/app-store-opportunity-research

name: app-store-opportunity-research
description:
  Full-pipeline iOS App Store opportunity research. Discovers underserved
  niches, analyzes competitor gaps, estimates revenue, produces scored top-3
  opportunity reports, and writes MVP PRDs — all through browser and web
  research. Use when the user wants to find profitable iOS app ideas, research
  App Store charts, analyze competitor apps (ratings, reviews, revenue, gaps),
  generate opportunity reports, or write MVP PRDs. Triggers on "find app
  opportunities", "app store research", "what app should I build", "research
  this app category", "find a gap in the app store", "ios app ideas".

Prerequisites

• **Browser tools** for App Store browsing and research
• **Web search** for Reddit, Google Trends, and indie revenue research
• No API keys required — all research is done through browser and web search

Pipeline Overview

1. Define Category & Goals
2. App Store Charts Research
3. Community & Demand Research
4. Competitor Deep-Dive
5. Revenue Deep-Dive
6. Gap Analysis
7. Score & Rank
8. Top 3 Report
9. Quick Validation (optional)
10. MVP PRD

---

Step 1: Define the Category & Goals

Ask the user what space they want to explore. Help them narrow down:

• **Too broad:** "Health apps" (thousands of competitors)
• **Good:** "Sleep + anxiety apps for consumers" (specific intersection)
• **Good:** "Habit tracking for fitness beginners" (audience + niche)
• **Good:** "AI-powered journaling apps" (tech angle + category)

**Key questions to ask:**

1. What category or problem space interests you? 2. Consumer or B2B? (Consumer is easier to validate quickly) 3. Any budget constraints? (No-AI = cheaper to build, AI = higher ceiling) 4. Target revenue? ($1K/mo side project vs $10K/mo business vs $50K+/mo full-time replacement) 5. What's your timeline? (2-4 week MVP vs 2-3 month polished launch) 6. Do you have domain expertise or personal pain in this area? (Strongest apps come from scratching your own itch)

---

Step 2: App Store Charts Research

Browse the iOS App Store charts to map the competitive landscape.

Chart URLs

Navigate to: `https://apps.apple.com/us/charts/iphone/{category-slug}/{category-id}`

**Apps:**

| Category | Path | | ------------------ | -------------------------------- | | Books | `/books-apps/6018` | | Business | `/business-apps/6000` | | Education | `/education-apps/6017` | | Entertainment | `/entertainment-apps/6016` | | Finance | `/finance-apps/6015` | | Food & Drink | `/food-drink-apps/6023` | | Graphics & Design | `/graphics-design-apps/6027` | | Health & Fitness | `/health-fitness-apps/6013` | | Lifestyle | `/lifestyle-apps/6012` | | Medical | `/medical-apps/6020` | | Music | `/music-apps/6011` | | Navigation | `/navigation-apps/6010` | | News | `/news-apps/6009` | | Photo & Video | `/photo-video-apps/6008` | | Productivity | `/productivity-apps/6007` | | Reference | `/reference-apps/6006` | | Shopping | `/shopping-apps/6024` | | Social Networking | `/social-networking-apps/6005` | | Sports | `/sports-apps/6004` | | Travel | `/travel-apps/6003` | | Utilities | `/utilities-apps/6002` | | Weather | `/weather-apps/6001` |

**Games:**

| Category | Path | | ------------ | --------------------------- | | Action | `/action-games/7001` | | Adventure | `/adventure-games/7002` | | Board | `/board-games/7004` | | Card | `/card-games/7005` | | Casino | `/casino-games/7006` | | Puzzle | `/puzzle-games/7012` | | Racing | `/racing-games/7013` | | Role-Playing | `/role-playing-games/7014` | | Simulation | `/simulation-games/7016` | | Sports | `/sports-games/7017` | | Strategy | `/strategy-games/7018` | | Trivia | `/trivia-games/7019` | | Word | `/word-games/7020` |

International Charts

Check other countries for apps not yet available or localized for the US:

• UK: `apps.apple.com/gb/charts/iphone/...`
• Germany: `apps.apple.com/de/charts/iphone/...`
• Japan: `apps.apple.com/jp/charts/iphone/...`
• Australia: `apps.apple.com/au/charts/iphone/...`
• Canada: `apps.apple.com/ca/charts/iphone/...`
• South Korea: `apps.apple.com/kr/charts/iphone/...`
• Brazil: `apps.apple.com/br/charts/iphone/...`

What to Document

Record the **top 25-50 apps**, noting:

• App name and chart position
• Rating count (proxy for install base — see [references/revenue-estimation.md](references/revenue-estimation.md))
• Star rating
• Price/monetization model (free, paid, subscription, freemium)
• Brief description
• Last updated date (visible on the app's detail page)

Pattern Recognition

| Rating Count | Signal | | ------------ | --------------------------------------------------- | | >100K | Saturated — dominated by big players | | 10K-100K | Established demand, strong competition | | 1K-10K | **Sweet spot** — proven demand, beatable | | 500-1K | Emerging niche — validate demand carefully | | <500 | Possible new/underserved niche OR no real demand |

---

Step 3: Community & Demand Research

Validate that real demand exists outside the App Store. See [references/research-sources.md](references/research-sources.md) for detailed search patterns and sources.

Reddit & Forum Research

Search Reddit for unmet demand signals in the category. Look for:

• "Is there an app