I am taking a serious look at XOOM -Apple App Store Policy Fallout Thread

[faith4more]

Apple continues to tighten control. I am a big Apple product user. Everyone in my family has an ios device. But this subscription policy just irks me and makes me wonder about future. I don't want to be locked into Apple forever but they continue to push down that road.

For the first time I am taking a serious look at Xoom. Honeycomb looks great. This is the first time I have looked away from ipad.

Let the fallout begin and the fanboys defend.

[MacDawg]

Everyone makes their own choices on devices for various reasons
If Xoom and Honeycomb meet your needs better, then you should by all means go that route

[SDub90]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

I'm in the same boat. Android devices are starting to look a lot better to me now. I think my iPhone 4 will be my last iOS device.

[scottmizo]

I do not know if Apple's subscription policy is "fair" and
I don't care. I do know that I will be delaying all Apple purchases
(iMac and iPad 2) until July. If the likes of Amazon and Netflix
leave the App Store, so do I.

[clyde2801]

Originally Posted by SDub90

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

I'm in the same boat. Android devices are starting to look a lot better to me now. I think my iPhone 4 will be my last iOS device.

I think if nothing else, inertia will cause many people to stay with their ios devices. I think two things would have to happen for a mass migration:

1. Competitors would have to release hardware and an app ecosystem that would match or better the ios experience at the same or better price point; and,

2. Apple would have to make a bone headed decision so onerous and egregious that it would cause millions of users to look down at their ios devices and scream in unison, "WHAT THE :censored:?!?".

Otherwise, probably not gonna happen.

[Mitchrapp]

I'm not an Apple guy, first apple product I ever owned was my iPad. I use it about 10-12 a day for 10 months now. I have an Android phone, HTC Incredible -- which was my first android product I've owned.

I've always been the "I buy what I think is best at the time" guy. So I'm really hoping I get to see the iPad 2 specs before next week and pricing but ATM, I looking at buying the Xoom. I've always liked the Marketplace over Apples app store -- I'm a big fan of Not being locked into what can be put on the market. And able to buy something and test for a day and then return it for full value, that's huge for me.

Nonetheless, I hope the Tablet market starts to heat up. We need competition.

[maflynn]

You need to pick the device/platform that best suits your needs.

I've found android to have some very good positives and some very frustrating negatives.

My biggest complaint so far is the glacial pace motorola takes in providing updates. Android 2.2 was released in May, the DroidX didn't see it until the last day of september. Even then it was incredibly buggy, and I had to wait 3 more months to get the bug fix. I'm still waiting for 2.3

While iOS is a closed marketplace, from a consumer's perspective its a better marketplace then google's as you have company over-seeing and approving what can be sold. The downside is that you have to live within their eco-system.

If you're heavily involved with apple products you may be dissapointed in getting your stuff so easily synced. Its doable, but no where near the ease and simplicity of apple

Do I sound like I'm now an android hater or an apple fanboy? I'm not just someone who's been using android for a while. I like the platform, but you need to choose wisely. I loved my nexus one, because it was rootable, and got updates fast. I'm disappointed in my Droidx because its buggy and moto is slow to update it.

[walkie]

I'm also planning on buying an Android based tab, not only for Apple policy but after being using the iPad for 8 months I see that the competition is offering all the functionality iPad lacks adding even two times more RAM memory than the iPad2 is rumored to have, not to mention, UBS ports, SD card ports, Flash etc. and a very important feature: a "file system", is just stupid the way iPad stores files, and I don't want to rely on a jailbreaking to have a such basic feature...

[alex2792]

Welcome to the real world lol. I still love my MBP but it will be a cold day in hell before I buy another iOS product. Apple's arrogance and greed know no bounds and it will come back to bite them big time.

Sent from my SCH-I800 using Tapatalk

[TJRiver]

Originally Posted by faith4more

Apple continues to tighten control. I am a big Apple product user. Everyone in my family has an ios device. But this subscription policy just irks me and makes me wonder about future. I don't want to be locked into Apple forever but they continue to push down that road.

For the first time I am taking a serious look at Xoom. Honeycomb looks great. This is the first time I have looked away from ipad.

Let the fallout begin and the fanboys defend.

So, I assume you do not use Amazon's Kindle e-reader or the Nook e-reader (or their iOS programs) for the exact same reason? Publishers to Barnes and Nobles service end up with anywhere from 60% to 40% of the sale price of their own content. WTF indeed.

Traditional publishers extract similar costs to publish traditional old school content. Strangely enough, the 30% "Apple tax" to play in the App Store does not seem to be killing off competition either....

Enjoy that (as of today) unreleased, unreviewed piece of Moto hardware, I am sure it will be just as cutting edge as their cell phones. Not a fanboy, I just enjoy the knee jerk reaction to anything Apple does......

[Arnieaz]

Originally Posted by scottmizo

I do not know if Apple's subscription policy is "fair" and
I don't care. I do know that I will be delaying all Apple purchases
(iMac and iPad 2) until July. If the likes of Amazon and Netflix
leave the App Store, so do I.

+1 My exact feelings and response!
My wife and I have 2 iPhones and 2 ipad's. Also a MacBook pro and an iMac!
But, we also have purchased hundreds of kindle books! They come first

[blackNBUK]

Originally Posted by Mitchrapp

I've always been the "I buy what I think is best at the time" guy. So I'm really hoping I get to see the iPad 2 specs before next week and pricing but ATM, I looking at buying the Xoom. I've always liked the Marketplace over Apples app store -- I'm a big fan of Not being locked into what can be put on the market. And able to buy something and test for a day and then return it for full value, that's huge for me.

That advantage seems to have mostly gone now as the refund period has been changed to 15 minutes. It's better than nothing but I doubt I could make a fair judgement on an App in just 15 minutes.

[Mitchrapp]

Maybe I'm late on this or missed it somewhere but is there talk about the Netflix and Kindle apps going away from the app store?

[Mitchrapp]

Originally Posted by blackNBUK

That advantage seems to have mostly gone now as the refund period has been changed to 15 minutes. It's better than nothing but I doubt I could make a fair judgement on an App in just 15 minutes.

I didn't realize that. But I suppose there have a been an app here and there I knew I wasted my money in the first few minutes. They probably got rid of the 24 hours because I could see people DL games, beating it within a day and then getting a refund.

[MacDawg]

Originally Posted by Mitchrapp

Maybe I'm late on this or missed it somewhere but is there talk about the Netflix and Kindle apps going away from the app store?

Just speculation at this point

[AppleScruff1]

You should look at any competing products that interest you and make your decision on what best meets your needs regardless of Apples policies. Why be a sheep?

[iphone1105]

Wait, wha? So you'd buy a xoom, with no known apps optimized for their tablet yet? No way to get any DRM content and use it on the xoom?(no netflix, hulu, abc, etc..) No real hands on anywhere yet showing the overall UI of the device?? just some nice video they install of the ui on the device? Just some observation

Well okay then, don't let me change your mind, but at least know what you're getting into with the xoom.

Good luck with it though, hope it brings you what you need. Make sure to come back once you get the xoom, let us iPaders know what the differences are, that'd be cool!

Good luck!

[poloponies]

Originally Posted by Mitchrapp

Maybe I'm late on this or missed it somewhere but is there talk about the Netflix and Kindle apps going away from the app store?

You'd be wise to be wary of any "information" gleaned from this site. There will be real news on this topic at some future date but you'd be pretty foolish to rely on the misinformation collected here.

[Mitchrapp]

Originally Posted by iphone1105

Wait, wha? So you'd buy a xoom, with no known apps optimized for their tablet yet? No way to get any DRM content and use it on the xoom?(no netflix, hulu, abc, etc..) No real hands on anywhere yet showing the overall UI of the device?? just some nice video they install of the ui on the device? Just some observation

Well okay then, don't let me change your mind, but at least know what you're getting into with the xoom.

Good luck with it though, hope it brings you what you need. Make sure to come back once you get the xoom, let us iPaders know what the differences are, that'd be cool!

Good luck!

Just like the iPad. How many apps did Apple have optimized for the iPad? At release. Xoom will be fine with regards to that.

[whooleytoo]

Generally I have a lot of problems with Apple's policies, but the latest ones don't bother me in the slightest.

- Can't use/buy iBooks on jailbroken devices? No problem. I don't see why Apple needs to support user-modified devices/installations.

- The subscription rules - seem quite overbearing, but I'm not a content provider so it doesn't affect me.

For the moment, I'll stick with the iOS; mostly as it's a pain to lose/replace all my apps.

[Jcoz]

Originally Posted by scottmizo

I do not know if Apple's subscription policy is "fair" and
I don't care. I do know that I will be delaying all Apple purchases
(iMac and iPad 2) until July. If the likes of Amazon and Netflix
leave the App Store, so do I.

Agree 100%.

I really dont care about specific %'s or dollars, I care about my device and it being able to do what I want.....

I never minded with my iphone because the restrictions never restricted ME.....I'm not sure that will be the case with a tablet.

Have planned on buying an ipad for almost a year now. The last 30 days have officially stayed my hand until July at the very earliest, where as I planned to get the ipad 2 immediately.

Why should people buy a device from apple having absolutely no idea how future apple decisions will affect their device.....that they paid for.

I don't think I can, and I likely will not wait until all the dust settles to get a tablet if some of these non-apple offerings look good.

[iphone1105]

Originally Posted by Mitchrapp

Just like the iPad. How many apps did Apple have optimized for the iPad? At release. Xoom will be fine with regards to that.

Apple had 1,000 apps ready at launch. I'd say they'll be well ahead of Moto and the App Marketplace for xoom wil lbe at launch...I mean the Xoom comes out in days, I have heard of maybe 5 apps, big name apps...? Theyre maybe more, but don't follow all the xoom app news unfortunately

Furthermore how will the be fine?? Xoom can't have apps that dont meet DRM standards. You want a tablet where you can't watch Netflix, or Hulu, or most TV Shows you like via a nice app?? Granted you get flash, but you'll get a couple hours of viewing at most on flash. We all know flash will eat the battery....

Just saying, not picking sides, neither of these is "god tablet" but lets not act liek the xoom is the end all be all, 'cuz it has dual cams, and some ram bumps and dual core. No one has seen it long enough to even give the UI a decent once over?!?!?!?!

[McWatt]

Originally Posted by whooleytoo

- The subscription rules - seem quite overbearing, but I'm not a content provider so it doesn't affect me.

Of course, these subscription rules won't affect you at all. When has a business ever raised prices on consumers just because its costs went up 30% overnight? That would never happen.

[jimboutilier]

Originally Posted by TJRiver

So, I assume you do not use Amazon's Kindle e-reader or the Nook e-reader (or their iOS programs) for the exact same reason? Publishers to Barnes and Nobles service end up with anywhere from 60% to 40% of the sale price of their own content. WTF indeed.

Traditional publishers extract similar costs to publish traditional old school content. Strangely enough, the 30% "Apple tax" to play in the App Store does not seem to be killing off competition either....

Where apple hosts, streams/distributes apps or content, handles the payment, advertising etc I have no problem with them taking a reasonable cut and it can be a good deal for some providers at 30%.

In cases like Amazon, Netflix, Zinio, etc the providers do all their own heavy lifting and Apple does nothing. By decree Apple wants to take the payment and a 30% cut which is ridiculous. That means these external providers will have to raise prices to maintain some acceptable margin or leave the app store. BTW - If I publish a book on Amazon, I get 70% and they get 30%. If Apple take 30% what does that leave Amazon after they take their costs out - in the negative margins. Thats kind of like Vizio saying that because I watch my content on their TV, they are entitled to a cut of any programming fees I pay. Ridiculous.

I'm with the others that will be leaving iOS if Apples policies adversely impact my content availability or pricing. Apple makes great devices but this is a bad deal for consumers. I don't plan on transitioning to iTunes or iBook and locking myself into an Apple ecosystem when I can choose products and services that run on many other ecosystems and allow me more choices.

[Funkymonk]

have already made up my mind on getting the xoom. $600 for wifi version is a good deal.

Xoom + the new 13" mbp will be a solid combination.