Ask HN: Shipped my first iOS app. No downloads. How to get the first download?

2 pointsposted 9 hours ago
by agenticfutureai

9 Comments

agenticfutureai

2 hours ago

Main market Europe with hope of traction in US, Spain and Italy.

agenticfutureai

9 hours ago

I just launched my first iOS app. Padelsmile, an iOS app for running Americano/Mexicano padel tournaments. Built solo in SwiftUI, took several months, got rejected by Apple 3 times before finally getting approved.

The app is live but now I’m facing a harder problem. Finding real users. Padel is a niche sport but growing fast in Europe.

For those who’ve shipped indie apps. Wwhat actually worked for getting your first 100 users? What would you do differently?

App is free to try if anyone’s curious: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/padelsmile-padel-tournament/id...

andsoitis

9 hours ago

What problem does it solve?

agenticfutureai

9 hours ago

It is a fast way for friends and players to create tournaments, create matches, keep score/points in for every match, keep track of the leaderboard for the tournament/games and share the results. As well see historical torunaments ++

andsoitis

9 hours ago

Yes, that’s what the app does, but is that a real need that people have?

agenticfutureai

8 hours ago

Aa, thanks.

Based on initial analysis/segmentation of players: those who are competitive want ways to automatic create games and keep track of scores and to have a scoreboard and winner.

Those who are not that competitive is more about having a «manager» managing games and courses to know who is going to play who at what course/court. Like a app setting up the structure of games

andsoitis

8 hours ago

> those who are competitive want ways to automatic create games and keep track of scores and to have a scoreboard and winner.

Have they told you so? How do they do it currently? Also, where is your target market located - in the US or in Europe?

agenticfutureai

2 hours ago

Good questions. Yes, through conversations with padel players in my network and local clubs. Currently, most gruppa/clubs/professionals manage tournaments/games through existing apps. My goal is to create a really easy app for the once in groups of 4-12 friends wanting to create «their» own mini tournaments. And a bonus for me if bigger clubs and pro players will adapt it for their tournaments.

agenticfutureai

2 hours ago

Main market Europe with hope of traction in US, Spain and Italy.