So we’re proud to celebrate our 4th anniversary in charge of a company creating the best apps for iPhone, iPad and Android for our 30 million users in over 120 countries.

The tens of thousands of positive emails, reviews and feedback from our users has been our best reward, helping our team of 20 talented app Magicians feel proud to be selecting the best apps every day for you in both http://www.freeappmagic.com/ and for our renowned seasonal calendars.

We’re also glad to have worked with a number of fantastic partners, from the best indie developers looking to get their apps discovered through to the top gaming companies and the best digital advertising agencies.

So thanks again to our 30 million users, the 600 talented apps developers we have selected apps from and all the Magicians on our team who have helped to make this all possible.

It’s time for the June edition of the App Show and we really got our teeth into a wide variety of app industry issues this month.

We chatted with Craig Grannell, games editor for Tap! Magazine and contributor for Macformat, about the changes to iOS 7 and what that means for the future of Apple. We caught up with Iris Campinski from Apps for Good and Ben Howard from ViewRanger to discuss how their work with apps has helped the community. And we discussed how you turn a board game into an app with Rodeo Games’ CTO Richard Brooks and Creative Director Ben Murch.

With Beth reviewing superhero apps and the Free App Magic Chart rounding things off, you can check out this bumper interview special by listening the podcast via http://bit.ly/msappshow.

George

With an ever increasing number of smart mobile devices being sold every year, the mobile app ecosystem is exploding in size as more and more people enter the market. So the Application Developer Alliance have surveyed mobile device owners to find out their behaviour towards apps and see if there are any major insights that mobile marketers should be tapping into.

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This year for World Oceans Day, we’re taking the plunge and enjoying some fishy fun! Join in and check out our top three fish-friendly apps below!

1)    Sea HD: A High Definition Ocean Aquariam by Air Sea Land

While most fish lovers have to visit their local beach or aquarium to see exotic sea-life, Air Sea Land have designed an app that brings the underwater experience to you! Their stunning pocket aquarium allows you to get up close and personal with real sharks, eels and fish while exploring calm waters, sunken wrecks and coral reefs. With an extensive fact sheet for each featured fish, and a range of high-definition videos accompanied by ambient soundtracks, this soothing app is interesting and informative.

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Few technology sectors have growing at such a rapid rate as the app industry. From being now existent in 2007 to being a predicted $46 billion industry in 2016, apps have had a major impact on society and our everyday lives around the world. We know there are big numbers involved in the app industry evolution but when you see them laid out in all their glory on the infographic below it shows just how massive the industry has become. One of the stats highlights the pace at which app downloads have increased: from its inception in 2008 it took the nine months to reach 1 billion downloads. Compare that with current figures – by the end of 2013 we will be downloading two billion iOS and Android billion apps per week – and you can see how the world have become obsessed with apps.

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Wine is made all over the world but this week MagicSolver HQ is celebrating closer to home with English Wine Week. Although perhaps not considered a wine making region of renown when compared to France, Spain, Italy, Argentina, etc, England has actually gained a reputation in the wine making world for producing quality vino. So raise a glass to Blighty with these three wine-themed apps.

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Hi everyone,

It’s time for another edition of the App Show and, yet again, we’ve got some absolutely cracking features coming up for you.

We’re chatting with Andrew Smith from Appy Nation about how indie developers are coming together to help push their apps up the chart; an essential listen for any of you thinking about extending your marketing reach.

On top of that, we’re also talking tax breaks for British game developers with Dr Jo Twist of the UK Interactive Entertainment Association and Andrew Eades, CEO of Relentless Software, to discuss how the moves may benefit app developers. And, of course, we’ve got the news, reviews and Free App Magic chart to enjoy.

Listen live tonight from 9pm on Star Radio here or catch up with our podcast by downloading it here from tomorrow onwards.

Hope you enjoy the show!

George

Judging by the findings of the Developer Economics 2013 report, the monetary rewards for app developers aren’t anything to write home about. Commissioned by ecosystem analyst Vision Mobile, the report – condensed into lovely bite-size form in the infographic below – shows that 67% of developers are actually earning below the “app poverty line” of $500 per app per month. Unsurprisingly the report shows that revenues are boosted the more platforms app developers engage with (72% use two or more platforms concurrently) and even though subscription models pay out more, the most popular is in-app advertising with 38% of app developers adopting this model. To get a more detailed overview of developer practice check out the infographic.

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Admit it, we all take our family for granted sometimes; life just gets in the way. But it without getting to serious, ‘The Family’ is the bedrock and fabric of society and on a personal level the most important people in our lives. If you weren’t aware, Wednesday was the International Day of Families, a programme run by the United Nations to acknowledge and appreciate the importance of family and the essential role it plays in our lives. So tonight, instead of immersing yourself in the TV, shutting yourself in the bedroom or acknowledging mum and dad with a grunt, play some of these app we’ve recommended below and have a fun-filled family bonding session.

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