Is the apple developer program worth it?

[Gregintosh]

Hey guys,

I am thinking about getting the Apple developer program since its only $99. I am wondering if the Beta versions of iOS 5 are worth it though.

I figure for a year subscription, this may give me access to iOS 6 early as well, plus any major updates (and possibly future OS updates for the Mac as well). Since developers tend to get those updates quite early, I would be able to satisfy my inner geek.

I just wonder if the beta versions are really usable or if they are really buggy. I mean, obviously they are not going to be production versions but I wonder if the difference makes them unusable for everyday stuff or if they are more or less stable.

Maybe someone who is already running iOS 5 can share their experiences with the betas and tell me if the latest beta is worth installing or if its best to wait until its all done and publicly released?

Note: The money is not the issue, so don't tell me that $99 isn't worth it for getting software a month or two early. I don't care about that, since over the course of a year I'd get quite a few betas of iOS 6 and the next Mac OS probably too.

Plus, I have the extra $99 I have already in my mind set aside for this. I just want to know if I will pay $99 and end up never installing anything from it (or regretting that I installed it on my iPhone) or if I will get something thats reasonably decent.

 

[Apple...]

If it's only for access to beta software, I wouldn't. It's meant for developers, and no one else.

 

[vitzr]

Yes but as a developer, I would highly discourage anyone who isn't, to forget about it.

Thinking it's a ticket to great discounts on the stuff you want is all wrong.

That is not the point of the program. It is indeed for developers.

 

[WestonHarvey1]

Ideally a developer buys a secondary device just for development and testing. Trying to use betas as your everyday iPhone OS requires making compromises and accepting a lesser experience.

If you like Apple products because you like how well they all work together, and how trouble free your life is with them compared to competing products, then do not install the betas.

iOS 5 in particular is a very large update. Many popular apps do not function properly, and there is no way to get updates for them until iOS 5 is actually released. Major features like Facetime can be disabled from one update to the next.

Paying Apple money just to have your iOS devices work worse for several months out of every year is foolish.

 

[AdrianK]

I figure for a year subscription, this may give me access to iOS 6 early as well, plus any major updates (and possibly future OS updates for the Mac as well).

It's not the 'Apple' developers program, there are iOS and Mac developer programs. They're entirely separate, so you wouldn't get iOS betas and OS X betas.

 

[thunderbunny]

Yes but as a developer, I would highly discourage anyone who isn't, to forget about it.

Thinking it's a ticket to great discounts on the stuff you want is all wrong.

That is not the point of the program. It is indeed for developers.

You'd have to be pretty stupid to think of this as a discount, iOS 5 = free, developer account = isn't.

As for doing it you'll have no more or less problems with the betas than someone who does develop apps.

Later betas are pretty stable for me. You may have problems with certain apps not working until they are updated when iOS5 launches.

If you can live with that and have the money then go for it, I don't think Apple have a developer quiz to join it. But be prepared to put up with replies to any messages on here as being "are you really a developer?" etc.

 

[mikelegacy]

You're obviously not a developer. So no. It's not worth it.