Most Expensive App
I Am Rich, as it appeared in the United States' version of the App Store, with a price of US$999.99 | |
| Developer(s) | Armin Heinrich |
|---|---|
| Initial release | August 5, 2008; 13 years ago |
| Final release | |
| Operating system | iPhone OS |
| Size | 0.1 MB |
| Available in | English |
I Am Rich is an iOS application developed by Armin Heinrich and which was distributed using the App Store. When launched, the screen only contains a glowing red gem and an icon that, when pressed, displays the following mantra in large text:[1]
I am rich
I deserv [sic] it
I am good,
healthy & successful
Not the most expensive app in the store, but at $999.99, iVIP Black seriously lives up to its name and price tag. Sometimes called “The Millionaire’s App” iVIP Black is partnered with many of the biggest names, offering users lots of perks. The iVIP app—or better known as “the millionaire’s app”—is currently the most expensive app on Apple’s radar. This app is an all in one inclusive for the partier and next big shot into all the hottest clubs and venues. IVIP offers you special experiences, such as welcome packages, room upgrades, exclusive rates, and priority access.
The application is described as 'a work of art with no hidden function at all', with its only purpose being to show other people that they were able to afford it;[2]I Am Rich was sold on the App Store for US$999.99 (equivalent to $1,202 in 2020), €799.99 (equivalent to €934.74 in 2021), and GB£599.99 (equivalent to £806.54 in 2019), the highest price Apple allowed for App Store content.[2][3] The application was removed from the App Store without explanation by Apple Inc. the day after its release, August 6, 2008.[4]
Purchases[edit]
I saw this app with a few friends and we jokingly clicked 'buy' thinking it was a joke, to see what would happen. ... THIS IS NO JOKE...DO NOT BUY THIS APP AND APPLE PLEASE REMOVE THIS FROM THE APP STORE[3]Customer complaints for I Am Rich
Eight people bought the application, at least one of whom claimed to have done so accidentally. Six US sales at $999.99 and two European ones for €799.99[3] netted $5,600 for developer Armin Heinrich and $2,400 for Apple.[4] In correspondence with the Los Angeles Times, Heinrich told the newspaper that Apple had refunded two purchasers of his app, and that he was happy not to have dissatisfied customers.[3][5]
Reception[edit]
Discussing the app on the Silicon Alley Insider website, Dan Frommer described the program as a 'scam', 'worthless', and finally 'a joke that smells like a scammy rip-off' on August 5, 6, and 8, respectively.[5][6][7] Without purchasing the app, FOXNews.com's Paul Wagenseil guessed that the secret mantra was 'German for 'Sucker!'' (as Heinrich is German).[2][5]Wired's Brian X. Chen described I Am Rich as a waste of money to 'prove you're a jerk', and contrasted the expenditure with donating to cancer foundations and Third-World countries.[8]
Heinrich told the Los Angeles Times' Mark Milian that he had received correspondence from satisfied customers, 'I've got e-mails from customers telling me that they really love the app [... and that they had] no trouble spending the money'.[3]
Misspelled words[edit]
Most Expensive App For Ipod Touch
In the iOS (formerly iPhone OS) app, the word 'deserve' is misspelled.
Similar applications[edit]
The next year, Heinrich released I Am Rich LE. Priced at US$9.99 (equivalent to $12.05 in 2020), the new app has several new features (including a calculator, 'help system', and the 'famous mantra without the spelling mistakes') to meet Apple's requirement that apps have 'definable content'. Some customers were disappointed by the new functionality, poorly rating the app due to its ostensible improvements.[4]
On February 23, 2009, CNET Asia reported on the 'conceptually similar' app, I Am Richer, developed by Mike DG for Google's Androidsmartphoneoperating system. The app was released on the Android Market for the cost of US$200 (equivalent to $241.26 in 2020), a limit imposed by Google, who had no objection to the application.[9]
With the same name, the I Am Rich that was released on the Windows Phone Marketplace on December 22, 2010 was developed by DotNetNuzzi. Described by MobileCrunch as equally useless as the original, this app cost US$499.99 (equivalent to $593.38 in 2020), the price cap imposed by Microsoft.[10]
References[edit]
- ^'Geheimnis von teuerster iPhone-Software' [Secret of the most expensive iPhone software]. PC Welt (in German). 2014. Archived from the original on June 25, 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
- ^ abcWagenseil, Paul (August 6, 2008). ''I Am Rich' iPhone Application Retails for $1,000'. FOX News. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
- ^ abcdeMilian, Mark (August 7, 2008). 'Apple removes $1,000 featureless iPhone application'. Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. ISSN0458-3035. Retrieved July 11, 2010.
- ^ abcdCrockett, Zachary (July 23, 2015). 'How to Charge $1,000 for Absolutely Nothing'. Priceonomics. San Francisco. Archived from the original on August 7, 2016. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
But having the ruby on your screen meant that you were rich — clearly, you had to be, to afford to pay $1,000 for something so utterly useless. Heinrich's intention was to create the ultimate Veblen good in app form: something desirable merely due to its price and exclusivity.
- ^ abcFrommer, Dan (August 8, 2008). ''I Am Rich' Dude: I Made $6000 From My Dumb iPhone App (AAPL)'. Silicon Alley Insider. Business Insider. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
- ^Frommer, Dan (August 5, 2008). 'Apple's iPhone-App-Approval Mouse Falls Off Treadmill: Buy The $1000 App That Does Nothing (AAPL)'. Silicon Alley Insider. Business Insider. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
- ^Frommer, Dan (August 6, 2008). 'Worthless, $1000 'I Am Rich' iPhone App Disappears (AAPL)'. Silicon Alley Insider. Business Insider. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
- ^Chen, Brian X. (August 5, 2008). 'Pay $1,000 For an iPhone App; Prove You're a Jerk'. Wired. Condé Nast Publications. ISSN1059-1028. Retrieved July 11, 2010.
- ^Shankland, Stephen (February 26, 2009). 'Wealth-flaunting app arrives on Android phones'. Crave. CNET Asia. Archived from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved July 11, 2010.
- ^Kumparak, Greg (December 22, 2010). ''I Am Rich' App Shows Up For Windows Phone 7 At The Bargain Bin Price Of Just $499'. MobileCrunch. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
The most expensive iPhone app ever sold was one aptly called “I Am Rich”—one of the first apps to be offered on iTunes. It consisted of a small icon with the subtext “I Am Rich.” Clicking on the icon would fill the screen with a large, ruby red gem on a red and black background. The purpose of this app, as stated in the product description, was to let your friends and acquaintances know that you have a whole lot of money. It also included what the developer, Armin Heinrich, called a “secret mantra” that you could use to stay rich and healthy.
Most Expensive Apple
The price for I Am Rich was set at $999.99 before it was pulled from the App Store.
The problem, of course, is that of the eight people who purchased I Am Rich, at least one only clicked “buy” to see what would happen. Imagine his dismay when he discovered that his wife had enabled one-click purchasing (or so he said) and he had just spent $1000 on what he’d thought was a gag.
So Apple pulled the plug on I Am Rich, ending its brief career as the world’s most expensive iPhone app.
Of course, that left room for a new most expensive app—and Lextech Labs were more than happy to fill the void. Rather than sell an app whose sole purpose was to cost a bucketload of cash, though, Lextech Labs’ iRa Pro actually does something.
Most Expensive Apple
Intended for security professionals who need to maintain unlimited mobility, Ira Pro allows users to monitor IP-based surveillance equipment. The app interfaces with a video management server to provide that extra sense of security that comes from knowing that you can always check in on whatever it is you’re protecting. I imagine this will be quite popular in casinos.
Most Expensive App
The most expensive iPhone app on the market sells for $899.99. Another version of iRa, iRa Direct, costs significantly less at $499.99 but only allows direct interface with the cameras rather than a video management server.