Pickens Electronics and Technology Pathway: How to Make Money Developing Mobile Apps

You’re of course learning how to make money already by attending Pickens’ Mobile Apps Development classes, but the market for mobile apps is changing and growing, and there may well be different and new opportunities to develop successful apps on different platforms by the time you earn your Mobile Apps Certificate.

Since day one, the mobile application market has been expanding. Once we started downloading apps to our smartphones, the demand for new and improved technology for all devices started its unending incline.

Private companies need their own developers, and there are plenty of examples in the Denver area of workplaces developing new apps with the need for mobile app developers and experts. Joining a company and helping them develop apps is an excellent path to a lucrative career in the industry and many former Pickens students have done exactly that.

But there’s another path to a rewarding career as an app developer: creating your own app from scratch and selling it on the open market. You’re already working on an app for the Apple Store so you know how to do it. App developers can make good money simply by selling their creations directly to users. Many independent app developers make a living (and sometimes much more) selling their apps on app marketplaces like iTunes’ App Stores. How is this market changing and what opportunities will be available to independent app developers in the future?

Where the Market Stands Now

The mobile app market as a whole has grown every year since at least 2011 when total app revenues were about $8 billion. In 2015, app revenues were an estimated $45 billion. Some projections estimate that by 2020, app revenues could reach the $100 billion mark.

This isn’t surprising to app developers, nor should these figures surprise anyone with a smartphone. Americans spend an average of five hours a day on their phones. You don’t stare at a tiny computer screen for five hours a day if you don’t have any apps to use. So the opportunity is there, and many companies churn out gaming and work productivity apps for wide-ranging audiences.

But there are plenty of apps out there created by independent developers. Overall, gaming apps have made up the vast majority of app revenue since 2011.

The Future of App Development

Right now, 18% of android app developers make over $5,000 a month, with 25% of iOS app developers earning the same amount. Video game apps are raking in millions of dollars a year, with no signs of slowing down. What could shake up this market is the influx of new devices. There is a growing market of smart TVs that need apps, along with smartwatches. These devices figure to only expand the app market even further, although developers will have to adapt to meet shifting customer preferences.

What it Means

If you take the time to learn and practice in Pickens’ Mobile App course, you’ll have the opportunity to create apps people use all over the world. The app market is unlikely to stop growing anytime soon.