The Fart doors have opened.

[detz]

So there have been tons and tons of fart apps flooding the app store now, I'm not sure why but Apple made the decision to allow these apps so they've approved all of them(back until launch) and they are all on the store. Pull my finger, woopie cushion, fart sound...you name it and it's on there. As a developer and a consumer with iPhones it upsets me that the store is sinking to this level.

[DipDog3]

I guess the mighty dollar has won again!

Why have standards when there is money to be made?

[Luap]

Considering Apple is supposedly a premium brand, its surprising that they let any old crap like this onto the app store. Poor show..

[detz]

I guess the mighty dollar has won again!

Why have standards when there is money to be made?

Either Apple needs to change the App Store so it's easier to block apps like this on our end or stop allowing crap like this on the store. Sure one or two is acceptable but now there is probably close to 30 of these "useless apps".

Considering Apple is supposedly a premium brand, its surprising that they let any old crap like this onto the app store. Poor show..

Yeah, they are only hurting their reputation. When people blog about the App store and write articles about it it's not how great it is anymore it's how there is so much junk on there.

[Ashyukun]

Yeah, I noticed that as well. If I valued my time less than I do, I'd answer the first question that came to mind when I first noticed the trend: Are there now more fart apps than flashlight apps?

Now it's only a matter of time until the inevitable: the release of a farting flashlight app.

[gadgetdad]

So there have been tons and tons of fart apps flooding the app store now, I'm not sure why but Apple made the decision to allow these apps so they've approved all of them(back until launch) and they are all on the store. Pull my finger, woopie cushion, fart sound...you name it and it's on there. As a developer and a consumer with iPhones it upsets me that the store is sinking to this level.

Oh please. Why people get upset with a little fun is beyond me. If you don't care for such apps, then don't buy them.

Why let it upset you? :rolleyes:

[detz]

Oh please. Why people get upset with a little fun is beyond me. If you don't care for such apps, then don't buy them.

Why let it upset you? :rolleyes:

Because it's almost impossible to find something good when you're flooded with garbage. It wouldn't be an issue if the store was built correctly or it was a true free market(developers could sell their apps else where) but since both of those don't exist having these crap apps on the store hurts Apple, the developers and the consumers. It's really a no win for anyone.

I'm not against fun silly apps(see sig) but when you're flooded with 20 apps that all they do is make farting sounds it gets a little ridiculous.

[ying yang]

So then, you have more of a problem with the store's layout than with what total strangers choose to put on their phones.

[detz]

So then, you have more of a problem with the store's layout than with what total strangers choose to put on their phones.

You can download what ever you want, that's your choice. My issue is that Apple has forced us to only download and purchase apps from them, combine that with an ancient system built for distributing music and then pile on a bunch of completely useless apps and it's just getting out of hand.

If people want to waste their time creating fart applications and people want to waste their money purchasing them than that's fine with me but Apple should either provide me a better way of finding useful applications or filtering out the useless ones.

So I guess my rant is more that Apple opens up the flood gates for these apps but does not release a better App store along with it.

[gadgetdad]

Its like searching for stuff on the internet. Sometimes you get bad results because of all the "garbage" out there. Deal with it.

Personally I dont get upset , I just move on, well after I fire off a few ifarts...:p

[dukebound85]

So then, you have more of a problem with the store's layout than with what total strangers choose to put on their phones.

i have a problem with finding apps worth having when 99.99% are utter crap
i have a problem how you cant test an app for a period of time before you buy the garbage

so yes, its apple's fault for the layout of the store and apples fault for letting so many apps that are crap in

[gadgetdad]

You can download what ever you want, that's your choice. My issue is that Apple has forced us to only download and purchase apps from them, combine that with an ancient system built for distributing music and then pile on a bunch of completely useless apps and it's just getting out of hand.

Ok, so its not about the fart door, but your impression of the Apple store. We'll I guess there's always the G-phone for you. ;)

[detz]

Its like searching for stuff on the internet. Sometimes you get bad results because of all the "garbage" out there. Deal with it.

Personally I dont get upset , I just move on, well after I fire off a few ifarts...:p

There is no comparison. You have many choices on the Internet(Google,Yahoo, Ask, MSN) to sort things out, search engines do their best to sort out the crap for you. ;) If they didn't the Internet would be a horrible place.

[Daremo]

My issue is that Apple has forced us to only download and purchase apps from them

BUT, no one has forced YOU to buy and use an iPhone. No one forces you to use the app store. You choose to do. They choose to set up their product the way they see fit. You have options if you dislike it, and feel forced. Try a Blackberry, or the Android phone. Both have apps that can be added, without being forced to use iTunes.

[detz]

Ok, so its not about the fart door, but your impression of the Apple store. We'll I guess there's always the G-phone for you. ;)

I have no problem with the iPhone, why would I switch to another phone? :confused:

[detz]

BUT, no one has forced YOU to buy and use an iPhone. No one forces you to use the app store. You choose to do. They choose to set up their product the way they see fit. You have options if you dislike it, and feel forced. Try a Blackberry, or the Android phone. Both have apps that can be added, without being forced to use iTunes.

Yes I realize this, I'm shocked that a company like Apple doesn't have better sense than this though. They will change it because people will complain so loud that they will be forced to but the damage will be done by then. I'm upset with Apple for this move, they are a great company but the whole App Store and the way they've gone about it is very disheartening.

[gadgetdad]

There is no comparison. You have many choices on the Internet(Google,Yahoo, Ask, MSN) to sort things out, search engines do their best to sort out the crap for you. ;) If they didn't the Internet would be a horrible place.

I guess I was referring to the search mode in iTunes. Search for what you want there or Google it, then download it in iTunes. There are many places you can find out app info without sorting through iTunes.

[ying yang]

If you are complaining moreso as a developer than a consumer then I realise iTunes is the only place for devs to sell their apps but it's not the only place to publicize them. Apple never said they'd promote any apps. Things like the featured apps list and the charts should really be taken as just bonuses. The main responsibility for publicizing an app lies squarely with the developer.

A lot of indie developers seem content with letting Apple do all the work for them and then complaining when they don't.

If people are spending their money on fart noises rather than your apps then it's either because they saw your app at some point and didn't want it or they never heard of it. Either way, that's not Apple's fault.

[Daremo]

I've never had an issue finding anything I was looking for. I honestly don't see what the issue is as a consumer.

And if this is a developer who is unhappy, then do more to self promote. buy ads on the different Mac sites, like MacRumors.

Everyone has a different opinion on how things should be run, and seriously, not trying to be a smart ass, but if things bother you about how they choose to run their business, you have the freedom to buy and support another product that fits into your wish list.

[det2004]

It doesn't matter what Apple does, they can't win. If they block out some of these apps, then everybody will complain that they aren't open, and you can't get as many apps for the iphone as you can for a wm phone. If they allow all of this stuff in, everybody's crying that the app store is flooded, and that they aren't happy with that either.

You can't make everybody happy, and everyone's always going to find something to whine about.

I'm sure that they will do something to better organize the app store at some point....they will almost have to with the amount of new apps being created every day. Keep in mind, that this is their first attempt at an iPhone app store, and that it can always be improved upon, and they have already tinkered with it several times.

[ying yang]

..buy ads on the different Mac sites, like MacRumors.

Or a Superbowl ad.

[Sky Blue]

Great thread title or greatest thread title?

[nick9191]

If I was Apple, I would probably junk about 90% of the apps on the store. I don't care who whines or what negative press comes my way, some of the crap on there makes me feel sad to be a developer.

[gadgetdad]

I for one then am glad you're not Apple. ;)

[nick9191]

Okay maybe that was a bit drastic. Maybe 50%.

I would also try to find a way within the law to stop these constant price drops. Its turning away some great developers from the iPhone who cannot make a viable profit, and it makes people who paid $10 for an app feel pissed that it now costs $1.

[Kadman]

I think it's good that Apple finally let 'em fly. I suspect holding them in became painful, as it fueled the fire of criticism over their release selection process and the silent but deadly managers of said process. I think a Bronx Cheer is in order!

[ex8886]

So if you guys have been tracking the latest apps released in the past couple days, there have probably been 40+ fart/burp/whoopi apps released. I mean I'm all against regulation, but is that really necessary? And while we're at it, is it really necessary to have so many 'call #1,' call dad,' 'call store,' 'call dentist,' 'call crazy stalker i met on myspace' type of apps? Kind of like the 'dayz to divorce,' and 'dayz to just about anything we were able to think of' apps that just clutter the app store. I mean if you're gonna put that crap in, at least give us a choice to filter that crap out when we're looking for something that's actually useful. How is Apple gonna market the iPhone to business users? "We might not have word editing programs like the blackberry, but we do have the most farting apps." I'm done with my rant.

[kas23]

We're seeing all the fart apps that had been wasting away in the approval process since the beginning of the app store. Their numbers will likely dissipate over the next few days and the air will be cleared (pun intended).

I wonder what else they have sitting in their approval process? They're probably holding back on stuff that would likely blow us away (pun definitely not intended).

[kas23]

So if you guys have been tracking the latest apps released in the past couple days, there have probably been 40+ fart/burp/whoopi apps released. I mean I'm all against regulation, but is that really necessary? And while we're at it, is it really necessary to have so many 'call #1,' call dad,' 'call store,' 'call dentist,' 'call crazy stalker i met on myspace' type of apps? Kind of like the 'dayz to divorce,' and 'dayz to just about anything we were able to think of' apps that just clutter the app store. I mean if you're gonna put that crap in, at least give us a choice to filter that crap out when we're looking for something that's actually useful. How is Apple gonna market the iPhone to business users? "We might not have word editing programs like the blackberry, but we do have the most farting apps." I'm done with my rant.

I agree with all of this. I'm really sick of the "press one button to do blank" apps. And I can't even go on appshopper anymore. It reaks!

[Michael CM1]

Yes, the store is pretty loaded with useless apps. There needs to be some usefulness rating as well as just an overall rating. iPint is pretty neat, but I would give it a 0.1 on the usefulness scale. Same goes for the farting and smoking apps. I made more useful stuff on my TI-85 calculator in high school.

[gadgetdad]

I think it's good that Apple finally let 'em fly. I suspect holding them in became painful, as it fueled the fire of criticism over their release selection process and the silent but deadly managers of said process. I think a Bronx Cheer is in order!

:p Nothing worse than holding them in

This was a great post on so many levels.

[iBlue]

So because Apple's app store is lousy to navigate, you think it's right to deny people their fart apps? You need bigger things to worry about.

[Sehnsucht]

Oh please. Why people get upset with a little fun is beyond me. If you don't care for such apps, then don't buy them.

Why let it upset you? :rolleyes:

:D Well, I think their point is when people think of Apple, a juvenile fart sound effect isn't what usually comes to mind. Oh well...the stupid ones will fail and the useful, practical ones will prevail. At least I hope so. :rolleyes:

[Sehnsucht]

.....They're probably holding back on stuff that would likely blow us away (pun definitely not intended).....

:D :D Ya know, someone could take that line and make far worse apps than fart ones. Be thankful. :D ;)

[TheSpaz]

To me... the only way to actually find anything decent on the App store is to look at the top 25 apps... then drill backwards. Every day, there's about 100 apps added. Most of them are stupid sudoku puzzles or 1 button dialers. It's getting sickening. I still look because I don't wanna miss the REALLY GOOD apps.

I wish there was a site (kinda like toucharcade) that shows and reviews the HIGHEST QUALITY apps on the AppStore that are HAND PICKED based on Quality, Design, Functionality and Ease of Use. I think more Apps should look and feel like Apple's apps, but they don't.

[jfox00]

Lets face it, Apple can't please all the people all the time. It's actually funny. Lets take a look at the progression.

On day 1, Apple gave us the app store.

On day 2, Apple restricts certain applications.
[everyone is up in arms about apple "controlling" the app store, and "who is apple to deny my application"]

On day 3, Apple loosens restriction on applications.
[everyone is crying about the quality of applications in the app store now]

Hey EVERYONE - you're so smart. How can apple both restrict the applications, but not "control" the app store. You can't.

But you can change the layout, reorganize, have "quality" ratings, allow filters, etc.. The improvement need to come from organization and enhancements. Maybe I really like fart applications. Maybe I really like something you don't. But it should be "allowed" in the store. You don't want it, or want to see application like it, then we need search/layout improvements. Simple.

End Rant.

[rjgrune]

well i programmed a whoopie cushion app back when i first was learning how to program. i thought it was a great idea and i had no programming experience so it began my trip into learning how to make apps. it got rejected and now it is allowed.

that being said, i have released despite the flood of farting apps. but the good news is - since these "noise-making apps" are quite simple to make - it is FREE!

so you may hate the flood of apps, but this may also help the quality of paid apps in the store as here is a free farting app. download and enjoy - WhoopieCushion (http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=289189768&mt=8).

[FearlessFreep]

These were bound to hit the store sometime. So the way I see it, let 'em flood the store now and that will likely be the last wave of them and they will die a quick death.

[BruceEBonus]

As another poster said earlier in this thread, too many drops the quality so you dont know which one to go for. Most are simulated flatulence - which defeats the object a bit ... and consist of naff sound samples linked to a 'button' and then charge 59p (99c) for the 'privelege'. One of the worst offenders is BurpBox in my opinion - poor quality samples and only a few of them at that. Ironically - I couldve sampled the stuff off my own eBay product which has been produced over the past ten years .. trouble is ... I cant program an iPhone App so I'll have to bow to new technology! But as a 'connossieur' of such things and purveyor of genuine quality 'output' I can safely say that at LEAST half the fart and burp apps are just fart-sounding noises and only a proportion are the real thing. But if Apple simply allow everything to go through on the App Store without quality-testing then to be honest - its going to be a shame for all concerned. I sugges ti fyou feel 'curious' about install ing a fart app then go for the free Whoopie Cushion and take it from there .. its pretty much similar to the paid stuff ... thanks ...OR (Free plug imminent) you could always go for a UK old-school product which provides the 'real McCoy' on the antiquated CD medium! (remember those?) ("Thats enough free product placement!"-Forum Ed.)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...0#ht_500wt_924

[akacaj]

Don't worry I am taking care of the fart apps! See my sig :D

But seriously though you think that just because people are buying fart apps they are not buying anything else? They will buy fart apps for fun and utility apps as needed. Apple knows this and they don't mind making a buck of a person who wouldn't buy anything else. In addition to that, fart apps also raise the value of other apps. Now if a fart app costs $.99 what should a serious app cost? Thank you very much now go raise your price.

[Digipimp]

i came, i read, ifarted

[kas23]

Fart apps are evolving:

http://appshopper.com/games/fart-bubbles-by-looptek

Think we'll have a cut and paste fart app soon?

[KRAPPS]

Fart apps are evolving:

http://appshopper.com/games/fart-bubbles-by-looptek

Think we'll have a cut and paste fart app soon?

Agreed ... they are evolving ... iFart just released an update which allows the user to send farts via email :)

[leishan]

Agreed ... they are evolving ... iFart just released an update which allows the user to send farts via email :)

But will you be able to smell them? That is when we will know we have arrived...

[KRAPPS]

But will you be able to smell them? That is when we will know we have arrived...

LOL ... AGREED!!!