Native Apps vs Apps Store functionality

[samcraig]

A thought entered into my head based on some functionality which comes with the iPhone vs others that do not.

Is it not entirely possible that Apple doesn't add some functionality in an effort to foster a creative environment for developers and to increase transactions (free or otherwise) to their App Store?

Think of this example.

We have the 3gs and improved camera. No digital zoom. Yet there is an app (which I hear doesn't work with 3.0 as of current) which creates a digital zoom.

No clearly Apple can add this coding to the OS pretty easily. But it didn't. And I don''t think they didn't think of it either. Zoom is a pretty obvious function (and they did give touch-focus).

So either they didn't to keep the "integrity" of the best quality image the 3GS can take (i.e. not wanting people to show off a photo degraded by digital zoom)

or they plan to add it to a future version of the software as one of many "ooh.. ook what we added for you

or, as mentioned above, they left this out to enable developers to create apps increasing the store volume and revenue stream.

Interesting notion (to me) as the scenario is a win-win-win for apple, developers and users alike.

 

[kuebby]

You're right, it could be any of those things. It's good for end-users because we get increased functionality, Apple, as they can add features later and the ind devs that give us the extra features

 

[question fear]

I think they just plan to add it later or don't get around to it in the current round...Apple doesn't love their devs that much. If they did they'd leave a lot more open in the APIs (like the calendar data).

 

[iHateMacs]

Digital Zoom is useless. It's only the same as making the image larger in photoshop. You don't get any more data in the picture.

Apple probably didn't add it because it's no use.

On the other hand, OPTICAL zoom would be useful.

 

[Etnies419]

They probably didn't add a bunch of features because they can get more revenue for them from the App Store. They could have added iChat, but they make money from all of the chat apps sold. They could have added a lot of camera features, but again, they make money from those apps that are sold.

 

[samcraig]

Digital Zoom is useless. It's only the same as making the image larger in photoshop. You don't get any more data in the picture.

Apple probably didn't add it because it's no use.

On the other hand, OPTICAL zoom would be useful.

Ya.. I stated that here "So either they didn't to keep the "integrity" of the best quality image the 3GS can take (i.e. not wanting people to show off a photo degraded by digital zoom)"

My point isn't specific to the camera. My point is that there are certain apps which fill the needs of basic functions which really could/should be native in the device. But they aren't. So I was opening a dialogue to discuss it.

I agree with the last poster for the most part.

 

[iHateMacs]

Ya.. I stated that here "So either they didn't to keep the "integrity" of the best quality image the 3GS can take (i.e. not wanting people to show off a photo degraded by digital zoom)"

My point isn't specific to the camera. My point is that there are certain apps which fill the needs of basic functions which really could/should be native in the device. But they aren't. So I was opening a dialogue to discuss it.

I agree with the last poster for the most part.

Sorry I missed that part

I wonder why Apple themselves don't have Apps in the App Store.

They might not have added everything because they didn't want the OS to be thought of as bloated, but I am surprised they don't sell sell their own Apps.

Maybe it's a time thing. They are always trying to get the OS out quickly and adding more functions is only going to delay it. They probably add the minimum they think they can get away with.

 

[cmaier]

Digital Zoom is useless. It's only the same as making the image larger in photoshop. You don't get any more data in the picture.

Apple probably didn't add it because it's no use.

On the other hand, OPTICAL zoom would be useful.

Exactly. Digital zoom would be an arbitrary thing to add, since you're better off doing it on a PC/Mac using appropriate software, and in the end you don't get a great result, anyway. Adding it would be arbitrary, because there is no discernable reason to add it and not to add other functions, such as cropping, white balance, brightness/contrast, sharpening, dodge/burn, color map editing, etc. Apple may eventually add an image processing app, but until then there's no reason to offer "magnify" and not to offer other functions, some of which are of much more actual use.

 

[cmaier]

Sorry I missed that part

I wonder why Apple themselves don't have Apps in the App Store.

They might not have added everything because they didn't want the OS to be thought of as bloated, but I am surprised they don't sell sell their own Apps.

Maybe it's a time thing. They are always trying to get the OS out quickly and adding more functions is only going to delay it. They probably add the minimum they think they can get away with.

Because everyone would whine and say the apps should have been included for free.