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I think we should be able to change App Store icons. Thoughts?

TheSpaz

TheSpaz

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jun 20, 2005
7,032
1
How awesome would it be if Apple could give iTunes the ability to change App Store app icons?

This is a very basic feature of Mac OS X and I think we should be able to change the icons to whatever we want.

This could be implemented in iTunes, and then sync the change over to the iPhone (like Album Art).

Anyway, I think that would be a great way to customize without compromising security.
 
I have often thought of this, and for once, I agree with you.
Some icons are just stupid.
I'm looking at you photos. Stupid flower.
 
Seriously, why did they pick a flower for the Photos app...

That'd be a nice little addition, but for now, I'm pretty satisfied with the icons I have.
 
Wow, a sensible thread! I definitely agree with you. I guess they hold these things back to help with the "wow" factor, when they eventually give them to us later. I'd also like it if they could give us folders and would like to be able to name the pages (or folders). Well, while we're wishing, I think they should give us space to transfer files that we want to keep (like word documents, pdf files), however I'm not sure if that has security implications.

Given all the talk about jailbreaking and Apple wanting it stopped in another thread, enabling some of these features might make JBing less attractive.
 
iphone.aggie said:
Wow, a sensible thread! I definitely agree with you. I guess they hold these things back to help with the "wow" factor, when they eventually give them to us later. I'd also like it if they could give us folders and would like to be able to name the pages (or folders). Well, while we're wishing, I think they should give us space to transfer files that we want to keep (like word documents, pdf files), however I'm not sure if that has security implications.

Given all the talk about jailbreaking and Apple wanting it stopped in another thread, enabling some of these features might make JBing less attractive.
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Folders. Forever. FTW
Game folder
Utility folder
Apple folder
Social Networking folder
Random folder

1 page. All folders.
So happy.
 
This would be a pretty awesome feature. Naming the pages of your springboard would be cool too.

I hate the photo app picture. It wouldve been sweet if they just used the last picture taken or you could assign a picture.
 
SFStateStudent said:
Apple will never concede to allow icons to be enhanced or god-forbid, switched out for the users own rendition. JB will live on in infamy....:eek::eek::eek:
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In Mac OS X, you can change the icon for any app with great ease. Just "Get Info" and paste the new icon over the old one. If Apple wanted to, they could remove that feature and say "We trust that the developers make great icons".

Fact is, I think MOST third party app's icons look hideous on the iPhone. It's like they don't even try. Apple is starting to do it too. Voice Memos? iDisk? Keynote? It's like they're just pasting a graphic into a rounded square and calling it good.

I realize with so many apps, it's hard to come up with an original idea, but from most icons, I can tell that they don't really know what they're doing.

Presentation has a LOT to do with being able to sell your app? Are you going to buy something in a brown paper bag or something with a nicely designed package?
 
I think most icons look good on the iPhone. However, I wouldn't mind having the option to change them. But for me it is no big deal.
 
As per the Forum Rules, "Minor Problems" sub-section, rule #3:

Thread titles. Use thread titles that indicate the subject of the thread, not generic titles such as "Need help". Moderators may change thread titles that have no specifics, usually by adding something more specific in parentheses.
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As such, your original post has been reported to the appropriate moderator(s) of this sub-forum.

Also, please pay special attention to the "Things Not to Do" sub-section, rule #5:

Any ongoing actions that make more work for the moderators and administrators or regularly annoy other members and require moderator action.
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as I'll be reporting those too.
 
Eso said:
As per the Forum Rules, "Minor Problems" sub-section, rule #3:



As such, your original post has been reported to the appropriate moderator(s) of this sub-forum.

Also, please pay special attention to the "Things Not to Do" sub-section, rule #5:



as I'll be reporting those too.
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I agree, the title should have been, I really, really, really would like this feature...
 
iphone.aggie said:
Jeez, he finally has a sane post and you slap him with that! :)
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And therein lies the problem. It's a bad sign when your first thought is that they finally have a good post - implying that all the other ones are bad (but we already know that). Usually everyone just whines about it and the moderators don't do a thing about it.

Then I drew a parallel to just whining about features of the iPhone as opposed to sending iPhone feedback to Apple through their page. Therefore instead of whining in his threads, start reporting the posts and maybe the moderators will finally take notice. At one point last month, theSpaz had no less than three locked threads on the first page alone - it's ridiculous.
 
Badandy said:
You only have one third-party app on your iPhone.
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And it's without a doubt the ugliest third party icon I have on my phone.

Eso said:
And therein lies the problem. It's a bad sign when your first thought is that they finally have a good post - implying that all the other ones are bad (but we already know that). Usually everyone just whines about it and the moderators don't do a thing about it.

Then I drew a parallel to just whining about features of the iPhone as opposed to sending iPhone feedback to Apple through their page. Therefore instead of whining in his threads, start reporting the posts and maybe the moderators will finally take notice. At one point last month, theSpaz had no less than three locked threads on the first page alone - it's ridiculous.
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Does it really hurt your feelings that much? This "I'm telling" demeanor of yours is laughable. I enjoy Spaz's threads.
 
lostprophet894 said:
Does it really hurt your feelings that much? This "I'm telling" demeanor of yours is laughable. I enjoy Spaz's threads.
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Yes, it does.

Whether or not you enjoy them is irrelevant. There are posting rules that do not depend on what you do or do not find enjoyable. Read any thread started by TheSpaz and you will find the overall atmosphere is that posters are tired of his crap. Nothing has happened yet, so it's time to get more proactive about it.
 
Eso said:
Yes, it does.

Whether or not you enjoy them is irrelevant. There are posting rules that do not depend on what you do or do not find enjoyable. Read any thread started by TheSpaz and you will find the overall atmosphere is that posters are tired of his crap. Nothing has happened yet, so it's time to get more proactive about it.
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Someone should start a poll:

Do you think TheSpaz should be banned from MacRumors? Not everyone is annoyed with me. Only a few people I can see who constantly combat my threads "TuffLuffJimmy" and "Samcraig" are a couple.

Thank you for kicking out a loyal user of this site.
 
TheSpaz said:
Someone should start a poll:

Do you think TheSpaz should be banned from MacRumors? Not everyone is annoyed with me. Only a few people I can see who constantly combat my threads "TuffLuffJimmy" and "Samcraig" are a couple.

Thank you for kicking out a loyal troll of this site.
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I would love that, although it would probably get one banned.
 
The problem is that the entire app bundle is code signed using the developers certificate. If you change the icon then the bundle no longer matches the signature and the app won't run. To re-sign it you need a valid signing signature only available to developers from Apple.

Now you'll say, "well just add a certificate to iTunes". What a lovely idea that would be. But then anyone could extract the signature from iTunes and sign their own bundles that would then run on the phone bypassing the entire app store infrastructure. So that's not going to happen.

So over to you: there are significant, serious technical problems with this for you to solve.
 
robbieduncan said:
The problem is that the entire app bundle is code signed using the developers certificate. If you change the icon then the bundle no longer matches the signature and the app won't run. To re-sign it you need a valid signing signature only available to developers from Apple.

Now you'll say, "well just add a certificate to iTunes". What a lovely idea that would be. But then anyone could extract the signature from iTunes and sign their own bundles that would then run on the phone bypassing the entire app store infrastructure. So that's not going to happen.

So over to you: there are significant, serious technical problems with this for you to solve.
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Good points. What if Apple didn't change the core icon file inside the package but had a temp folder where icon aliases are stored? Could you do it then? I'm thinking about a WinterBoard type setup except through iTunes. You just click on the app you want to have a new icon and Get Info. Then replace the icon in iTunes and click Sync.
 
TheSpaz said:
Good points. What if Apple didn't change the core icon file inside the package but had a temp folder where icon aliases are stored? Could you do it then? I'm thinking about a WinterBoard type setup except through iTunes. You just click on the app you want to have a new icon and Get Info. Then replace the icon in iTunes and click Sync.
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Sure, they could alter the springboard app to allow for that and not break the codesigning. I can't think of any reason not to do it apart from possibly pissing off developers/copyright holders who may be using the icon as part of their marketing.
 
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