Hmm. Technical glitches of the DTK units aside, there seems to be some folks smart enough to develop software who apparently don't take the time to read the contracts they agreed to.
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Apple Asks Developers to Return DTK Mac Minis in Exchange for $200 Credit Toward M1 Mac
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While I think Apple could definitely do much better than $200 if only for goodwill, developers who signed up for the DTK were well aware that they are expected to return the kit and that the the cost was to rent, not own. They were never promised anything else.
This is one area where Steve Balmer was spot on. "Developers, developers, developers!" Apple really doesn't do themselves any favors by being so hard on everyone. I know people don't generally like Windows on this forum, but having developed for macOS and Windows (and both of their mobile counterparts) I can honestly say that Microsoft is 1000% better to their developers than Apple, to the point where it's almost impossible to compare the differences are so stark.
It's very sad seeing all the Apple boot lickers in this thread.
Without the developers creating apps on iOS, the iPhone would have / would be a complete failure and a waste of a platform.
Now I wait for those same boot lickers to say "Nobody forced you to develop for the iPhone nor forced you to buy one", because they have no real counter argument other than the blind worship of little Timmy Cook.
Apple should compensate the developers for the lost time using garbage trial hardware and they honestly should have only required the $500 as a deposit to use the hardware, with the condition of getting the money back upon return of the hardware in GOOD condition.
Without the developers creating apps on iOS, the iPhone would have / would be a complete failure and a waste of a platform.
Now I wait for those same boot lickers to say "Nobody forced you to develop for the iPhone nor forced you to buy one", because they have no real counter argument other than the blind worship of little Timmy Cook.
Apple should compensate the developers for the lost time using garbage trial hardware and they honestly should have only required the $500 as a deposit to use the hardware, with the condition of getting the money back upon return of the hardware in GOOD condition.
I found a seg fault in one of Apple's applications. Pretty obvious one. I gave steps to reproduce. I bought an M1 air when they became available to verify. I've followed up with Big Sur 11.2 (still there). I haven't heard a thing from Apple.
This coupon is pretty much my "Ovaltine Commercial." They could have at least fixed their bug for $500.
This coupon is pretty much my "Ovaltine Commercial." They could have at least fixed their bug for $500.
Don't see anyone who paid $99 for the SDK complaining they didn't get $x amount off the price of an iPhone
Nice strawman argument. Try again?
Back at the start of the program, Apple couldn’t be sure when the production hardware would be on sale? If there had been a setback in the M1 release Apple might have needed to support the DTK for longer.
The reality is that those A12 developer kits were a kludge and were always going to become completely obsolete the millisecond proper M1 Macs became available, whenever that was. Not sure why anybody is griping over the return date of something that has been of no practical use as a test platform since at least November. Seriously: what are you going to use it for?
...and all this stuff about “renting” or “leasing”... from what has been shown so far of the T&Cs it wasn’t even that: you subscribed to a developer program of which access to a DTK machine, with clear disclaimers about its suitability for any purpose, was part. If anybody think $500 is a bit much for some documentation, a few tech support calls and access to a private forum and brief loan of pre-production hardware then... well they probably also think that 30% markup for getting their products into a massive online store that also includes distribution, billing and payment processing is so unfair, too...
Sure, it would have been nice of Apple to give every developer a free Mini and a pony, but they are under no obligation to do so, and never said they would. Also, I wonder how many registered developers there are today compared to 2006 when jobs was so much more generous...? My guess is that there are a lot more, and Apple would have ended up giving a Mini to everybody who had written a Flappy Bird knockoff.
Now, if people are saying that their DTKs never worked at all, that’s maybe a valid criticism - but it is nothing to do with this return program.
I don't know the numbers, but I suspect you're overestimating how many people got a DTK.
This isn't a device for iOS developers, nor for Web developers. It's only useful for developers targeting macOS. That numbers hasn't grown that much.
Credit has to be used on M1 Macs by end of May? Consider that confirmation new Apple Silicon Macs to arrive in June
YES.
That statement I agree with.
What I’m saying is: the reason why not that many people got a DTK is because they were $500... and that’s just to rent, not to own. Limited appeal, yeah?
What the OP was calling for is for them to have been free. Now THAT would have created a situation where they literally couldn’t have kept up with demand.
If they were free I would have taken one! Perhaps you would have too... maybe 1/2 the people on this site. I mean, why not- if it’s free?
My point is- it was the cost as a barrier to entry that made it possible.
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This is ridiculous. Absolutely garbage way to treat the developers who are building your ecosystem and making sure users have usable apps on day one.
Mark my words: never again Apple.
Mark my words: never again Apple.
Incorrect use of the term “straw man”... not even a nice try.
The analogy holds. You pay for a service, but expect the entire price of the service to be returned in the form of a discount for purchasing hardware.
Those two things are nearly precisely the same- no straw man there, bro.
Software is not hardware. Therefore it's a straw man argument, if not a red herring.
We are talking about developer hardware, not an SDK.
Apple doesn't care about their developers.
Heck they don't even care about their users, take a look at their highly unethical "repair" practices and fight against right to repair.
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No but you see plenty of people complaining about the $99 price in general. I'd actually be less upset with the $99 developer fee if it came with a $99 gift certificate for a phone.
An out-of-date post, but a good comparison non-the-less:
What are the fees to develop on iOS, Android and WP?
I know this is not the perfect place to ask this question, but it is so hard to find a good answer and I prefer to ask experienced professionals. What are the fees we must pay to publish an applic...
TLDR:
Apple charges $99/year
Google charges a one time $25 fee to publish
Microsoft.... well just lol, I wouldn't pay $1 to publish an app in the Windows store, let alone the $12 they charge.
Yes to the first one. In the contract it says they'll terminate your developer account if it isn't returned.
Apple gave developers early access for a mere $500 so developers could transition their apps and make money. Now Apple wants their equipment back and gives developers $200. That’s fair. so developers are whining b/c they should be entitled to free things? Uh-uh. Some people just don’t appreciate their privilege and good fortunate.
But that's my point, they don't offer a gift certificate for developing for iPhone so why are people so outraged they've been offered one for the Mac Mini?! Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth!
Apple, it seems, was damned if they did/damned if they didn't.
Apple ask for DTK back at the end of a signed contract. Offer nothing = people upset
Apple ask for DTK back at the end of a signed contract and offer a coupon to use if returned early = people upset
End of the day, you went in knowing that $500 was gone forever and at some point you'd have to give the DTK back to Apple. To expect a free M1 Mac Mini is ridiculous. To expect that you'd get you $500 back on a lease means you either didn't read what you signed or you're a fool.
Seems to me the percentage credit you get back should be earned by actually developing apps for the M1 chip. You don't develop anything, you get 0% back and you just keep the DTK (assuming that's an option for DTK holders).
Develop lots of native M1 apps? Get perhaps even 150% back - or just a straight trade in for a production M1 Mac Mini.
Lots of these people complaining probably signed up and got the DTK for $500 as early adopters wanting to get their hands on the M1 Mac, with no intention of developing the M1 native apps Apple needs from the community.
Develop lots of native M1 apps? Get perhaps even 150% back - or just a straight trade in for a production M1 Mac Mini.
Lots of these people complaining probably signed up and got the DTK for $500 as early adopters wanting to get their hands on the M1 Mac, with no intention of developing the M1 native apps Apple needs from the community.
I think people (including myself) are seeing Apple as petty for asking for these things back. Apple is just going to scrap them anyway, so why not allow devs to keep a piece of computing history? These are a lot like the Intel DTKs; they became relatively useless but the few that are still out there became museum pieces.
Apple should give devs the OPTION to send it back to be recycled for a $200 credit, but otherwise let them keep it. Then this whole discussion would be moot.
I don't even have one, so I don't have a horse in this race. I'd just rather people get to keep the neat gadget which is worthless to Apple anyway.
Not an option, they were leased, Apple still own them, they are not the developers to keep or sell on. Same as with a leased car, you put a deposit on it but you don't own it.