You will start to see ads with the new free version of TwitterFon. I know, I know - it is a major change to the app known for its simple and clean interface.
I started TwitterFon (and TwitterFox) as a hobby. Since then it has always remained just a hobby, though I was pretty passionate about it. However, the two applications have been downloaded over two million times, and it has become exceedingly difficult to continue to support them. I now receive many, many requests: Some from users, some from potential partners. It was fun to communicate with my fellow users in the beginning, but now I am inundated with all sorts of questions, requests, and proposals.
As you all know, I love TwitterFon. I would love to keep improving it and adding better features. To do so I must focus on its development. Hiring other people is the only way to make it happen. I am also eager to polish our interface design by adding a great designer to our team. Unfortunately, hiring good people requires money.
I have tried to incorporate an ad into TwitterFon in the most unobstructive way possible and I hope you like my choice. I may change the ad format from time to time to figure out the way that works best with users. Please bear with me!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
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33 comments:
If I can make a suggestion -- Remove Ads until you have a paid product that doesn't have ads. I have loved TwitterFon since I first downloaded it, but the ads are pushing me towards another product. I'd love to support your application with money (I know development costs) but ads are a touchy thing with some users (myself included).
I have to say as a long time TwitterFon user I am not happy about this. I may get the paid version to get rid of the ads, but I think you would have been kinder to your users putting a PayPal donation button on your site. At a minimum I think you owe it to users to make the ads part of the very noticeable update notes in the app store description of TwitterFon.
This is a great app, congrats to you on it's success. Ads are a part of the "free" bit that helps to continue to make it available. C'est la vie.
Completely understandable, but please add a paid version with no ads - I'd be happy to pay $2.99 for an ad free version.
Looking forward to the pro version. I will definitely be buying it. :-)
As long as it doesn't affect the speed of the app, I'm all for that. Please make TwitterFon as iPhone like as possible, please. Thank you.
I am a software developer, myself, so I understand the need to support yourself with your work. My objection is/was the fact that the ads were streamlined in with no warning to the user whatsoever. Nothing on this site, and nothing in the changelog for 1.5 before downloading it.
In the post that was made about 1.5 a week or two ago, this could have been mentioned, and users would have been ready for it. As it happened, you posted the "1.5 is Released" notification and then deleted it and posted this after I (and possibly others) commented about the ads. Changing the ordering of the blog posts doesn't constitute notification.
I will probably still purchase Pro when it comes out tomorrow, but the way that ads were rolled out without notice rubs me the wrong way.
I'm a beta tester for the Pro version.
There will be one..
It's actually quite good.
TwitterFon (TF) is THE BEST Twitter app for iPhone. And I know all of them! I bought all of the paid versions!
Congratulations! I wrote a 5 stars review in App Store.
By the way, I suggested there a VERY important feature, the only thing missing to say TF is PERFECT: filters/groups of friends. If I follow about 150 people, I want to pay more attention in -- say -- 20 of them. This is impossible with TF. And it is terrible to see the maximum of 200 last messages.
Take a look at TWILTR and TWITTERBOX. They have filters/groups. OK so why I don't use them? I *bought* them! Well, I love TF, it is superior. So please think about groups/filters. This is ESSENTIAL and is also a tendency.
Ads in your app? I don't mind. Well, nobody likes ads, but they are necessary for you and I understand that. A paid version? I would buy one. Certainly I would. IF... you released one with filters/groups.
Congratulations and much success for you!
GLAUCO
Brazil
Hey, Next Time, Make sure you actually release PRO before you throw ads into something. Now I went and blew cash on stupid TWEETIE instead of your PRO version of Twitterfon.
I'm using Twitterfon for a long time and i think i'll switch over to the Pro Version. Just wondered what the price will be. I think it would be good to start with a discount price. Many of the users would switch over to the Pro Version of the price would be less than 1$.
I hope you'll have success.
Neubi
Germany
Firstly let me say that I think TwitterFon is the best iPhone twitter client. I tried a bunch of others but TwitterFon offered the most consistent and "standard iPhone" interface. That's why I use it above all others.
Right now I consider myself lucky, in that I have not yet upgraded to 1.5. I don't intend to do so until I can see what the ads look like (I can't see them on the screenshots of the free TwitterFon).
Of course, I'm happy to support the developer so will most probably buy the full version but the timing and planning of this transition could have been better on your part.
Finally, I really hope you don't get a bunch of 1-star reviews now that you've introduced ads, which was what happened to another app I use - EasyWriter. The developer removed the ads in the next version.
Best of luck with your apps.
As an early and enthusiastic supporter of twitterfon, I'm sorry I did not hear from you after I signed up for beta testing of the pro version, since I signed up within a few minutes of your initial tweet about it, and even DM'd you. I like the idea of donationware, and if you are going to charge for the Pro version, please keep it around $0.99. And I hope you are going to be more responsive to tweets in the future. Thanks.
I would also like to say I love Twitterfon, but have been looking at other apps due to the ads. I would buy Twitterfon Pro in a second, as long as it's not too expensive.
When will Pro be out? If not for a while how can we beta it?
I agree releasing a version with ads before releasing Pro was a poor decision. I have downloaded other Twitter apps in order to try them out, but still like Twitterfon the best.
When will the Pro version be out? As long as it's not some large price I'll buy it in a second.
Sorry but the ads without any warning in the changelog really pissed me off this morning. In addition twitterfon would no longer start after optimizing its db. I have just bought tweetie and I don't regret it.
I agree with all those who said remove the ad. It is annoying and obtrusive (placed right near the "new post" button? really?).
I used Twitterfon because it was simple. It didn't have all the other features and I remember when you touted it as such. Now it's almost as feature filled as the other clients and because of that, I'm switching. I'm sorry, but (1) ads were a bad move to capitalize on the users who liked the app the most and (2) the new UI and features are making this product compete with others... and that's not really a good thing for Twitterfon.
Please, go back to 1.4. If I could, I would.
Ah a few of you people really need to educate yourselves. A few things:
* If you want to downgrade after installing v1.5 just because ads "annoy" you, you can do so via iTunes. It should save the second most recent .app file, search in your iTunes directory - (\Documents and Settings\USER_NAME\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\Mobile Applications)
* A PRO version, without ads and more options should be hitting the store any hour now. Both this free update and the paid version where submitted to the app store AT THE SAME TIME, it's up to Apple now to push out the Pro version quickly. So stop making it out to seem like the developer is trying to screw you over, that doesn't make any sense.
* As far as the price, that I don't know. But everyone will found out soon when it hits the store.
* As far as giving the app negative reviews in the app store, grow up. It's stupid. This has been a free application for a long time, it takes many hours and work to make something like this. The developer needs to make money too you know! So relax on the 1/5 reviews just because of ads, it's dumb!
I think that's all I got... FYI, I have no direct affiliation with the developer. Just someone who hates seeing people flame off just because they were picked last in gym class :P
You folks all feel so entitled to "your" app. Give the guy a break. It's FREE. If you don't like it, stop using it. What a bunch of whiners.
Twitterfon PRO will be out shortly. As a beta tester I can say it's well worth whatever the price it will be.
I can totally understand your reasons for putting ads on the free version. I tried many different Twitter apps for the iPhone and Twitterfon remains the best and streamlined app there is. I can't believe I fell for the hype around Tweetie.
I will get the Pro Version as soon as it gets approved. I think $2,99 would be a fair price considering the competing apps on the App Store.
Keep up the great work. Hope there will be a Desktop App for the Mac someday that'll sync up with the iPhone app, Tweetie for Mac needs competition -- I would happily pay 10-15 bucks for that.
Congratulations for the App, don't worry about the ads. If someone doesn't like the ads, then Pay for the Pro version when available from the appstore, I will pay it for it
For anyone who grumbles about the ads, you all should read this:
adjix.com/a8p7
Bad timing. I understand the need for ads, but people are FREAKING OUT because nobody knows that the pro version is coming out. Read their tweets for yourself. I bought Tweetie. Twitterena is auto-replying to all disgruntled Twitterfon users offering theirs for $.99. Bottom line- You've lost thousands already.
I just dumped your app and gave it one star. I am not a target market. Good luck with your new ads.
I'm happy to have this version with ads in it. You've made a great app and you deserve to be compensated for your time and effort.
The free version got me to try it, just like the free version of Twitterrific, which has some nice things, but is just not right somehow. If a pro version of TwitterFon brings some of it's missing features, I'll pay for that. This is a transition folks. If there's to be a paid version, there needs to be a free version. I don't understand getting upset at the ads, then stomping off and paying for a competing app unless TwitterFon pro turns out bad.
I've used this app since I first got my iPhone. Didn't want to pay for the other ones since this was actually recommended as the best of the bunch. I know why now.
I was actually surprised when it didn't have ads to begin with. Saw them when 1.5 came out and thought "about time and a nice place to put them."
Don't know if I'll get the pro version, but I wont stop using it.
For those that are moving just because the ads got added in, you are idiots. He needs to make a living too and some of us don't need the features of Pro. Get over it.
For those looking to downgrade, and who are running Time Machine - check your apps folder for the old version. On a Mac they are at: /Users/YOURUSERNAME/Music/iTunes/Mobile Applications
Happy to pay for TwitterFon Pro when it comes out. :)
Came to find out how to downgrade I would have purchased the Pro but the free one is slow and crashing :( if the Pro has more features it would be slower much prefer the last version I would have paid but after the crashes it's disappointing. Hope I can downgrade tomorrow or will have to find another app will miss twitterfon
> beverley
Clear local cache will solve the issue:
http://blog.naanstudio.com/2009/05/twitterfon-15-known-issues.html
Love Twitterfon PRO... the black version is sooooooooooooooooooo cool... thank you
JaY... Dublin
I went ahead and bought tweetie. unfortunately it doesn't suit me twitterfon is much better for me especially since the new way of hilighting links and one button favourite. However because I've bought tweetie (slooooow to load tweets at start up and no cache!!) I'm not about to blow another AU$5.99 on twitterfon - especially since the free version is so full featured with only a hidden ad at the top.
Suggestion? Drop the price. You need to compete with tweetie and you CAN. not asking for a US$0.99 but maybe $1.99/$2.99?? That way you can really get ppl to move from tweetie. Also your PRO version doesn't have enough extras at the moment to be better than the free version
Thank you Kazuho I have cleared the cache as directed. The ad changing is something I really don't like if the Pro version was stable and didn't slow the app down then I would purchase. I don't mind supporting the app as I liked the non fussy style of Twitterfon. Hopefully the Pro will have good reviews as I would feel more confident in making the purchase.
Appreciate the extra support you have given here even for the free version.
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