[StavrosK]

I'm sorry, congratulations to the team and all, but did they actually release a timer app for $25? How did they manage to get people to buy it?

[tptacek]

Nobody cares how hard things are to code except for people are are already naturally disinclined to pay for software. Difficulty of execution may, for a very large swath of possible apps, be inversely correlated with success.

FWIW: The answer is "yes", followed (implicitly, because you didn't ask this) by "yes, people did pay", followed by (to the question you actually asked) "reread the article".

[bad_user]

$25 is not that much; the secret is in making customers believe it's worth it, i.e. good marketing.

People pay a minimum of 1000 USD for an Apple laptop. I work on a 500 USD laptop from Asus, which I believe is just as good. But it's not as cool and people don't envy me :)

[frou_dh]

I say someone with no exposure to Apple marketing would still have a big smile on their face if sat down to use a MacBook Pro/Air.

[thwarted]

Even if they type on the keyboard and the hard, sharp edge on the Pro digs into the wrists?

[bad_user]

Packaging / look and feel, are also part of marketing a product. Apple gets it btw.

[jhuckabee]

When the next closest usable timing device costs ~$500, I can see how $25 would be a great deal.

[dmazin]

Let me illustrate how ridiculous your level of generalization is: Can you believe people pay $14 to see light projected onto a screen?