Breakups Are Hard, Even for Independent Companies
Just because you’re a small indie company, doesn’t mean life is always roses and waffles. Up the corporate ladder and down to the smallest boutique shop, differences can occur and problems rear their ugly heads. And sometimes, they permanently rock the foundations a company is built on.
Tap Tap Tap, which has been one of my favorite iPhone application companies since day one, has just gone through a good quake. Fortunately (for them, and for all of us), it seems there has been an amicable resolution and business will continue. This being a company that continues to be very transparent about earnings, design, and the particulars; John has written a candid post (albiet sad) detailing the entire saga.
We wish everyone involved the best, and look forward to the brilliant projects that will clearly come from both sides of the resolution (Tap Tap Tap and Sophiestication).
Wow, that’s quite the split! I can’t help but wonder who this will benefit more Tap Tap Tap or Sophiestication?
Comment by CJ Guest — October 13, 2008 @ 3:40 pm
Technically they all lose a little because the biggest talent of the company was all of them together. But I am choosing to look at it in a glass half-full mentality and assume this will just mean double the good iPhone apps out there.
I have been waiting for Groceries since the store was launched, and I own Where To? and Tipulator and love them both. Sine they are selling Where To? and because it made so much money, I have a feeling they will get a good price for it and hopefully be able to fund their future successes.
Sophiestication and her coverflow app has done quite well in the Mac community, and based on that rep alone, I think she will have good prospects with any future iPhone apps, and although the Tap Tap Tap company now has no apps for sale, I have a feeling they will ramp up their offerings quite quickly as well. (again with my positivity!)
The other aspect to this is how much money John paid to keep the taptaptap.com/developers combo, which is likely what ofsets the split even more.
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As with all breakups (company or personal) it is never 1005 transparent what each person gets from walking away… but sometimes the ultimate benefit is a mental/emotional one which becomes very difficult to put a price on, and is far more worth even an unfair monetary split. IMHO.
Comment by kc! Bradshaw — October 13, 2008 @ 4:24 pm