The last couple of weeks have been phenomenal in the app world. Apple celebrated its 25 billionth app download, much earlier than anticipated. On 9th of April, Facebook announced that it was going to acquire Instagram for a staggering $1 billion. A startup that journeyed from zero to a $1 billion in just 18 months! Many called the acquisition “an important milestone for Facebook”; whereas many named it the most insane and overrated business acquisition in history. Instagram isn’t the only app making news; we are hearing of many small teams of app developers turning millionaire overnight.
Here are 5 most successful apps of 2012:
This photo app truly deserves the billion-dollar price tag. It adds striking filters and incredibly easy photo sharing options. According to statistics, Instagram got 30 million downloads on iPhone and iPad and about 10 million downloads on Android powered Smartphone and tablet devices—all in just 10 days. Many analysts conclude that Instagram could be a building block in Facebook’s mobile endeavors.
Angry Birds
wikipedia
Angry Birds, a slingshot video game was launched in 2009 by a Finnish video games designer Jaakko Iisalo as a flagship product of Rovio Entertainment Ltd. Available in both free as well as paid versions, it has become the most downloaded game app ever with over 700 million downloads. Angry Birds has emerged as a multi-billion Disney-style brand which comprises of apps, clothing, toys, posters as well as theme parks. The wingless multi-colored angry birds seem to have become a craze in people of all ages. They target and destroy different places and structures where pigs hide with their eggs; the birds chant and make a variety of sounds. Angry Birds is certainly an addiction!
Draw Something
Draw Something, a mobile rendition of Pictionary has been developed by Omgpop, an online multiplayer gaming website. Omgpop was later (on March 21, 2012) acquired by the gaming giant Zynga for about $180 million. Draw Something, in first fifty days after its release, has been downloaded for over 50 million times. Unlike other apps creators, Omgpop did not spend a penny on Draw Something’s advertisement. It was one of the biggest word-of-mouth phenomena on iOS and Android powered Smartphone and Tablet devices. The company was reportedly making six-figure revenues per day.
Instapaper
Instapaper.Com
Instapaper was developed by the programmer Marco Arment in 2008 as a web service to store online articles to read later. As of March 2012, there are approximately 2.5 million people using Instapaper’s free as well as pro versions. The app is available on all major web browsers, Apple iOS devices, and Amazon Kindle.
Temple Run
Temple Run, developed by Imangi Studio, a Washington D.C. based gaming company, was launched with 99 cents per download; however, in less than 2 months, the company decided to make it available for free. The game app was developed by the team of a husband-wife, Keith Shepherd and Natalia Luckyanova with the assistance of Kiril Tchangov, a graphic designer and artist. In less than 8 months, it has been downloaded for over 40 million times and its popularity is soaring every passing day. Temple Run can be downloaded on iOS and Android powered Smartphone and Tablet devices.
