Question
According to the Tizen Incentive Program FAQ, Samsung-developed apps, preloaded apps, Samsung staff-developed apps, and apps funded with more than $10,000 by Samsung are restricted from participating in the Incentive Program. However, these apps can still be included in the Tizen Store Monthly Top 100 rankings.
Independent developers are questioning:
- What benefits do indie developers have in participating when Samsung doesn't exclude its own apps and partner apps from the Top 100?
- The number of rewarded apps has been decreasing monthly (56 in February, 45 in March, 30 in April, 15 in May, 5 in June, and 0 from July to October)
- The development time for C/C++ apps (5-6 weeks for simple apps) may not justify the diminishing rewards
Answer
Problem Understanding
The core issues raised are:
- Perceived unfair competition in the Tizen Incentive Program
- Declining number of rewarded apps
- Development effort vs. potential reward imbalance
Solution Methods
-
Program Transparency:
- Request clearer communication from Samsung about reward distribution
- Ask for detailed monthly reports on rewarded apps
-
Development Strategy:
- Consider focusing on web applications (HTML5/JS) which may have faster development cycles
- Explore hybrid development approaches to reduce development time
-
Community Action:
- Organize developer feedback through official channels
- Consider forming a developer group to collectively address concerns
Additional Tips
- Monitor official Tizen developer communications for program updates
- Evaluate alternative monetization strategies beyond the incentive program
- Consider the long-term potential of Tizen platform development
