Channel: googlepublicpolicy

Category: Science & Technology

Tags: google dcdevelopersandroidmobileprogrammerssmartphonesiosdc talksapps

Description: Over the past two years a new and burgeoning economy has grown quietly in the tech sector. Fueled by the boom in smartphones, programmers and entrepreneurs have been attracting users and making money by building mobile applications, commonly known as apps. Mobile apps keep us entertained and productive while enhancing communication and information sharing. Today it is estimated there are more than 500 thousand apps running on more than 150 million mobile devices, and many of these apps are making serious money for their creators. The "app economy" is estimated to be $2 billion annually, growing to $4 billion by 2012. As part of our ongoing Google DC Talks series, we invite you to hear from successful app developers about this innovative new sector. How does someone go from creating mobile apps as a hobby to a full-time job? What kinds of apps are most popular with consumers? What's the difference between paying to download an app and making your app free but showing ads? How are app developers making money from their creations? And where is this new growth area going?