Michael Tan on holiday on Whistler's Mountain in Alberta, Canada.
Local iPhone developer Michael Tan is a man who sets his sights high. Unlike other developers here who’ve decided to cut their teeth on the Singapore market, Michael, 36, is going straight for the global market with Upcoming Events, a neat app that consolidates all birthdays and anniversaries into one list. It doesn’t just tell you a birthday is coming up, it tells you which birthday (whether it’s the person’s 20th or 45th birthday, for example) as well as how many days are left before the event.
Michael is unusual in other ways. Unlike the other iPhone developers here, Michael is an experienced, full-time developer now running his own start-up, Tangent Software. His previous employers include Singapore Technologies and Flextronics where he worked on the Windows CE and Windows Mobile platforms. (He had a hand in developing the Win CE devices running in taxis in Singapore).
His experience shows in other ways. Apart from just developing Upcoming Events, he’s also spent time thinking about the marketing strategy for his app too.
The following is an edited interview with Michael:
Why did you start developing for the iPhone?
It is an innovative and revolutionary platform with great potential for quality software, albeit not as mature as other similar phone platforms at the point of this writing.
Why did you develop Upcoming Events?
I see the iPhone/iPod touch as a device that provides entertainment, personal information management (PIM), utilities and more importantly, a means of communication with friends and family. Upcoming Events was designed with the intention of improving the quality of relationships we have with people who mean something to us.
How long did it take you?
The initial version took three weeks and includes design (workflow, artwork, data models), implementation, testing, marketing and preparation of support infrastructure, amongst other administrative and legal matters.
What was the hardest part about the development work?
I would have asked this differently. The development work is not the hardest part of it. Marketing and strategy are equally important. A lot of new developers are unaware of this; I thought I’d share here that I spend a great deal of time on just this. But to answer your question, the hardest part about development work is coming out with a great design that is easy to use and has the flexibility to scale in design and operability.
How long did it take for Apple to approve your app?
While many developers have mentioned something to the effect of two weeks. It took me six days to get my application approved. No one has yet figured what the review process is all about or how it is conducted. My advice here is, don’t fight it; plan around it.
Do you have plans to write any more apps?
Most certainly. The initial gold rush period of iPhone/iPod development is over. By that, I mean the opportunity of getting a foothold in the market or the hope of a quick profit is dwindling. Most needs are filled.
Going forward, I feel that the best opportunity goes to the company or individuals who will work in small team setups with a good mix of capabilities and experiences and the ability to synergize well. That, or be totally innovative and have a huge marketing fund and/or connections.
What are your favourite apps on the iPhone?
Is this a trick question? :) I use Upcoming Events daily amongst other applications like Facebook, Wordpress, Pianist, Spore and [Google] Maps.
Are you Singaporean? I ask because none of the people I've interviewed so far are Singaporean.
Yes. I have been Singaporean for the past 36 years. :)
Related links
The Singapore iPhone Guide also interviewed Muh Hon Cheng who developed SG Buses and other apps, Shen Weijia, who developed the Singapore Bus Guide, Harish Mallipeddi, developer of web app Cinepura and Jon Petersen, developer of web app iSinGeo.
External links
Find out more about Tangent Software from its website.
Buy Upcoming Events (US$2.99) from Apple’s App Store.
Michael doesn't just write code, he's a talented singer too!
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