The App Revolution: Scottish Developers Leading the Way
THE BEDROOM of a 13-year-old boy is not an obvious place for history to be made. But late on Thursday night, Connor Mulcavey from Connecticut earned his footnote when he added the Bump application onto his iPhone. It was the billionth download of an application, or app, as they are known.
The Phenomena of iPhone Apps
Despite only being available for nine months, iPhone apps are a phenomenon. They can turn your iPhone into a lightsaber or a pint of beer, not to mention more useful functions like finding the nearest restaurant and managing your to-do list. More importantly, however, apps have been credited with creating an entirely new industry during a time of recession. Scottish developers are already ahead of the pack and staking their claim in this modern-day online gold rush. And most of these pioneers are based in their bedrooms, kitchens, and living rooms.
Scottish Developers and their Success Stories
Neil Inglis, 25, works for a telecoms company in Edinburgh. Last autumn he spent five hours at home over a weekend working on an app called Sleeps to Christmas. Featuring animated snowflakes and Santa, it counted down the days, or "sleeps", until December 25 like an excited six-year-old. It has been downloaded from Apple's App Store 250,000 times, earning Inglis £12,000 in the process. It is still being downloaded 100 times a day.
"It seemed to hit a sweet spot with kids and big kids," said Inglis. "People would get in touch and say their children would rush in every morning to see the countdown."
Inglis is part of a growing band of app developers in Scotland, many of whom lost their full-time jobs in Silicon Glen during the economic downturn. Fortunately, this has coincided with the rise of the iPhone. These Scottish app developers hold regular meetings in Edinburgh and Glasgow each month to discuss ideas, share code, and show prototypes of new apps. The group calls itself the macMacDevs.
"It started out as a Mac group two years ago," said Jamie Montgomerie, another Edinburgh developer. "But now it is pretty much all about iPhone and apps. I hear there are other groups out there more technical than us, meeting in university buildings and doing presentations, but we just meet in the pub."
Montgomerie has been working on his first app for a year. He is on the cusp of sending it to Apple for approval before it can be stocked on the App Store. Called Eucalyptus, it will allow iPhone customers to read nearly 20,000 out-of-copyright online classic texts, such as Charles Dickens and Jane Austin, on their device. All for £6.
The app economy is still relatively virgin, uncertain territory, according to most developers. One app, even a successful one, does not make a career. But unlike most other sectors, it is one economy that is growing. Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO, said he'd never seen anything like it before. The App Store has grown exponentially, with more than 35,000 apps available since its launch last summer.
The Future of App Development
"I think everyone's been taken by surprise by how much of a separate industry it has become," said Matt Gemmell, 29, who does iPhone development full-time from his Edinburgh flat. "It's one of the first cases that a mobile device has created a software industry off its own back."
Gemmell has already made more than £6000 with his Favourites app, a visual speed dial developed over a few days. He previously worked as a freelance Mac developer, but after the App Store launch, his iPhone work quickly took over. He summed up the appeal of the app economy: "The iPhone embodies that wonderful dream of internet commerce we all had a number of years back: the bedroom millionaire. The iPhone makes that immediate. And it's mobile, it's a platform that's in everyone's pocket."
Apps Revolutionizing the Hospitality Industry
The Need for Innovation
The rise of smartphone apps has not only transformed the tech industry but has also revolutionized other sectors, including hospitality. Hotels, in particular, have adopted these innovative tools to enhance the guest experience, streamline operations, and increase revenue opportunities.
Enhancing Guest Experience
Hotels are leveraging apps to provide a personalized and seamless guest experience. With apps, guests can easily make reservations, check-in and check-out, access their room key digitally, request room service or housekeeping, and find information about hotel amenities and local attractions. These apps eliminate the need for physical interaction and allow guests to customize their stay according to their preferences.
Streamlining Operations
Apps also help hotels streamline their operations and improve efficiency. Housekeeping and maintenance staff can receive real-time notifications and updates, ensuring timely responses to guest requests or maintenance issues. Additionally, hotel management can collect valuable data through apps, enabling them to make informed decisions and optimize their operations for better guest satisfaction.
Increasing Revenue Opportunities
Apps provide hotels with new revenue opportunities. By offering exclusive deals, discounts, and loyalty rewards through their apps, hotels can incentivize guests to book directly and promote repeat bookings. Furthermore, hotels can partner with local businesses and attractions to offer special packages, enhancing the overall guest experience and generating additional revenue streams.
Manchester
- Manchester Hotels
- Manchester Airport Hotels
- Best Hotels In Manchester City Centre
- Hotels Near Manchester Victoria