IF it were possible to have a classic pairing in the newest of fields, then Dave McKinney and Stuart Hall would be it.
IF it were possible to have a classic pairing in the newest of fields, then Dave McKinney and Stuart Hall would be it.
Mr McKinney is a musician who became a marine scientist while Mr Hall is a long-time software developer.
The Perth-based men have just combined their talents to create a hit application for Apple’s key mobile platforms, the iPhone and iPad – a music-searching app called Discovr.
Their development has taken off in the world of mobile music by creating a simple process for Apple platform users to find artists that are like the bands and musicians they already know.
The pair claims their product – which uses databases developed by Boston music specialist Echonest – has already been a big hit in several countries, including the number one music app in Australia and Japan.
Coverage from mainstream media like Fox News in the US and a decision to cut the price by two thirds have also helped Discovr win tens of thousands of users for its slick-looking interactive tool, which allows the user not just to find an artist they might like but also read their biographies and sample their music.
Discovr is owned by Jammbox, a company established by Mr McKinney, which recently brought in Western Australian-based venture capitalist Yuuwa at seed funding level.
Mr Hall, from app developer Bonobo, wrote the software.
Mr McKinney said Discovr had already turned the corner from idea to market acceptance at the global level, allowing them to learn from the experience.
He said moving the price down to 99 cents was all about learning how the market worked in a world where $3 is considered expensive. This “pricing experiment” generated a 600 per cent increase in revenue for the app, which has been sold in 65 countries.
Jammbox is considering making Discovr free as it seeks to widen its reputation for this kind of search tool and take it into other markets such as books.
“It is possible to do this from Perth,” Mr McKinney said.
“It is about a distribution channel that Apple has opened up. We can reach a large market without that much friction.”
