One of the things I noticed with the iPhone 4 was that the flash could be turned on like a “torch” when you were shooting a video. I immediately thought of using it like a flashlight. But being busy, and thinking that all the flashlight apps would be updated to use this new feature I initially left. A few days later I decided that I may as well try my hand at a flashlight app seeing as there were none in the iTunes store. A short big of coding later, I had a basic version working. I was not 100% happy with it as you could see the “camera” aperture image open. But it worked. I wanted to get iAds built in as it is pretty easy to do that, but did not have time and want to be one of the first apps available to use the flash. I submitted the app and the following day the first led flashlight app appeared. 7 days later my app was approved along with about 10 other flashlight apps. I had some traction on day one, and six reviews, so I was quite happy. Unfortunately on day two the app basically disappeared from review and was now with all the other flashlight apps. There are few flashlight apps that are now in the top 25 of utility apps that get all the attention and so now will be downloaded more, and hence will get more attention.
I have still not managed to figure out that magic formula to get an app noticed. I decided to go ahead anyway and build in the iAds as planned and submitted the update to Apple. I changed the icon too, hope that will make it more noticeable.
You can download the “Flash a Flashlight” app here.