What's there to disagree about? Everything I've stated thus far is accurate. Apple's App Store wasn't anything that hadn't been done before on mobile phones, location aware devices were around since before the original non-3G iPhone, and Apple has a tendency to make it look like they were the first to do something by coating whatever they did in excessive amounts of gloss, and advertising it in any sane way they can.
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Microsoft, Symbian and Others Announce 'App Stores'
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What's there to disagree about? Everything I've stated thus far is accurate. Apple's App Store wasn't anything that hadn't been done before on mobile phones, location aware devices were around since before the original non-3G iPhone, and Apple has a tendency to make it look like they were the first to do something by coating whatever they did in excessive amounts of gloss, and advertising it in any sane way they can.
Well, like I said, I disagree with what you are saying about the app store. The location aware thing was just a reply to something, not something I mentioned as an innovation. Do you want me to reiterate my argument? The app store was not something that had been done before under a powerfull mobile os, in such a uniform, integrated manner and targeting so many developers and apps. Why would these other guys be LAUNCHING these services had they implemented them before? BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE APP STORES PROPRE BEFORE, HENCE THE LAUNCH. They had means of getting some applications via various routes, but that is not an app store...
What's with all the un-apple people here all of a sudden, jesus...
Since apple is good at giving things "spin" that they didn't really innovate at, how come apple has got their app store six months and more ahead of all the others? What part of this is spin? That nokia used to have some rudimentary apps you could get for their phones via one way or another, the web, wap, or whatever? How is that a unified store for applications complying to a unified framework under a powerful os? Granted, I like apple, hence I am here, I enjoy their products, I am a fan, but all I hear from the vocal other side most of the time is just plain envy turned into non-arguments. One guy goes blathering on about his "location aware" nokia when there have been apps since months now on the iphone to be gpas location aware and track everything from stores, to restaurants for you base on your location...whatever....
I don't mind you people coming here and insulting other apple users, or adding nothing to the discussion, comes to show the state of the competition really, just don't come in large quantities at a time.
It amazes me on this forum, how people assume that those who have negative things to say about Apple products must be none Apple users.
You ask why the app store has become successful? The iPhone has been the biggest gadget alongside the iPod touch for the past couple of years. Hype and social status have made it the item to own. Because of this everyone wanting to make their "millions" from the iPhone phenomenon are going to the app store in their droves to make apps for the iPhone and Touch. Apple have made it easy for anyone to make an app and potentially make a lot of money from it. iFart anyone?
Now... the other companies releasing similar services will force Apple to continue to add innovative features to the app store, how this is a bad thing or why so many people are becoming defensive, I have no idea. Competition breeds innovation.
The iPhone has been great, the question is can Apple keep the hype going or is it going to flop already. The phone market is volatile at the best of times and it isn't unusual to have models of phones dominating to market for 2-3 years at a time simply because they are the current fad. In the current economic climate, a two year contract is going to wear very thin with quite a few people and the other phones are going to look all the more appealing, even with Apples' brimming app store.
The candle that burns twice as bright, burns half as long... I wonder if this is the case for the iPhone.
Why so many negatives on this story? I think competition will be good, its going to be hard for all the other companies to properly regulate the apps - given the large amount of devices the apps would have to work on. Unlike apple, who currently only have 4 very similar models to use!
Man, app development looks like where the money is at the moment!
Man, app development looks like where the money is at the moment!
Soo, you're disagreeing with what I said about app stores, even though not being first party, existing before the Apple App Store, with similar functionality?
Handango InHand says hi.
I think that what most people are saying here is that, although Apple wasn't the first to come up with the concept, they were definitely the first ones to make it a solid, integrated, easy-to-use platform available to all users who had an iPhone. All this for free. Just like the iPod, it wasn't the first mp3 player but it was the first one that got the "concept" right and that's why both products were a success. Same thing with touch enabled surfaces, they weren't the first ones to use it, but they were the first company to put that straight in the consumers hands and they got the multi-touch right (match it against the touch screen on the LG Prada and you'll see the difference between a good and bad implementation of technology).
Apple doesn't do everything right, but they sure know how to make a solid product and the industry tends to follow the hints. The tendency is obvious IMO.
It's not about getting it first. It's about getting it right.
Still, there's no excuse for some of the iPhone's short comings. I haven't even upgraded to 2.2 because of the lack of revelant features. I'm desperately waiting for landscape SMS/Email and SMS Forwarding.
EXACTLY, AMEN BROTHER. I 've had nokia's all my life their supposed "app stores" were pathetic, nothing of what makes apple's appstore a thing that others are willing to LAUNCH. It was this horrid download thing, that sometimes worked and sometimes didn't (depending on the contract with the provider) for mostly some crappy ringtones and bundled overpriced horrid like there never were the 80s "games" and such. BUT they didn't see the full potential before apple, they didn't see all those things that make the app store distinct and an innovation and marketleader:
a. A well made, intutitive store front with ratign system, classifications, top lists, etc. etc.
b. opening up to third party developers
c. backing it up with a great mobile os
d. using a unified framework for all the apps.
What's with all the un-apple people here all of a sudden, jesus...
I don't mind you people coming here and insulting other apple users, or adding nothing to the discussion, comes to show the state of the competition really, just don't come in large quantities at a time.
I don't think I was trying to insult Apple or Apple users. I myself am an Appl eUser and am in no way anti-apple. Nor am I anti-windows or anti-nokia or whatever; I'm pro-anything-that-might-make-my-life-a-little-more-easy-or-innovative.
I think the point of this thread has been to stress, and some have maybe stressed too much, that the sun does not shine out of Apple's every orifice when it comes to innovating the mobile phone sector. This is not to take away from Apple's genuine progress in innovation in the market.
Again, another amen bro, how hard is for some people to see that innovation also means getting it right, not getting it just about right, but nailing it. By their rationale the first person who made a car wasn't innovative cause someone had built a cart before...and that's the case here too, these guys had half baked, just about solutions...they had the carts and apple made the car (of course it's not an analogy, I am stretching it here a lot, just to illustrate). Again I WONDER IF EVERYONE HAD GOTTEN IT BEFORE APPLE WHY ARE THEY THEN RELAUNCHING THE SERVICES AND REBRANDING THEM? Don't asnwer, it's rehtorical, of course they are re launching and re branding cause they hadn't had, excuse my french, sh i t before. Then along came apple with a clear well implemented bussiness/tec model that made their platform the iphone famous for it and then these guys started to see the light.
Ok cool then, you are right in that taking it to extremes either way is an abomination. I for once have had very vocal critisism of apple here for which I ve had verbal attacks and resulting bans (for my billingual responses...) from them.
The advantage that windows mobile has (if you consider this an advantage) is the windows mobile user base is generally the business users, which means premium apps would I'd assume do better while the iFart type apps less so. The real question though is the return that each app store passes back to the developer, I believe Apple's is a higher % than the others, which means more developer support which is really the key thing in the long run.
Add in that I think the windows mobile app store won't exist until windows mobile 6.5 is released and they are not upgrading current phones and there is still a wait on your hands for the windows mobile app store
Add in that I think the windows mobile app store won't exist until windows mobile 6.5 is released and they are not upgrading current phones and there is still a wait on your hands for the windows mobile app store
Oh yawn. Sometimes you wander if Apple is the only company in the world with an R&D department...
Wake me up when someone does something new that doesn't copy the iPhone..
Wake me up when someone does something new that doesn't copy the iPhone..
One thing that people here seem to overlook. Apple only has 3 distinct kinds of iPhone/iPod Touch hardware to support. This makes it much easier and more unified application wise. None of the other smartphone OS makers have really been so strict as to what kinds of hardware their stuff runs on. So you can have a completely different exerience between two pieces of hardware that you wouldn't get with an iPhone/iPod Touch.
back in the day...
Back in the day when I used a handspring visor, I remember there was a web site that hosted tons of palm apps for purchase and download. It worked similar to how some shareware sites (e.g. Macupdate.com) work today. It was simple enough to download the application and sync to the handheld.
Part of what makes apples app store so successful is that it leverages iTunes, which people have been using to purchase/download/sync to iPods before the iPhone came along. Add to it the developer tools that apple is offering, and advertising of selected apps in their commercials, and you have a smash hit, which is the envy of other companies.
Oh yeah, and the fact that you can browse and download directly from the iPhone.
Back in the day when I used a handspring visor, I remember there was a web site that hosted tons of palm apps for purchase and download. It worked similar to how some shareware sites (e.g. Macupdate.com) work today. It was simple enough to download the application and sync to the handheld.
Part of what makes apples app store so successful is that it leverages iTunes, which people have been using to purchase/download/sync to iPods before the iPhone came along. Add to it the developer tools that apple is offering, and advertising of selected apps in their commercials, and you have a smash hit, which is the envy of other companies.
Oh yeah, and the fact that you can browse and download directly from the iPhone.
It's not just the app store
I don't think the App Store in itself is the reason Apple has been so successful.
The reason is the development platform. The tools provided to create applications are phenomenal for the iPhone/iPod Touch platform. Almost anyone can learn to create a simple app. Then, getting that application published to the app store really isn't that hard either.
It's this easy development platform that gives Apple a HUGE advantage over the competition. Or at least I believe so.
I don't think the App Store in itself is the reason Apple has been so successful.
The reason is the development platform. The tools provided to create applications are phenomenal for the iPhone/iPod Touch platform. Almost anyone can learn to create a simple app. Then, getting that application published to the app store really isn't that hard either.
It's this easy development platform that gives Apple a HUGE advantage over the competition. Or at least I believe so.
I love the Apps Store and I think it is very well done, but I do agree that Apple wasnt even close to the first to do this.
I was using the Palm App store back in 2000 on a Palm V (great looking device for its time).
Palm was WAY ahead of its time, infact if they didnt rest on their laurels and knew how to design a better looking phone back in the treo days they might possibly be the current iphone.
I would actually be fairly worried about the new Pre if it wasnt on Sprint.
Back to the App store, I do believe that some of these will have success, not as much success as the Apple version just because the install base and the advertising is much greater for the iPhone then the others.
And unlike its competitors Apple markets its App store, I am sure you will see a commercial here and there maybe for the others but nothing really outside the computer industry. This is what Palm and MS and others dont realize, there are many other consumers outside the tech world that want these things that really dont know about them.
ie: My mom even knows about the Apple App Store, I doubt she will ever even hear about the others.
Am I the only one?
I might be completely off base but am I the only one who just found buying apps so easy that it just came natural. I had an iTunes store account already, I had downloaded music over many years, and it's just plain seamless to me.
I don't think I would have bought apps on another phone if it weren't so easy. I'm not willing to start another account for just about anything. I buy an app, it's taken from my credit card or my account credit that somebody gave me as a gift.
I might be completely off base but am I the only one who just found buying apps so easy that it just came natural. I had an iTunes store account already, I had downloaded music over many years, and it's just plain seamless to me.
I don't think I would have bought apps on another phone if it weren't so easy. I'm not willing to start another account for just about anything. I buy an app, it's taken from my credit card or my account credit that somebody gave me as a gift.
BASICally...
10 LET A = new Apple device/software
20 LET I = Industry Critics
30 IF A = Success THEN I = Copy Apple device/software
40 GOTO 10
10 LET A = new Apple device/software
20 LET I = Industry Critics
30 IF A = Success THEN I = Copy Apple device/software
40 GOTO 10
BASICally...
10 LET A = new Apple device/software
20 LET I = Industry Critics
30 IF A = Success THEN I = Copy Apple device/software
40 GOTO 10
I honestly don't think any store will be as popular as itunes, unless they severely undercut apples prices, but they will surely keep apple on their toes and forging ahead.
