Controversy Erupts Over $3.5K Quote to Revive Old iOS App | Fair Pricing or Overcharging?
A developer's quote of $3,500 to refresh a simple AR app has triggered diverse reactions among mobile developers and tech enthusiasts. With many questioning if this fee is justified, debates around app maintenance and associated costs are on the rise since the announcement.
The App's Background
The AR application previously thrived on iOS and Android but has been dormant in the Apple App Store for several years, though still accessible on Google Play. The original creator has been contacted for a potential revival, which has ignited discussions on pricing fairness and projected workloads.
Pricing Dilemmas: Fairness Under Scrutiny
Discussions across various forums reveal divided opinions about the $3,500 quote:
Industry Standards: Some experienced developers indicated the quote fits industry norms. "The average developer salary in the US is about $1,150 a week. Contractors often charge more due to workload inconsistency," one person noted.
Complexity and Challenges: A notable sentiment is the complexity associated with updates not fully represented in initial quotes. "There are always more problems than expected, especially with Unity and Apple," stated a respondent. "Updating legacy projects isn't straightforward; it usually involves upgrading tools and resolving deprecated methods."
Testing and Resubmission Woes: The resubmission process holds its challenges. Concerns were raised over Apple's stringent review policies. "Sometimes a reviewer can be particularly fussy about requirements that were acceptable earlier," another commentator pointed out. This uncertainty heightens fears of delays and additional costs.
Insights from the Developer Community
Community feedback shows varying interpretations of fairness:
Positive Views: "For me, it even seems pretty cheap, to be honest!" exclaimed one commenter, illustrating a segment of the community that perceives the quote as reasonable considering potential workloads.
Reassuring Complexity: Many, including a commenter who mentioned their own app updates taking two months, agree that the workload can be significant due to numerous dependencies changing over time.
Technical Considerations: Some people noted that the developer might also incur extra costs, such as needing a Unity Pro subscription to properly tune the game back up.
"Updating an old project requires thorough testing; it’s rarely as simple as you’d hope," remarked one community voice, encapsulating the general sentiment around technical difficulties that arise with app updates.
Key Points to Consider
🔸 The $3,500 fee reflects the labor expected rather than the app's inherent complexity.
✅ Many developers emphasize the unpredicted demands of app resubmission, particularly with changing technology.
📊 Community sentiment is mixed, with some praising the cost while others express concern over unanticipated challenges.
As discussions continue, the community remains split. Is $3,500 reasonable for what is essentially a revival, or does it potentially indicate a market saturated with hidden complexities? The landscape of app maintenance continues to evolve, and the pressure for clearer pricing transparency might lead to ongoing debates in the developer realm.