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Well stated !
On top of all that Apple system gives them a reasonable ability to offer up parental controls. If you are the owner of the device though it is no problem at all.
Looking at it from the standpoint of a developer I think you would be hard pressed to find a system that is as open and advanced as Apples. The fact is they bend over backwards to support developers. On the flip side users are supported well too.
What I would like to see is the people making these statements defend them. It is pretty obvious that app store is pretty open. How else do you explain an overflowing inventory and all the success stories. I suspect much of the whinning comes from the failures in society, those that strike out at people and organizations that make something of themselves.
Dave
While I generally agree that the store is very well done for what it is, and seems to be a three way win (user,apple,devs) for most involved it could indeed be better in a number of areas. The main one being it does apply a blanket logic to ever app in the store which in many cases makes in look really heavy handed. Also can make it seem slow as everything must get thou the review process, due to the load of applying the same rules to everyone.
The other option in the current scheme of things is Webapps but these to have some serious downfalls, the most obvious one they aren't really on the device like and appstore app is. These downfalls is what lead to the push for the appstore. They are mostly fancy bookmarks at this stage and you reload everything every time.
What if, instead of relaxing appstore policy, Apple upgraded webapps.
So that similar to iTunesLP bundles or PalmPre WebApps the whole app could be downloaded to a bundle on the device so only changed data needs to load each time. They could even add some features like support for push notifications* or maybe apples new ad service, touch screen gestures, the camera, geolocation and similar already supported by HTML5.
This new webapp model could still have a page within itunes for visiblity like podcasts, or itunesU and like those only the links would be hosted by Apple with the bundle hosted by the developer. Like current web apps they could be loaded from links direct on the developers website. How many of the free and 99c apps on the store now could be pushed into this revised model?
Like and App you could even email them to friends.
How many more new apps might be created free of Apple app store policies?
Also this model might work well for media outlets** (if indeed it does come with a way to attach a revenue stream to it). As they wouldn't have to go through the store process to release each month. Also other commercial outlets like your bank would find such a model far more attractive for supporting mobile devices, they would be able to switch security systems if they wanted at will. The same web bundle*** could cater for all devices.
The interesting thing that comes up is well, parental controls which may well see a vast upgrade but then again would have to if Apple want to push the devices back in to schools or tap the increasing demand for iPhones and iPod Touches in younger and younger age groups.
The value to Apple is reduce load to support, only having to write policy based on those that really need support, so reduced bad press from a blanket policy. Also possible Ad sales revenue to sweeten the deal. Not to mention the main reason apple does anything drive demand for hardware sales.
*Webapps could provide a RSS link that Apple's Notification servers monitor on the user behave.
**including adult media.
*** this either requires the bundling to happen at on device or for the bundling system to be nominated for inclusion in HTML standard.
