Q&A: Buying a mac just for iPhone app development, worth it?
Question by iNsert an iName iHere.: Buying a mac just for iPhone app development, worth it?
Hello, I’ve always been a windows user but recently acquired an iPhone. I really like the fact that you’re able to develop your own applications for the phone, and want to take part. I know multiple scripts including VBS, HTML, and JS, so learning xCode shouldn’t be a problem. Here’s the issue however: I have 5 computers in my house, all of them windows. I was thinking about purchasing a mac mini or something of that sort, just for producing apps. So lets do the math: 1 Used mac mini $ 300 + keyboard/mouse/monitor (all cheap once) $ 150 + $ 100 for the distribution fee on iTunes. This would equal to about $ 550-$ 600.
In you’re general opinion, is it worth it? If I sell apps, how long before I can earn the $ 600 back? I’m just wondering if I should do it.
Thank you.
Best answer:
Answer by DreamDemon
It depends on the mac. Most macs these days are powerful, but the transition from PC can be difficult if you’ve been using Windows all your life. In this economy, the App market isn’t very strong, so it would probably take you a long time to earn back the money. What I would do is buy a relatively inexpensive server and sell out websites or storage. That would pay faster depending on the number of customers you have. Also, it comes down to your preference. Windows Vista is tedious, and has some bugs, but XP works well, and arguably is simpler than Mac OSX. Online Marketing can be profitable, but it takes time to learn and get the business started. It all depends on how much you are willing to learn, and how fast you want profit. Another alternative is that you could build a website or two on your server (with html, which you already know) and if you can divert traffic to your website, there are tons of people who are willing to put ads on your website. Get enough people, and it might be profitable
Add your own answer in the comments!
