### The Intricacies of App Piracy: Insights from iA’s Journey
In an insightful blog entry, Oliver Reichenstein, the creator of iA (Information Architects), divulged the difficulties his organization encounters with app piracy, especially concerning their well-known application, **iA Writer**. His metaphor of a football stadium brimming with fans month after month vividly captures the gap between users and paying customers. The figures he presented underscore the harsh truth many app developers confront: a considerable fraction of users are utilizing the product without contributing financially.
#### The Stadium Comparison: A Glimpse into User Trends
Reichenstein’s comparison of a football stadium filled with supporters acts as a compelling depiction of the user demographic for iA Writer. In this analogy, the stadium signifies the overall number of users, while the various ticket types illustrate the different methods users engage with the app:
– **5% possess a two-week trial ticket**: These users are sampling the app for free, likely assessing whether they wish to proceed with a purchase.
– **2% hold an annual ticket**: These individuals are committed to a yearly subscription, ensuring a consistent revenue flow.
– **0.5% carry a monthly ticket**: This segment prefers a more adaptable, short-term arrangement.
– **0.5% are acquiring “all-time” tickets**: These are the lifetime purchasers, making a singular payment for perpetual access to the app.
Even if all lifetime ticket holders gathered simultaneously, they would represent merely 10% of the stadium’s total capacity. This leaves an astonishing 90% of users who, in Reichenstein’s words, are “climbing over the fence”—a metaphor for using the app without remuneration, likely due to piracy.
#### The Concealed Costs of Piracy
Typically regarded as a lost revenue issue, piracy, as Reichenstein highlights, extends far beyond that. Users who pirate the app not only consume without payment; they also create additional expenses for the developer. These encompass:
1. **Heightened Support Requirements**: Pirated users frequently seek technical assistance, even though they haven’t invested in the app. This strains the company’s resources, requiring them to manage inquiries from users who contribute nothing to the financial bottom line.
2. **Demands for Features**: Users who pirate the app might also seek new functionalities or enhancements, placing additional demands on the development team to cater to a user group that isn’t backing the app financially.
3. **Harmful Feedback**: Perhaps the most detrimental aspect is the risk of negative reviews. Users who have pirated the app may leave unfavorable comments, impacting the app’s standing on legitimate platforms like the Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store. Ironically, piracy sites do not display reviews, meaning pirated users may remain unaware of the feedback that could sway their decision to purchase the app.
The compounded impact of these elements demonstrates that piracy not only diminishes revenue—it amplifies the workload and can potentially tarnish the app’s reputation.
#### Platform-Specific Piracy Trends
Reichenstein also offered insights into how piracy rates differ across platforms. On **macOS**, iA Writer sees a piracy rate of about 10%, which is relatively manageable compared to other environments. On **iOS**, quantifying the piracy rate is a challenge, but it’s clear it isn’t nonexistent. Nonetheless, iOS includes certain safeguards, such as the absence of a “reset trick” (a strategy used by pirates to overcome trial limitations), making piracy more challenging.
Conversely, the scenario on **Android** is considerably bleaker. The platform’s openness allows for easier pirating of applications, which has considerably hindered iA Writer’s performance in that environment. Reichenstein noted that the app was ultimately stalled on Android, partly due to overwhelming piracy rates.
#### The Wider Consequences for Developers
Reichenstein’s choice to publicly disclose these figures has ignited conversations among developers on platforms like Mastodon, Hacker News, and X (formerly Twitter). While some developers might criticize his methodology or question iA’s strategic choices, Reichenstein values constructive criticism. He is receptive to individuals attempting to piece together estimations of how much iA could have generated, even if it might draw scrutiny.
The overarching takeaway is that piracy presents a multifaceted challenge for developers. It’s not merely about missed sales; it encompasses the extra burdens stemming from sustaining a large, non-paying user base. For smaller developers, these obstacles can be especially tough to navigate, as they frequently lack the assets to manage the heightened demands associated with piracy.
#### A Spark of Optimism: A Potential Comeback to Android
In spite of these obstacles, Reichenstein hinted that iA Writer might make a return to Android in the future, potentially in a **business-to-business (B2B)** format involving direct payments. This could
