Linked by Thom Holwerda on Sun 8th Nov 2009 16:11 UTC
We're all familiar with the fact that Apple has trouble managing its App Store. While it is overflowing with applications, Apple governs it willy-nilly, and the web is rife with stories from developers who had their application rejected for no apparent reason. There's now a new issue we can add to the list. Are you an iPhone developer? Do you want a similar, competing application out of the App Store? All you need to do is send an infringement claim to Apple, and they'll happily threaten to remove the competing application without a second thought. Update: And here's a similar case, about Stoneloops! vs. Luxor.
Permalink for comment 393608
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Recent Original Stories
Recent Comments
Headlines
Random Comments
Random Stories
Random OS Link
Member since:
2008-07-15
To me, the app store is a double-edged blade. On one hand, if a developer doesn't have to go through a lot of hassle with Apple and gets their app in right away, it's a very efficient way for them to get their app out to as many people as possible. The only people on most other phone platforms (Symbian, WM, etc) who installed or bought apps were people who were specifically looking for them on the web. A good many people didn't, and still don't, realize that their smartphones can have additional programs installed. So on that level, it's good for some developers and very good for users who now have an easy way to find apps. In this respect, it's much like a *NIX package repository.
However, it almost seems to me as though Apple wasn't prepared for what they were trying to do, and they're struggling not only with themselves but with third parties such as the cel providers. They had all the technology in place, but the actual exercising of their store policies either was not laid out for the employees or the policies themselves are not clear enough and can be interpreted differently. Looking at the policies, I'd say it is some of both. I understand why they're trying to control the app store, even though I don't agree, but they weren't ready to handle that type of control and they're trying to find their feet so to speak, and all the while being badgered by cel providers and politics although they deny this. They simply weren't, and obviously still aren't, prepared to take on the role of gatekeeper/arbitrator for something this large.