Live Coverage of iPhone SDK Roadmap Event

[jmadlena]

I believe these places don't charge:

MacUpdate.com
www.versiontracker.com

Not quite the same though. Apple hosts the application, which takes server space, does all the work with payments, maybe features it in a prominent market. All Version Tracker and MacUpdate do it link to your site, where you worry about the rest, IIRC.

 

[marksman]

$99 isn't a lot to be able to publish in the app store. It is a lot to be published at all.

Go here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/444620/
And review my "sole gatekeeper" argument to catch up on why I think this is a problem.

The app store is great. The entrance fee is perfectly fine. Being the only way to publish at all is the problem.

Went through a few of your posts there, don't really see any relevant to why it is a problem that they are the point of access, especially given the details from the announcement, which makes it sound like it is going to be very accessible with only a few limitations.

I have no issue with Apple being a gatekeeper for this. Especially since one of the cool parts of the whole thing is to be able to download new applications from anywhere and install them, as well as get updates to previously installed applications.

Explain to me why someone would need to go outside this delivery method. What would be their motivation to have a different point of access, short of someone wanting to create, say a porn application.

Right now I can jailbreak and install from a myriad of what I consider useless applications, at least to me, for my iPhone. Or I can have a choice from a lot of useful and fully-fledged applications, delivered from one place. I also will know that they have at least been loaded by someone else first before I throw them down on my machine. I had a palm pilot the first month they came out. I have had a lot of experience with software coming from any corners. It leads to a lot of wasted time. I think this distribution method is going to be just fine for 99.9% of the developers and 99.9% of the users.

 

[onionperson654]

Good apps get people to use it. So charging $1 you only need 140 downloads to recoup your cost.

This calculation shows that revenue from this could be HUGE. Hopefully that will do much to encourage development. If so much has been developed for free, then that's even more promising.


One question, once you buy the apps, can you install them on more than one iphone/ipod? Specifically, if your ipod breaks, do you have to buy them again?

A $299 ipod plus $100 in apps (and the fees for the updates) becomes more and more expensive to carry around if you loose everything.

 

[obilix]

I wonder how devs are to handle private, proprietary apps?

That is, I may develop an App for the iPhone but only for my
customers. It's not for public use.
Do I have to use the App Store? Or do i need just the certificate
to get it onto the phone?

Well, the iPhone Dev Centre is up...time to read up on this.

 

[pavelbure]

only thing i was looking forward to is a 3g announcement. oh well, verizon contract is up in dec., hopefully 3g will be out by then.

 

[Stella]

Not quite the same though. Apple hosts the application, which takes server space, does all the work with payments, maybe features it in a prominent market. All Version Tracker and MacUpdate do it link to your site, where you worry about the rest, IIRC.

MacUpdate and versiontracker are places to 'advertise' your application.

No, its not quite the same, agreed.

 

[marksman]

Most wholesalers rum on gross margins far less than 30% as their business models run on leadership through sales volumes and economies of scale.

Not to shoot apple down, they are seizing a unique position they are in just your comment is a little inaccurate

Not any more inaccurate than yours, as gross margins from products run the spectrum. It entirely depends on the product being sold.

 

[DukeSnyd]

WiMax

Q: WiMax iPhone?
Steve: We’re not here to talk about hardware today, only software.

I sincerely hope that means yes

 

[jhande]

I wonder how devs are to handle private, proprietary apps?

That is, I may develop an App for the iPhone but only for my
customers. It's not for public use.
Do I have to use the App Store? Or do i need just the certificate
to get it onto the phone?

Well, the iPhone Dev Centre is up...time to read up on this.

I'm hunting for that info as well. That'll be important for the enterprise sector. Presumably the App store will allow you to differentiate who can see what you put up there..? Or, companies may 'rent' floorspace? Whatever the case that's one thing they'll have thought of.

 

[Pathetique]

Did anyone notice the sdk is intel only?

 

[kitki83]

Trillian is working on iPhone IM program and its all in one deal.

Ok this announcement seems weird isn't it in Apple tradition to do Hardware update then software update?

 

[JPT]

I wonder how devs are to handle private, proprietary apps?

That is, I may develop an App for the iPhone but only for my
customers. It's not for public use.
Do I have to use the App Store? Or do i need just the certificate
to get it onto the phone?

Well, the iPhone Dev Centre is up...time to read up on this.

Q: "How would an entperprise distribute internal applications?"

A: "Working on a special app for internal enterprise applications, it's being worked on."

 

[Project]

If I was a developer, i'd be thinking of novel ways to get on as many iPhones and Touches as possible, as soon as the thing drops. An awful lot of money to be made with a potential audience of around 10m.

 

[ghall]

Did anyone notice the sdk is intel only?

How are you all getting the SDK already? I can't even log into the ADC website.

 

[obilix]

I'm hunting for that info as well. That'll be important for the enterprise sector. Presumably the App store will allow you to differentiate who can see what you put up there..? Or, companies may 'rent' floorspace? Whatever the case that's one thing they'll have thought of.

I just went through the registration process, one of the questions
about developing in-house...."there may be a plan..."

Edit: Thanks JPT. Didn't see that update in the Q&A

 

[javierbds]

Apple pulling an Osborne on the iPod Touch?

Some consumers will probably wait to buy a Touch until June ...
OTOH, I like the sw distribution model (I would not have considered developing for a phone until now with all the carriers/distributors fuss ...).

 

[KurtangleTN]

Lol at jobs, I love how every question he answers he points out "It's not about the money"

I can't help but think of the scene in the Aviator where the senator mentions how Jaunn Trippe doesn't care about making money.

"Well I'm sure your stock holders will be happy to hear that"

 

[onionperson654]

He made a jewish comment, so what? Chris Rock makes white comments, why isnt he banned?

Because he's hillarious. (I could make a joke about hitler being as stiff as his one armed salute, but I've got to make the point that Chris Rock is ok and Hitler is evil, so I don't want to offend anyone)

 

[jhande]

How are you all getting the SDK already? I can't even log into the ADC website.

Yeah, it's fubared right now. I'm logged in, but response time is slooooooow. Lotta people hammering ADC.

 

[rapps]

He made a jewish comment, so what? Chris Rock makes white comments, why isnt he banned?

Hmmm...let's see. This isn't worth a response, but since I'll play the game, why not. I can't imagine you being much older than the OP to ask for a distinction between the two.

Maybe because Chris Rock is a comedian? It's meant as a joke? The OP wasn't making a jewish "comment". It's a statement that is rooted in stereotypes, of which the poster seems to whole-heartedly believe. This is a message board for Mac Products. Not a forum for throwing insults.

 

[fivepoint]

Somebody needs to force-feed Steve some Steak! Man, that guy is looking skinny!

 

[tringo]

Job's is rocking the black socks with the white tennis shoes.

Man's got style, lol....

 

[Spades]

Explain to me why someone would need to go outside this delivery method. What would be their motivation to have a different point of access, short of someone wanting to create, say a porn application.

That is, I may develop an App for the iPhone but only for my
customers. It's not for public use.
Do I have to use the App Store? Or do i need just the certificate
to get it onto the phone?

Also what about open source applications? What if I want to distribute a beta? What if I decide I can get a better deal by handling my own distribution?

They're expecting developers to conform their processes to fit their model.

 

[Stang68]

Because he's hillarious. (I could make a joke about hitler being as stiff as his one armed salute, but I've got to make the point that Chris Rock is ok and Hitler is evil, so I don't want to offend anyone)

True, true. But Hitler is kinda funny. Look at the mustache

 

[jmadlena]

MacUpdate and versiontracker are places to 'advertise' your application.

No, its not quite the same, agreed.

I do agree that they are places to advertise for your apps, but the App Store has got to be the best place to be for advertising. Instantly accessible by every iPhone owner (even over EDGE). I do love versiontracker.com though.