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Apple Slowly Ramping Up iPhone Developer Program

arn said:
The question becomes .... how many Windows Mobile customers bother installing 3rd party apps? I'd say iTunes over-the-air distribution trumps those 100s of ways to distribute your app (which really means 100s of websites). The iPhone also has exceeded Windows Mobile marketshare, last I heard.

arn
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I think real question is "how many any mobile customers bother installing 3rd party apps"? Not many, considering number of devices out there.
And regarding Windows Mobile (don't take this as me thinking it is better than iPhone) and/or JavaME, it will take a long time (if ever) for iPhone to have a total number of devices out exceeding those.
As for distribution model, I agree that iTunes is a better way but it is still limiting availability.

So, talking about chances to struck gold by developing software I think odds are still better developing a web site or a desktop application. :)
 
admittingly, i havent gone through and read all 99 posts before me on this, but i would say this is an obvious attempt at apple to court the people who are going to make them the most money initially.

the obvious (and some would say correct) business model for the sdk is exactly what apple is doing: release the sdk, and apple gets to control all apps that actually make it on the iphone, and in the process, take a cut of the sales.

that being said, it sucks for individuals who want to write freeware or open-source kind of stuff, because apple cant make money off of them (except for the $99 member fee). those guys wont make it as far.

lets all remember, it is apple's goal to make as much money as possible without getting in trouble with the law (not saying they wont do illegal stuff, they will just make sure they dont get caught).
 
tutubibi said:
It's either Apple way or highway.
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Right, but the Apple way involves getting to sell your apps through a store that already has millions of visitors per day. In fact, I'd say from a consumer point of view that you'd be hard pressed to find a better way to shop for and purchase apps than the one that Apple is providing.

cornercuttin said:
that being said, it sucks for individuals who want to write freeware or open-source kind of stuff, because apple cant make money off of them (except for the $99 member fee). those guys wont make it as far.
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Exactly what do you suppose Apple is going to be doing with freeware applications? There would be a huge outcry if they censored freeware applications in a different way from pay-for applications. You are missing the very important point that Apple is not just trying to rake in cash from selling apps on the iPhone, they are also trying to rake in cash by making the iPhone the #1 mobile application platform. For this, it doesn't matter if the killer applications are free or not; they just need to be made for the iPhone. It is in Apple's best interest to support -all- applications for their platform, and they know this (minus the porn and other ones they restrict).
 
admanimal said:
Right, but the Apple way involves getting to sell your apps through a store that already has millions of visitors per day. In fact, I'd say from a consumer point of view that you'd be hard pressed to find a better way to shop for and purchase apps than the one that Apple is providing.
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I don't understand how anyone can argue in favor of RESTRICTED sale channel over the freedom to sell where I see appropriate. This is beyond me.

I like the the fact I CAN sell my applications through the Apple Store if I want. I HATE the idea it is the only way how to do it. I HATE even more the fact I can't even install my applications on my OWN iPhone. That is just ridiculous.
 
arn said:
The question becomes .... how many Windows Mobile customers bother installing 3rd party apps? I'd say iTunes over-the-air distribution trumps those 100s of ways to distribute your app (which really means 100s of websites). The iPhone also has exceeded Windows Mobile marketshare, last I heard.

arn
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Well, yes, but Windows Mobile isn't the real competitor here; it's Symbian. Apple is a long, long way behind them in terms of market share and application distribution.
 
admanimal said:
It's looking like no one has really been accepted into the beta program via the web site yet. I'm guessing those one or two people who posted on here claiming to have been "accepted" were just confused by the email they receive when simply signing up for a web account on the iphone dev site.

http://daringfireball.net/2008/03/so_whos_in_already
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Just because Gruber doesn't know anyone who has been accepted, doesn't mean no one's been accepted.

from the front page story:
Despite theories that every applicant has received the same letter, we can confirm that some developers have already been accepted into the iPhone Developer Program.
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arn said:
Just because Gruber doesn't know anyone who has been accepted, doesn't mean no one's been accepted.

from the front page story:
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Have you actually seen proof (or know that they are trustworthy enough to believe) that these people have been accepted? I have seen a number of people claim to be accepted but not show any proof otherwise. I know at least a couple people thought they were accepted, only to realize that the email they got was just about signing up for a web account.
 
brainless said:
I don't understand how anyone can argue in favor of RESTRICTED sale channel over the freedom to sell where I see appropriate. This is beyond me.
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From the user's perspective or from the deverloper's perspective? These are two distinct perspectives, which people tend to forget about.
 
gwangung said:
From the user's perspective or from the deverloper's perspective? These are two distinct perspectives, which people tend to forget about.
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That was exactly my point- sure if I'm a developer it would be nice to sell my apps on my own web site and get 100% of the profit (minus a small amount for running the site).

But from a user's perspective, the App Store will almost certainly provide an overall better experience than most small developers' web sites.

Plus back to a developer's point of view, it's going to be a lot easier to get tons of people looking at my app in the App Store than if they had to find my site first. And I don't need to worry about setting up a shopping cart or anything like that.
 
admanimal said:
That was exactly my point- sure if I'm a developer it would be nice to sell my apps on my own web site and get 100% of the profit (minus a small amount for running the site).

But from a user's perspective, the App Store will almost certainly provide an overall better experience than most small developers' web sites.

Plus back to a developer's point of view, it's going to be a lot easier to get tons of people looking at my app in the App Store than if they had to find my site first. And I don't need to worry about setting up a shopping cart or anything like that.
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Actually I believe that restricted options are minus if you look from both perspectives.

As developer, it is nice to have the App Store as one of the alternatives. But I hate the fact this is the only possible way. It is really difficult to invest your time and money into developing a great product only to see Apple won't let you in and you've just thrown your money out.

As end user, I would definitely want to have more options to choose from. If I am entry level guy, I probably never try anything else than App Store, especially if there is nice icon on the home screen. But why the hell Apple thinks I am too retard to distinguish between good and bad software that I need their protection ? I have no such problems on the desktop (and millions of other users who buy software "in the wild", in that matter), why should I all of sudden get retarded to point where I can only survive with the help of Apple ?

I really don't know how anyone can see restrictions as a good thing. Show me a single type of business where it was to any help. All prosper from freedom and free choice, not restrictions.
 
brainless said:
It is really difficult to invest your time and money into developing a great product only to see Apple won't let you in and you've just thrown your money out.
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Personally I think people are being way too paranoid about what Apple will or will not allow. It should be pretty easy to figure out from the start whether your product is close to crossing the line, and decide whether to proceed accordingly.
 
brainless said:
As end user, I would definitely want to have more options to choose from. If I am entry level guy, I probably never try anything else than App Store, especially if there is nice icon on the home screen. But why the hell Apple thinks I am too retard to distinguish between good and bad software that I need their protection ?
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Market experience.

You're still thinking like a developer, not like a potential user.
 
admanimal said:
Personally I think people are being way too paranoid about what Apple will or will not allow. It should be pretty easy to figure out from the start whether your product is close to crossing the line, and decide whether to proceed accordingly.
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Well, although it might be a case, I find it pretty difficult to invest substantial amount of money when I can be forced easily out of the market and Apple published no rules on which the submission process will be based.

One more thing... the fact there are majority of countries where it is still not possible to legally buy a iPhone and there is great chance we'll have to wait years before the App Store will be opened greatly diminish the target audience if compared with scenario where application distribution is not locked into App Store.

I really don't understand how anybody can see this as benefit to the developer.
 
gwangung said:
Market experience.

You're still thinking like a developer, not like a potential user.
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Well, I am the user and I can't really see what is the benefit for me. I agree it is good to have easy to find point to start my search for application. But if I am not successful there, what is the plus for me if I am banned from getting the application somewhere else. You still don't get my message. I have nothing against AppStore. I only think it is really bad it is the only choice.
 
brainless said:
Well, although it might be a case, I find it pretty difficult to invest substantial amount of money when I can be forced easily out of the market and Apple published no rules on which the submission process will be based.
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Eh? Apple published a set of rules. It's pretty clear what types of apps won't be accepted - ones that use excessive bandwidth, frameworks outside the official SDK, VoIP over the cell network, illegal apps or ones that condone illegal acts, pornography. There are no grey areas, you know in advance just by reading the terms of service.

I work on games for official game systems, and I can tell you, the iPhone is FAR from a closed system. You want strict rules and limitations, try developing for Nintendo. Try even getting an SDK. I'll give you a hint, the SDK will cost $2000+, you won't be allowed to get one unless you have a business license, a place of business, and references (they'd much rather you find an already-licensed publisher to sponsor you). And you'll not only have to pay a substantial licensing fee for each game sold, you'll also have to pay Nintendo to manufacture your games - you aren't allowed to do it yourself for cheaper.

As for a potential end-user, are any of you people owners of Windows Mobile devices? There is a totally open system, you can get your software from anywhere, right? But one problem, nobody does. People learn pretty quickly that the only place to buy software from is Handango, you can't trust the quality of software from anywhere else, or even if other places will honor your purchase.

And developers quickly learn that people only buy stuff from Handango, so they have to use them as well. And Handango knows this too - they charge 40% to sell stuff there. And with 70,000 apps, yours'll probably get lost pretty quickly unless it's amazing. The $99 fee Apple charges will keep that down quite a bit, a lot of "get rich quick by shovelling crap onto the system" people will have second thoughts when they have to pay $99 before they can even test their software on real hardware.

Yes, I see this as good for the developer, and for the end-user, they don't have to learn the harsh lessons of the PDA world. They'll start with one official place to get software, that won't have *too* much crap to sift through, that'll be a reliable place to trust with a credit card online. And it'll already be on their iPhone, conveniently ready to download stuff over the air.
 
brainless said:
Well, I am the user .
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Argh.

When you're a developer, you don't develop for you; you develop for the user, unless you're doing one-offs for yourself (in which case, I understand the beef with not being able to install yourself). You have to think like a user--and I can guaruntee you that the fewer steps you make them go through, the more likely you'll get more people to use your app.

My point is that Apple, for better or worse, has made it a core value to have products that are as simple and as elegant as possible to use. That's with the end-user's needs in minds. They do it through a combination of clever programming and decisions to limit user choice. That brings howls from power users---but the point of the matter is that Apple is aiming squarely at a market that wants to use the product as a tool, and to get out of the way of the user. They will not let the wants of needs of a niche market dictate the shape and form of a product to the larger market.
 
Not sure if it's true, but people on Ars are claiming that they got the rejection email originally but are today getting an acceptance email with instructions on how to pay/continue enrollment.
 
i'm in

I got the acceptance email tonight and just went and paid my $99. Not sure what happens next though, it processes through the Apple Store, and it didn't say anything about a digital delivery, so maybe they're actually mailing me something.

My developer pages on developer.apple.com look the same, so not sure how to proceed next.

Also - I'm a brand new to mac developer. I bought a macbook over the weekend to start development - just speculation but maybe registering the macbook helped push things along; as in they want to encourage people who are just starting on the hardware/mac environment.
 
I'm in too

i just got my acceptance email this morning.

I went to the store, paid my $99, and yeah, i guess you do have to wait for a package to arrive in the mail :(

oh well... that's okay! i don't even know objective-C yet

i'm reading some books i got from http://www.spiderworks.com. they have a lot of books on development for Mac.

it's amazing! a week and a half ago, i didn't know how to write C code but now i do! LOL maybe they should have given the package to someone else ;)
 
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