![]() But the fact is that it’s successful because it makes people laugh and smile. IFart has become the de facto novelty app that is referenced every time someone talks about the silly apps people spend money on. When I asked developer Joel Comm about what makes iFart so successful, he said: The catch is that you have to register on the GameDock, a platform that allows iPhone and iPod touch users to play multiple games in real-time with friends, which will then allow you to “friend” other members, once both sides have agreed to participate in the Fart Buddies system. The message will activate on the individual’s phone no matter what they are doing at that time. InfoMedia's iFart Mobile, which is priced at 99 cents, and Air-O-Matic's Pull My Finger, also 99 cents, are far from the only such choices at the App store a search for similar apps found a surprising 98 different applications.Utilizing Apple’s push messaging, users who upgrade (for free) will see a new “Fart Budz” button that will allow them to send any fart noise to a fart buddy. 25, for instance, InfoMedia sold nearly 39,000 copies of the program, netting over $27,000 for the day after Apple took its customary 30%. The maker of "iShoot," for example, recently told Wired that his $2.99 tank artillery game brought in $600,000 in a single month.Ĭomm has also disclosed some iFart Mobile numbers. Although Apple does not provide sales figures for individual applications sold through its App Store, some developers have claimed to have made hundreds of thousands of dollars on their work. The behind-the-scenes maneuvering and legal wrangling is indicative of the strength of the iPhone App Store market. "InfoMedia's use of the phrase 'pull my finger' was simply that of a descriptive phrase, is not protectable under federal trademark law as it is merely descriptive of the act of flatulence, was fair use," the company said. In its filing, InfoMedia asked that the court rule its use of "pull my finger" does not infringe on any rights of Air-O-Matic. In a blog post Thursday, Comm, the author of several books on Internet marketing, said, "I was willing to negotiate with, but I will not be harassed into paying them money just because our application was more popular and sold more units than theirs." Last week's filing was a preemptive move, said Joel Comm, the president of InfoMedia. "Naturally, as costs increase with drawn out process, the settlement figure would necessarily climb as well," an Air-O-Matic lawyer wrote. Separately, Air-O-Matic demanded that InfoMedia pay it $50,000 to settle the issue. "Pull My Finger fell precipitously from being the #1 iPhone application as a direct result of InfoMedia's systemic efforts to profit from the Pull My Finger name and leverage the buzz around it," the document continued. "Air-O-Matic is not ready to speak directly with your client because it has been financially harmed by InfoMedia's deliberate efforts to bump its app from its leading sales position on Apple though use of unfair trade tactics. 4, sent by Air-O-Matic lawyers to those representing InfoMedia. "Your client's actions have cost Air-O-Matic significant sales volume, revenues, and now legal fees to rectify," read another document, dated Feb. Īpple eventually told the two companies to work out the problem between themselves, according to another e-mail attached to the complaint.Īir-O-Matic declined to do so. and disparaging his competition with testimonials," as well as communicating with its own users via Twitter. ![]() The lawyer also accused InfoMedia of "planting negative reviews of the apps of his competitors and positive reviews of his own. Previously, Air-O-Matic had complained to Apple Inc., which decides which applications are allowed into the App Store, and asked Apple to pull InfoMedia's software.Ĭalling InfoMedia's use of the phrase an "abuse of our trademark," a lawyer for Air-O-Matic asked Apple in early January 2009 to remove iFart Mobile from the online mart and strip InfoMedia of its iPhone developer rights, according to a copy of an e-mail included in the complaint.
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