Analysis of trends reveals the dynamics of how and why iPhone applications sell, claims Pinch Media. The advertising firm notes for instance that popularity feeds popularity, as appearing in a top 100 list increases new users by 2.3 times, on average. The jump is said to be even more dramatic once in the top 10 or 25 apps of a particular category, though Pinch warns that the App Store is structured for rapid turnover.

The lists represent downloads calculated over 24 hours for instance, giving a developer looking to take advantage of sudden popularity little time in which to operate. Price cuts must be especially well-timed, and used to spur an app with low interest and results, rather than one which is already well-established or growing aggressively. A typical price cut is said to grow demand by 130 percent however, while a price hike may slash demand to just 25 percent.

Barriers for entry into rankings have also risen, as even a free app must achieve at least 20,000 downloads to enter the top 25. Most apps further suffer from low long-term interest, losing much of their usage within a matter of days; this makes free ad-supported software especially difficult to profit from, unless it proves especially resilient and/or gains a high number of users. Targeting a wealthy audience is also said to generate results, but Pinch argues that unless an app has proven popularity, it is generally safer to rely on an up-front fee than advertising.