Wanna know the secret to developing a successful iPhone game? According to Adam Saltsman, creator of iPhone game Wurdle, “quality is largely irrelevant.” The “five second rule” is what really counts.

Saltsman notes: “I think the defining thing is how quickly you can describe your product to someone else.” That is to say, the most successful apps are straightforward and can be described to potential customers quickly and easily. He used the strategy game Galcon versus a “crappy” mood ring app dubbed Mood Touch as an example. The latter broke the top ten in downloads while the former languished below the top 100. Why? Because Mood Touch could be described in five seconds, making it easier to sell to the masses.

Anyone who has taken note of the popularity of fart apps could have guessed that quality wasn’t the top consideration for a successful app. The bottom line here is that consumers need to discriminate a bit more to prevent the throngs of new developers out there from churning out nothing but crap in search for a quick buck. That’s starting to happen, but needs to happen more often for developers to push the bar upwards more.