The saga surrounding Apple's policies concerning the App Store hasn't reached its climax just yet. After several seemingly arbitrary application rejections, high profile developers quitting iPhone development, and Apple adding a non-disclosure clause to its App Store rejection emails, we now have another high-profile Mac developer contemplating giving up iPhone development. Craig Hockenberry, of The Iconfactory, has written a public letter to Steve Jobs, detailing his worries that Apple's restrictive App Store policies are detrimental to the young platform.
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Member since:2008-07-15
Agreed. As much of a Mac person as I am--and I must say that the Mac platform is very developer friendly--this whole iPhone ridiculousness leaves me shaking my head. It would be one thing if Apple was specific about what apps will or won't be accepted and held to those policies. I'm not sure what they think they'll accomplish with this current state of affairs except to piss people off, though. I do think that developers having to pay a bit to release their apps via the app store makes sense, as Apple has to keep the app store up and running and the funds for that have to come from somewhere. What is ridiculous is that, short of jailbreaking, the app store is the *only* way to get apps on the iPhone and that's what get me. It would be different if you could just download any app like you can on a computer, or just about every other mobile platform out there. This latest episode with having rejections covered under NDA is just beyond insane. I just hope they learn their lesson from it all--the hard way, if that's how it ends up turning out. Sometimes I think that Apple is a bipolar company, having rapid swings from brilliance to insanity and back again faster than you can blink an eye. On one hand we have OS X, on the other we have the iPhone app store. It's certainly entertaining and maddening at the same time.
Member since:2005-07-24
Let's see... Where could Apple possibly come up with a revenue stream to maintain the iPhone App Store functioning well enough to effectively provide iPhone apps for the iPhone to owners of iPhones? An iBake Sale, maybe?
Edited 2008-09-29 23:32 UTC
Member since:2005-07-06
This needs to be a cost that is absorbed by them, plain and simple. This is a textbook definition of bilking: Apple says "you can only use our platform to distribute your apps, and on top of that, you have to pay for it." That would be like Adobe having to pay Microsoft to use a Microsoft sanctioned distribution channel so that they can sell Photoshop.
Apple's control freakishness nature is outlandish. Their stock is through the roof lately. To basically haggle over what amounts to pennies to them is insanity at its best.
Member since:2006-05-29
Sorry, but that is Bullshit.
Appstore is the least expensive (for the developer) store to sell mobile apps. On other Mobile app portals you normally get around 30% or less of sales price. I can't manage to see how getting 70% is a ripoff in comparison. You don't really want to compare to Desktop markets, right? Only a tiny fraction of mobile phone apps are not bought through portals.
Member since:2005-07-06
Not only that. Microsoft is so developers friendly that they have an history of staying away from specific software markets not to affect its developers. That's why in many cases you need 3rdy-party tools to achieve specific functionalities. Couldn't Microsoft develop an A/V software or other tools? Why you have Paint and Notepad instead of better tools? Couldn't Microsoft develop a load of games? That's why.
To that, add that Microsoft is actively supporting popular Windows software instead of breaking compatibilities. Since Windows '95, MS is struggling to be sure that popular softwares will be compatible with newer Windows versions. If we dig into AppCompat sub-system we will find loads of surprises.
Member since:2005-07-12
Not that I disagree with your basic statement, but I was a DOS/Windows developer for quite a few years, and this part of your statement:
"You nailed it, and it's this attitude that will further cement them as such a niche product. Microsoft (love them or hate them) is very developer friendly, and it's because of them openly embracing developers that Windows (as a platform) has flourished so much over the years."
Is not quite true. Microsoft is very developer friendly, until your product gets above a certain point on their radar, then they will either buy you out, create their own version of your product, or failing that, find some other way to put you out of business.
Sorry, don't mean to change the topic, but I've seen way too many good companies and independent developers get buried by Microsoft.
Member since:
2005-07-06
You nailed it, and it's this attitude that will further cement them as such a niche product. Microsoft (love them or hate them) is very developer friendly, and it's because of them openly embracing developers that Windows (as a platform) has flourished so much over the years.
The fact that a developer has to PAY APPLE to release their apps in the iStore is beyond ludicrous. It almost makes me ashamed that I even own an iPod touch. It's such an arrogant mindset to have. If enough would-be developers jump ship, perhaps they'll get the message. One of them just might be the one who would've written the next killer iApp that would make the iPhone a must-own device.