Its hard to think that a game which requires such accurate and precise skill in finger movement, and a steady eye to maneuvere and shoot moving targets, would be possible to play on the Apple iPhone.

However, the good news is that it is not that bad, and the doubts I may have had on how to hell to play the game without a remote, have been put to bed.

Game developer Namco Bandai has done an excellent work in making it so simple to fly and shoot down enemies.

To control the game and the flight movements, users must tilt the iPhone while all other controls like throttle, selecting and firing weapons are all available using the icons on the screen.

Many reviews are positive thus far, with many users stating they have been rather impressed with the games translation from console to mobile phone.

A demo version of the game is available right now, but the full download will not be out until later this year.

Ace Combat Xi is one of the many console games making the move to the iPhone.

In recent months we have seen FIFA 10 and Rock Band make the move, but no one would have thought a game Ace Combat this would have successfully made the jump, until now.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWHMxLbqvPs

Because of the ever-increasing competition, marketing an iPhone app can be much more difficult than expected. Here are a few suggestions for marketing iPhone apps:

Find Your Audience

Ask yourself the following questions to narrow down your target audience: What type of people do you expect to use your product? How does your product fit the needs of Apple iPhone users? Is it unique or is it an improvement on a previous iPhone app? Is the product already popular with a certain iPhone user demographic?

To answer some of these questions, you can do some online research. There are many forums where iPhone users dwell. Try plugging into discussions between users and you may learn of the programs they use frequently, those they wish they had, those that don’t work and so on. Use these forums as focus groups to examine what needs and benefits iPhone users ask of an application. By picking the brains of these users you may be able to find out additional information on user demographics also.

Assess the Competition

iPhone apps of all purposes are ridden with competition, so see what the competition is offering and create an application with similar usability. You can market your app in Apple user forums and other smart phone user forums as an alternative to any similar program. You should also contact top iPhone sites and consider advertising your app. Remember to treat your app the same way you would any other product for sale – just because it is digital doesn’t mean you don’t have to market it heavily.

Use Social Networking

Another fantastic way to promote new iPhone apps is to create a page on a social networking site. It is a free and easy way to get people interested in your app through advertising on the site and opening a group or “fan” page for those who may have an interest in what the software provides. MySpace and Facebook have bulletin, update-style features that allows you to send mass messages to subscribers of your page or group.

Blogging

Out of all the ways of marketing an iPhone app, blogging is by far the most controlled way to market anything. It’s like a forum but gives you a way to ask your audience questions and provide them with answers. It gives an insight on customer’s needs and provides you with the information you need to improve and market your products faster.

The grass roots appeal is the new marketplace for anything you want to sell. It gives you the opportunity to address objects directly and develop the groundwork for moving your customers towards your product. Some of the best iPhone apps have been discovered this way. The market for iPhone apps is only growing every day and well-designed and marketed apps can result in tremendous gains.

XCode is a popular iPhone App developing program for Macs. This tutorial teaches you the basics for creating an iPhone app using XCode.

Take the New York Times best-selling author Joel Comm for example. He made almost US$100 000 in just a few short weeks. How did he do it?

Easy. He created iFart – an iPhone app that generates flatulent sounds by touching the screen, on a timer, or when the phone is moved in certain ways. The app is entertaining, runs quickly and small in size, making it an overnight success that skyrocketed Joel to the top of the list of best iPhone applications.

Simplicity

An app that is focused, practical and small in size will be more enticing to potential buyers. The smaller the app file, the faster it will function. If the app file is too big, buyers may not have room for it on their iPhone and this will result in fewer people buying it and lower revenue from your product.

One trick is to remember to avoid adding extra features into the app. If the ideas for features are important, save them, and after the initial release of the app, release a premium version with the extra features. This will allow you to sell a simple release (for those who want a small app) but also allow you offer a more expensive app you can charge for.

Many people would argue that the iFart app isn’t practical, but the fact it entertains users keeps people buying it. In creating an iPhone app, you need to make sure your idea is accessible and reusable. It doesn’t have to be a novelty, but it just needs to retain people’s attention. If it does, news of the app will spread by word of mouth and it will become something for people to use over and over again.

Web Advertising

Many programmers prefer Google AdSense as a means of advertising their apps. It allows free advertisement on your app’s pages. You should limit the amount of ads you put on your site to give the pages a cleaner, less-congested look but with time AdSense will optimise your iPhone app’s web presence and help you make money with it.

Add Your App to the Apple Web App Directory

The Apple Web App Directory is the best place you can have your app listed on the internet. Other directories barely get any traffic compared to this site and once you submit it, Apple will review your app. This review is merely to see if the app is usable and functions properly. Once the review is complete, your app will be listed at the top of their chronological list. While there the app will get a lot of hits and this will become a crucial part of your total revenue.

Resubmitting Apps

If you’ve modified your iPhone app, even in a small way, you can fill out a resubmission form on the Apple Web App Directory site and have them review the changes. This will increase visibility and place you at the top of the directory list once again. A hot tip is to resubmit on a Thursday or a Friday. Apple won’t list apps during the weekends so those listed at the end of the week stay at the top of the list for longer.

Achieving Success

Following these steps will help your iPhone app gain exposure, but won’t guarantee the success of your product. You need to have a compelling, practical app that has been coded effectively and functions efficiently. If your app fits these criteria you will may find yourself enjoying great success and profits.

Simplicity: programs should be easy to understand as you don’t want your user to have to be fellow programmers to have a play with your app. The more difficult the app is to use, the less success it will have.
Usfeulness: for business and utility related iPhone apps, you need to start with a distinct problem and create a solution for it. you can’t just introduce a product for the sake of doing it without there being a need for it first.

Innovation: often the most simple and random of ideas will take off because they are so unique. Take iFart for example, the novel idea has taken off because of its simplicity and developers have made a lot of money.

Price: you can price your product from $0.99 to $20. Often you find you get more value by making the app free. In fact, many companies have gained a lot of exposure simply by giving away free apps. If products are priced too high, you may turn people off.

Support: be responsive to your customers. If you provide them with support, you’ll reap the rewards of repeat business.

Updates: remember that your job doesn’t end just because you finished the coding for the app. You should listen to customer reviews, complaints and feedback and keep in tune with providing them the features they need.

One thing to remember is that writing code may not be difficult, but getting your app to go viral is never as easy as it sounds. Keeping things simple and providing real value are the best methods to success.