 5% addressable marketplace in a swarming app difficulty is difficult, and we consternation daily if it was a right decision. We’d adore to be one of a handful of startups that Microsoft, a employees and a fans would convene around, though we don’t know if that’s partial of a enlightenment any longer.
Can Windows Phone truly support a possess homegrown apps like you’re perplexing to create, or will it have to rest on apps (and communities) with roots in other platforms? How will we emanate network effects?
One need usually demeanour during a Xbox to see an instance of how a few “halo” apps (no joke intended) could dramatically urge Windows Phone’s position. That’s not usually evangelizing of a height though also seeking out startups building singular apps, apps that extend over a “me too” era of apps, that your aim marketplace wants and creation some bets on their success in lapse for durations of exclusivity. we consider that proceed would be seen as a opinion of certainty in their height and a ability to win over users moreso than perplexing to get determined apps to write to it.
Is Instagram a indication for you?
No. we consider what they’ve built is novel, though Instagram is to print pity what chatter is to revelation a story. Maybe we would feel differently if we had a $750M exit, though right now we unequivocally usually wish to build something that indeed solves a problem, offers adequate value that a apportionment of my users wish to compensate for a service, and developers like a height we give them to launch their possess solutions on. With all due honour to what they’ve accomplished, we trust that when it comes to print sharing, they’re addressing a 20%, not a 80%, e.g., many of a parents, friends and families.
As a third-party developer, what is your viewpoint on Microsoft’s Windows Phone developer support? What can a association do to improve?
I consider it’s a developer support indication for a industry, no doubt. Between BizSpark, TechNet, Microsoft Partner Network, they unequivocally seem to know a significance of obscure barriers to a evaluation, training for, and use of their developer collection and services. But a hardware merger costs are a poignant separator to startups. Were there a approach to get $99 or even $199 inclination (unlocked), we consider we would see some-more developers exploring a possibilities. Frankly, we wish they’d had a WP7 buyback module with a vital carriers to boost a accessibility of WP8 inclination and constraint some good buzz. Also, while I’ve recently done some contacts in a Chicago area, we wish they had some-more of a participation in a startup village here, a 3rd largest city in a US.
What has a transition to Windows Phone 8 been like for you?
Difficult. Remember, there wasn’t an SDK or inclination accessible until late October. And while they’ve been good about creation technical contacts available, a remarked that they’d been given unequivocally tiny training/experience on a OS, didn’t have inclination themselves, and mostly were forwarding links to articles they found on a web. It’s gotten easier, though time is income for a startup and each day we’re not essay good peculiarity formula or shipping is one some-more day we’re not means to attract business or investors.
How do we devise to make money, and how will we magnitude success?
I unequivocally admire Phil Libin of Evernote and a freemium indication his association uses since it obligates we to concentration on providing value to each customer, not usually a ones profitable we directly. From a opening we motionless that a feature-rich app with non-intrusive promotion would be a approach to go. Since afterwards we’ve identified a handful of in-app facilities that we trust a subset of a business would ascent to a paid app to utilize. On a PAAS side, we have a API and a horde of services that are best upheld in a subscription model, targeting amicable media professionals, eventuality managers, brands and advertisers. We are operative tough to indurate a monetization devise early on, so as not to interrupt a attribute with a business after on when a investors confirm they wish to start removing a lapse on their investments.
FotoJelly is accessible in a Windows Phone store.
