iFund, App Store Success, Future Apps
Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB) has started an iFund blog covering topics about its $100 million venture capital fund for iPhone developers. KPCB has currently funded five companies with about $30 million of investment capital. Those companies include:
- Pelago social discovery and location sharing through an application called Whrrl which is live on the AppStore
- iControl a home automation and monitoring solution available in Q1
- ng:moco iPhone games launching its first titles this month
- GOGII A new social interaction and marketing platform, launching in Q4
- An unannounced venture launching in Q1
The company is excited about the prospects of the App Store and note that iPhone application downloads for the first 30 days exceeded all other US carriers combined in a quarter.
Several prominent titles have recently been released to the App Store, including Star Wars The Force Unleashed and Spore. Meanwhile, SlingMedia has acknowledged that they are working on their media player for the iPhone. Despite demoing a version of their app for jailbroken iPhones, the company has made no further announcements. We've heard, however, that they are planning on launching a beta version later this year.
- Pelago social discovery and location sharing through an application called Whrrl which is live on the AppStore
- iControl a home automation and monitoring solution available in Q1
- ng:moco iPhone games launching its first titles this month
- GOGII A new social interaction and marketing platform, launching in Q4
- An unannounced venture launching in Q1
The company is excited about the prospects of the App Store and note that iPhone application downloads for the first 30 days exceeded all other US carriers combined in a quarter.
According to our estimates and M:Metrics data, thats more iPhone application downloads in 30 days than all US carriers combined have in a quarter.* That means a relatively small base of handsets (~12M, mostly US) is dramatically outperforming the other 250M.
KPCB also believes that a more sophisticated set of applications will arrive as developers become more familiar with the iPhone SDK, and claim to "know some of the apps in the pipeline" that will take things to a whole new level.Several prominent titles have recently been released to the App Store, including Star Wars The Force Unleashed and Spore. Meanwhile, SlingMedia has acknowledged that they are working on their media player for the iPhone. Despite demoing a version of their app for jailbroken iPhones, the company has made no further announcements. We've heard, however, that they are planning on launching a beta version later this year.
Top Rated Comments
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45 months ago
I'm really excited about seeing the App Store mature. I like what is offered now, but I know that as apps continue to develop it will only add value to the iPhone.
Yea Apple!
Yea Apple!
45 months ago
Yeah yeah, that's great. When are they going to release the new MBPs?
When you in particular want them so bad, they can up the price $1000. ;)
EDIT: I see you edited your post. :)
I'm excited about the App store. It looks like it has a good future, as long as Apple stops refusing Apps right and left, of course, or else clarifies the rules more so developer know what to expect.
45 months ago
I for one am really glad to hear about the Sling Media player, the demo looked pretty good, and hopefully the released version will be even better. Hopefully they release this app soon.
45 months ago
The iFund is a joke. The first 2 companies to get funded were owned by its board members.
http://macenstein.com/default/archives/1384
I wouldn't be surprised if we discovered similar ties to the latest 3 companies.
It will be interesting to see how much of the $100 million they've raised goes back into their board member's pockets.
http://macenstein.com/default/archives/1384
I wouldn't be surprised if we discovered similar ties to the latest 3 companies.
It will be interesting to see how much of the $100 million they've raised goes back into their board member's pockets.
45 months ago
I'll admit to having some fear that venture capital may tend to make marketing more important than innovation and quality.
How many iPhone apps really need hundreds of thousands of dollars to build, or to build better? Some, probably, if they have a huge server-side back-end, but not most of the ones I'd care about I would bet.
So it seems to me more likely that the money could be used to PROMOTE the apps when the little guy who is free to make his own decisions without VC breathing down his neck may actually be building the better app.
Luckily the App Store gives apps some chance even without much marketing. Still, heavy marketing can help you stay on those top lists! And few may see the better-rated alternatives from 3-person shops.
How many iPhone apps really need hundreds of thousands of dollars to build, or to build better? Some, probably, if they have a huge server-side back-end, but not most of the ones I'd care about I would bet.
So it seems to me more likely that the money could be used to PROMOTE the apps when the little guy who is free to make his own decisions without VC breathing down his neck may actually be building the better app.
Luckily the App Store gives apps some chance even without much marketing. Still, heavy marketing can help you stay on those top lists! And few may see the better-rated alternatives from 3-person shops.
45 months ago
SlingMedia has acknowledged that they are working on their media player for the iPhone.
thumbs up!
45 months ago
Is it possible that Sling Media will be rejected because it duplicates some of the functionality of the iPhone? Or am I missing something?
45 months ago
Is it possible that Sling Media will be rejected because it duplicates some of the functionality of the iPhone? Or am I missing something?
How at all does it duplicate the functionality of the iPhone? The iPhone does not allow you to play live TV.
45 months ago
How at all does it duplicate the functionality of the iPhone? The iPhone does not allow you to play live TV.
The iPhone does not allow you to download podcasts remotely.
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