T-Mobile U.S. ad inadvertently boosts sales of iPhone app
Sales of a year-old iPhone app doubled after a similar program for Android was prominently shown by a celebrity in a U.S. T-Mobile commercial.
A new advertisement featuring alumni of Saturday Night Live playing around with the Android-powered myTouch 3G, shows comedian Dana Carvey using an application that simulates steam on glass. The user can "wipe" the steam off the screen, as Carvey does to write "Call me" and draw a smiley face. But an iPhone application that predates the Android offering has turned out to be a beneficiary, despite the fact that it is not a part of the TV spot.
According to TechCrunch Israeli iPhone developers ApParty were surprised when their year-old, App Store-exclusive offering iFog saw its sales double out of the blue a few weeks ago. At first they were unsure why the sales had spiked, until someone noted the new T-Mobile advertisement.
The iPhone application was first released in December 2008 and found quick popularity, selling 200,000 copies. Sales, however, flattened over time, to about 250 per week. Then, two weeks ago, U.S. sales began to nearly quadruple.
The similar Android application featured in the T-Mobile commercial, Steamy Window Pro, is not made by ApParty. But clearly the advertisement inspired iPhone and iPod touch users to search the App Store for a similar program. As a result, the $0.99 iFog app inadvertently reaped the benefits.
Apple has frequently said in its own advertisements that there is an app for "just about everything" on its iPhone App Store. That claim came into question in the U.K. this summer, when the Advertising Standards Authority received a number of complaints that the "there's an app for that" ads said such variety was available "only on the iPhone."
In its decision, the ASA backed Apple, noting that while Android has its share of applications, the App Store is the only location where consumers can access such a variety of options.
"We therefore considered viewers would understand the claim 'Only on the iPhone' to refer to the range of apps available and the user experience of the App Store and iPhone, and not that they were the only company to provide applications for mobile phones," the ruling stated. "Because Apple had shown there were far more applications available for the iPhone than the G1 phone, and user-experience of the iPhone and the app store was distinct from its competitor, we concluded the claim "Only on the iPhone" was justified and not misleading."
A new advertisement featuring alumni of Saturday Night Live playing around with the Android-powered myTouch 3G, shows comedian Dana Carvey using an application that simulates steam on glass. The user can "wipe" the steam off the screen, as Carvey does to write "Call me" and draw a smiley face. But an iPhone application that predates the Android offering has turned out to be a beneficiary, despite the fact that it is not a part of the TV spot.
According to TechCrunch Israeli iPhone developers ApParty were surprised when their year-old, App Store-exclusive offering iFog saw its sales double out of the blue a few weeks ago. At first they were unsure why the sales had spiked, until someone noted the new T-Mobile advertisement.
The iPhone application was first released in December 2008 and found quick popularity, selling 200,000 copies. Sales, however, flattened over time, to about 250 per week. Then, two weeks ago, U.S. sales began to nearly quadruple.
The similar Android application featured in the T-Mobile commercial, Steamy Window Pro, is not made by ApParty. But clearly the advertisement inspired iPhone and iPod touch users to search the App Store for a similar program. As a result, the $0.99 iFog app inadvertently reaped the benefits.
Apple has frequently said in its own advertisements that there is an app for "just about everything" on its iPhone App Store. That claim came into question in the U.K. this summer, when the Advertising Standards Authority received a number of complaints that the "there's an app for that" ads said such variety was available "only on the iPhone."
In its decision, the ASA backed Apple, noting that while Android has its share of applications, the App Store is the only location where consumers can access such a variety of options.
"We therefore considered viewers would understand the claim 'Only on the iPhone' to refer to the range of apps available and the user experience of the App Store and iPhone, and not that they were the only company to provide applications for mobile phones," the ruling stated. "Because Apple had shown there were far more applications available for the iPhone than the G1 phone, and user-experience of the iPhone and the app store was distinct from its competitor, we concluded the claim "Only on the iPhone" was justified and not misleading."
Comments
Did iSteams sales increase? Seems like these guys are taking a little too much credit or using it to claim new buzz for their year old app.
Sales of a year-old iPhone app doubled after a similar program for Android was prominently shown by a celebrity in a U.S. T-Mobile commercial.
Nice. Now I'm looking forward to the headline: "Sales of iMacs mysteriously quadruple
after ads for Windows 7 widely released."
I know they have to start somewhere of course, but it's weird to be showing off apps, when the next Apple ad shows a flurry of much better ones.
Nice. Now I'm looking forward to the headline: "Sales of iMacs mysteriously quadruple
after ads for Windows 7 widely released."
Why would that happen when Windows 7 includes Blu-ray support?
I couldn't help noticing how pathetic and basic the apps are that they show off in MyTouch ads. The steam app (cool, yes, but a top app to promote the device?). One that shows pictures of mouths so you can hold them in front of your face (which the iPhone also had long ago). And a really, REALLY sad looking game: whac-a-mole, looking like it was a beginner Flash tutorial! Oh, and choosing a custom wallpaper--to make it "yours"--as phones have done for years.
I know they have to start somewhere of course, but it's weird to be showing off apps, when the next Apple ad shows a flurry of much better ones.
Oh right - the iPhone commercial highlighting the Pizza Hut app is soo much better.
But an iPhone application that predates the Android offering has turned out to be a benefactor, despite the fact that it is not a part of the TV spot.
Not to be the vocabulary police, but benefactor is not the correct word here. Beneficiary is what you were looking for.
Josh
Oh right - the iPhone commercial highlighting the Pizza Hut app is soo much better.
Do you mean this one, that mentioned "pizza lovers" for about half a second? Did you miss the previous 25 seconds where they show apps for finance, education, hobbists....etc? A pretty wide variety of apps. Not all just fluff.
Granted, the iPhone has a big head start on the apps, so maybe we'll see follow up "App" adds from T-Mobile too.
Why would that happen when Windows 7 includes Blu-ray support?
Dude , There are more to Computers then Blu-Ray
Not everyone wants or even needs it.
Not to be the vocabulary police, but benefactor is not the correct word here. Beneficiary is what you were looking for.
Josh
Be our guest. This site could use some grammar and spell-checking.
Why would that happen when Windows 7 includes Blu-ray support?
Except for the fact that most people who give a hoot about Blu-Ray already have one in their house - hooked up to a TV. I highly doubt people who are even considering a Mac look at it and say, "Hmm, no Blu-Ray? That's a deal breaker right there."
Do you mean this one, that mentioned "pizza lovers" for about half a second? Did you miss the previous 25 seconds where they show apps for finance, education, hobbists....etc? A pretty wide variety of apps. Not all just fluff.
Granted, the iPhone has a big head start on the apps, so maybe we'll see follow up "App" adds from T-Mobile too.
Can't tell- you linked me to 17 TV ADS. Which one is it? Get your linkage right. The app is shown more than half a second
Why would that happen when Windows 7 includes Blu-ray support?
What sort of brainless masses would have Blu-ray as a requirement for their next computer? Even MS only mentions it in one of their commercials with the little friendless kid and his mom...but yeah, they both seemed sort of exited about a PC with Blu-ray. The rest of the world has heard of torrents.
Getting excited about optical media support. How very 90's. Sort of cute.
Why would that happen when Windows 7 includes Blu-ray support?
Its Teckstud own personal crusader, he will soon drop this issue and move on something else
Getting excited about optical media support. How very 90's. Sort of cute.
To be fair, there are lots of people that wonder why they can take their high-def footage from their high-def camera and edit it in their free high-def iMovie, but they can't burn a high-def version onto a high-def disc to play in their high-def disc player on their high-def TV. It's the only missing link in the chain for the Mac user. Obviously Apple's market research has determined them to not be a critical mass, but there are lots and it's not unreasonable to hear from them. And if their current computer does everything else they want to do it's not unreasonable for lack of Blu-ray burning to be a deal-breaker.
To be fair, there are lots of people that wonder why they can take their high-def footage from their high-def camera and edit it in their free high-def iMovie, but they can't burn a high-def version onto a high-def disc to play in their high-def disc player on their high-def TV. It's the only missing link in the chain for the Mac user. Obviously Apple's market research has determined them to not be a critical mass, but there are lots and it's not unreasonable to hear from them. And if their current computer does everything else they want to do it's not unreasonable for lack of Blu-ray burning to be a deal-breaker.
I think Apple TV does a pretty good job of filling that "missing link." You don't even need to buy discs!