u/Large_Highway_6904

I’m the solo developer behind Multi Timers & Talking Alarms, available for iPhone and Apple Watch.

A — Answer

The app began with a simple problem: during busy, hands-full moments, I didn’t have time to repeatedly unlock my iPhone and open an app just to check several timers.

Apple’s built-in Clock app works well for basic timing. The difficulty begins when several timers are running.

Finding the right timer from the Lock Screen can require waking the screen, expanding the timer stack, and sorting through several similar-looking entries. Upcoming alarms are not shown there before they ring, so checking what is scheduled means opening Clock and switching to the Alarms tab.

Lock Screen controls can also be triggered accidentally when an iPhone wakes as it is taken from a pocket, bag, or drawer.

What began as a solution for busy, hands-full moments has since evolved into a complete timer board spanning the iPhone, Lock Screen, and Apple Watch.

B — Better

Instead of sorting through a stack of similar-looking timers, you get:

• One color-coded board containing countdowns, scheduled alarms, and notes  

• Lock Screen snapshots showing names, colors, remaining time, and expected finish time  

• Spoken alerts that tell you what is ready without requiring you to look  

• Custom and recorded alarm sounds  

• A native seven-slot Apple Watch board  

• Face ID–protected Lock Screen controls to help prevent accidental taps  

• Saved timer configurations and Markdown notes  

• Siri controls and Home Screen widgets

C — Cost

Free to download. No ads. No subscription. No account required. No data collected.

Optional one-time purchases in the US:

• All Timer Slots — $0.99  

• Palette Unlock — $2.99  

• Buy Developer a Coffee — $4.99 optional tip

App Store:

https://apps.apple.com/app/id6763252662

I created 8 versions. Which would you choose, 1–8?

Here’s what the messages are intended to communicate:

Top: Manage multiple timers directly from the Lock Screen--without unlocking your iPhone or expanding the Live Activity stack.

Bottom: Controls designed to prevent accidental taps when taking your iPhone out of a pocket or bag--a problem that can occur with the built-in timer.

This will be my 2nd place screenshot. I tried A/B testing my 1st place screenshot, but the app doesn’t receive much traffic for a meaningful result. Timer is extremely competitive, and the app is currently found only through searches for “lock screen timer” or “BusyDay Timer.”

For now, I’m focusing on improving ASO and making the app more polished before investing effort in marketing.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this and share your feedback!

I’m the solo developer of BusyDay Timer, an iOS multi-timer app.

The problem I’m trying to solve: when several built-in Clock timers are running, checking them from the Lock Screen can be awkward. They may be stacked, visually similar, and easy to disturb by accident if the phone wakes while you’re pulling it out for a quick check.

BusyDay Timer is designed for people who need to check multiple timers quickly while their iPhone is locked. It has two Lock Screen timer views: a larger visual board for seeing several timers together, and a compact colored stack when you want the timers to stay small but still easy to tell apart. It also supports Apple Watch and Home Screen widgets.

I’m working on the App Store preview video and would like first-impression feedback.

After watching it:

1. What do you think the app does?

2. Is the Lock Screen use case clear?

3. What should I show earlier, cut, or slow down?

4. Would this preview make you curious enough to open the App Store page?

5. Should I record a real iPhone instead of using the iPhone Simulator?

Blunt feedback is welcome. I’m working on the preview because the app still has a huge visibility problem on the App Store.

App link: https://apps.apple.com/app/busyday-timer/id6763252662

It is a timer app, so it is naturally almost invisible on the App Store (for thousands of timer apps ranking above it), so basically all traffic comes from ads (~$3/day, targeting only inexpensive markets).

Usually I get around 10 installs per day. Now I still see taps to the product page, but almost no installs.

Recently I got two 5-star ratings (in Asia markets) and updated the screenshots to show:

Core features are free.

No ads. No subscription. No login.

No data collection. Works offline.

I thought this would help conversion, but somehow it looks worse now. Pretty confusing.

Maybe it is just short-term noise, but I would be interested to hear if anyone has seen this before.

App Store link: https://apps.apple.com/app/busyday-timer/id6763252662

The idea is for moments when timer info matters most, but your phone is locked, your hands are busy, or you’re not staring at the app.

https://apps.apple.com/app/busyday-timer/id6763252662

I used the free $100 Apple Ads credit, then spent about another $100 of my own money on my new iOS app, and the results left me confused.

It brought a few hundred installs and gave me useful keyword data, so it was helpful for learning. But after I stopped running ads, the impressions dropped back close to the previous level.

During the ad campaign, my app seemed to rank better organically for a few keywords, not just appear in the sponsored ad slot. But that effect seemed to disappear once I stopped running ads. Organically, the app still feels almost invisible.

Now I’m not sure whether to keep spending on Ads or focus more on other marketing.

For indie iOS devs who have used Apple Search Ads:

* Did paid installs actually improve organic visibility?

* Was it mostly useful for keyword research?

* Did ratings/reviews matter more than installs?

* What made you decide to keep spending or stop?

This is my first app, and I know I’ve made marketing mistakes. I’m trying to learn what to fix next. Any advice would be appreciated.