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Phil Schiller Addresses More App Store Concerns
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People just don't get it. I don't give a damn if you are interested in specific software developers or not, but you look like fools when you make statements that suggest you know what you are talking about when you clearly don't. Unless you have paid your developer dues and have attempted to develop an application only to have it rejected for bizarre and inconsistent reasons, then please do yourself a favor and quit trying to defend Apple.
"Yet another self-important drama-queen developer" is a perfect example. Why is this developer "self-important" or a "drama-queen" specifically? Is it because he doesn't believe in the strange methods used by Apple to reject applications that is pushing developers-- quality developers-- to abandon the platform for other, less risky and frustrating development opportunities?
It has been said many, many times before... sure, there are tens of thousands of applications available for the iPhone/iPod Touch, but at what quality level, and at what ultimate cost? Remember the several thousand dollar application that did nothing but display an image of a gemstone? Apple approved that crap, along with the myriad of fart noise applications! What a sad, sad joke the AppStore approval process is when those applications get approved but quality applications from quality developers get rejected for such strange-- or even unknown-- reasons. And the effect is becoming quite clear as more and more quality developers drop the platform for other development opportunities.
Sure, that gemstone application was ultimately removed, but the point is that is was approved at all. Would people that throw stones at developers calling them "drama-queens" feel the same way if Apple started locking down their desktops, preventing them from installing software unless specifically approved by Apple? I would imagine the outrage would be huge.
And please don't tell me that if Apple locks down the desktops to approved applications only that you would simply vote with your wallet and move to another platform... that is exactly what these developers are doing, so you are opening the door to being called a "drama-queen" yourself.
Be careful with your glass houses.
"Yet another self-important drama-queen developer" is a perfect example. Why is this developer "self-important" or a "drama-queen" specifically? Is it because he doesn't believe in the strange methods used by Apple to reject applications that is pushing developers-- quality developers-- to abandon the platform for other, less risky and frustrating development opportunities?
It has been said many, many times before... sure, there are tens of thousands of applications available for the iPhone/iPod Touch, but at what quality level, and at what ultimate cost? Remember the several thousand dollar application that did nothing but display an image of a gemstone? Apple approved that crap, along with the myriad of fart noise applications! What a sad, sad joke the AppStore approval process is when those applications get approved but quality applications from quality developers get rejected for such strange-- or even unknown-- reasons. And the effect is becoming quite clear as more and more quality developers drop the platform for other development opportunities.
Sure, that gemstone application was ultimately removed, but the point is that is was approved at all. Would people that throw stones at developers calling them "drama-queens" feel the same way if Apple started locking down their desktops, preventing them from installing software unless specifically approved by Apple? I would imagine the outrage would be huge.
And please don't tell me that if Apple locks down the desktops to approved applications only that you would simply vote with your wallet and move to another platform... that is exactly what these developers are doing, so you are opening the door to being called a "drama-queen" yourself.
Be careful with your glass houses.
I don't know if that's true. 100% is a big claim. Regardless, I see your point. It would be nice if each developer with a rejected app got a detailed letter of rejection. My guess is that this will come soon.
As far as overdramatizing, here's another quote from Steven F:
That's a bit dramatic, in my opinion. As a consumer, I've personally felt no hostility from Apple or the App Store and I would assume that this feeling is shared by the majority of developers and consumers. If it were not, I don't believe that Apple would be in the beneficial market position that they're in. I'm not saying the App Store approval process is perfect. I just believe that the voices of the angry are much louder than the voices of the content.
...
So someone don't like the iPhone, the eco-system around it, Apple, their policy, whatever... Fine, then leave if you don't like it. I don't care. The day I don't like it I'll just not use it anymore. Nobody is forcing anyone to use the iPhone, or to develop for it. There are other competing products. Use them instead - or create your own!
So someone don't like the iPhone, the eco-system around it, Apple, their policy, whatever... Fine, then leave if you don't like it. I don't care. The day I don't like it I'll just not use it anymore. Nobody is forcing anyone to use the iPhone, or to develop for it. There are other competing products. Use them instead - or create your own!
Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face...!
I'm thinking of ditching iPhone for HTC Hero at some point though... mainly for these reasons.... but there's no way I'd change carrier to someone with crappy reception...! That makes no sense!
I'm thinking of ditching iPhone for HTC Hero at some point though... mainly for these reasons.... but there's no way I'd change carrier to someone with crappy reception...! That makes no sense!
I bet you would change your mind if Apple controlled the applications you could use on your Mac.
blind, blind, blind...
More App's the better....
On a side note, god there are some awful apps available.... I know a lot of them a free but man alive they're crap.
My friend, the first person in my group of friends to get an iphone.... is not into gadgets or tech at all.... he's quite a simpleton actually
I remember asking him, "whats the iphone like to use then, is the touch screen good?... what the internet look like on it etc etc?"
He replied by opening up some app that looked like a pint of beer, and saying "Yeah, its amazing, look at this!"..... he tilted the phone up to his mouth and it 'looked' like he was drinking the pint......
.......brilliant
On a side note, god there are some awful apps available.... I know a lot of them a free but man alive they're crap.
My friend, the first person in my group of friends to get an iphone.... is not into gadgets or tech at all.... he's quite a simpleton actually
I remember asking him, "whats the iphone like to use then, is the touch screen good?... what the internet look like on it etc etc?"
He replied by opening up some app that looked like a pint of beer, and saying "Yeah, its amazing, look at this!"..... he tilted the phone up to his mouth and it 'looked' like he was drinking the pint......
.......brilliant
Okay.
Well, duh. That and parents who don't want there kids to have access to that material on their iPhone/iPod Touch.
Shazam can identify music. Some music contains objectionable content. Why is that difficult? I couldn't find any file storing apps that were rated 17+.
I don't know what Apple's logic is here. Maybe they consider the Kama Sutra to be literature. But just because I can't discern the reason from the outside doesn't mean it's random. Are you arguing that there should be more apps rated 17+? Maybe the reviewers simply missed something.
Failure? The 2G iphone sold several million units despite 1) not having many common features (3G, GPS, MMS, CC&P, exchange support, etc.), 2) being priced at $500-600 at launch, 3) only being available on one carrier, 4) only being available in a few countries... etc. Though I do agree with you that 3rd party apps make it vastly more useful and fun than it was pre-2.0.
Anyway, on topic: I think the reporting on the app store controversy has turned a molehill in to a mountain. How many apps has apple rejected that the general public knows or cares about? I count... 1. Google voice. And even there, of my half dozen friends and family members with iphones, I'd be surprised if more than one of them had heard about it.
People who come to tech sites like macrumors know and care about this "issue." The general public does not.
That said, I am talking about this from a user's perspective. I'm not an iphone dev nor do I know any. If the good devs leave, the public will eventually feel the effect, even if they don't know why it's happening. But I don't really see that happening. There are 40 million iphone OS devices out there, and the number is poised to grow rapidly as the iphone becomes available in even more countries, the 3rd gen ipod touch comes out, and (eventually) the iphone goes to other carriers in the US. So while some developers like Frank may pick up their toys and leave the sandbox, it's just too lucrative a sandbox for many people to follow him.
THAT said, I fully support apple engaging in some better communication with developers. It can only benefit everyone.
Exactly. This isn't about the way things are, it's about the way things are going. The (eBook thread is a perfect example. As far as Apple's coproate image is concerned, the truth of the situation is less important than the fact that it was a belivable scenario. People thought Apple were capable of shafting all of the developers of eBook apps, and potentially alienating Amazon and other ePublishers, so that they could launch their own offering with no competition. People believed it and - unbelievably - people were defending the move. Apple are locking people into a proprietary - and potentially hostile - format, and any content creator should be wary of that. Content consumers can be as flippant as they want: this isn't about them.
May be you should learn to read before posting BS. ANY iPhone developer knows that the current approval process is seriously broken. The way apple promotes apps in the appstore is seriously broken. iTunes Connect is seriously broken. Device provisioning limitations is retarded.
Do you understand that some devs had to wait for 55 days days before getting a rejection letter? how about 30 days? Only to get a cryptic copy-paste letter of rejection. Go talk to the developers from The Icon Factory (you know, the guys that make tweettrific) about it and ask them how they feel about it? They have been waiting now for an unspecified time after submitting their new game Ramp Champ.
You do understand that without those "cry babies" all good apps will seize to exist? Even on the Mac.
The fact that Schiller personally took the time to respond to a rather respected and well established Mac developer's rants (as you seem to imply) says a lot.
You are not a developer so calling other devs cry babies over issues and troubles they are having reeks of ignorance
No indication of anything at all. Schiller is in charge of marketing, so it makes sense that if anyone would respond, it would be him.
Schiller's new job?
So it appears that Schiller is adding App Store Apologist to his job description. It could become a full-time role.
So it appears that Schiller is adding App Store Apologist to his job description. It could become a full-time role.
Jailbreaking was rampant, leading Apple to adopt the concept of the App Store for themselves. It is very clear that the first generation did not sell as much as the 3G, even with the price drop that occurred.
Shazam just identifies the music, it doesn't play, provide, or promote it. How can identifying a song that is already being played out loud be offensive? Why doesn't the iPod App come with a 17+ rating? Why is that difficult?
I wish Apple had higher standards in the App store
Hi,
One of the things I wish is that Apple had higher standards in the App store. I feel like many companies spam the app store with their apps and you truly have to dig through all the crap apps (that sometimes is submitted several times with minor changes) to find the gems. I'm actually very unhappy with how the app store operates. Any company that submits an app several times with minor changes should be rejected and forced to combine all the changes into one application. Regardless I hope that Apple at least keeps up the current standards and hopefully gets more strong armed with application developers. There should be clearly defined set rules.
Thanks!
Hi,
One of the things I wish is that Apple had higher standards in the App store. I feel like many companies spam the app store with their apps and you truly have to dig through all the crap apps (that sometimes is submitted several times with minor changes) to find the gems. I'm actually very unhappy with how the app store operates. Any company that submits an app several times with minor changes should be rejected and forced to combine all the changes into one application. Regardless I hope that Apple at least keeps up the current standards and hopefully gets more strong armed with application developers. There should be clearly defined set rules.
Thanks!
I do not say "failure" in commercial terms, but rather as a smartphone concept. Apple originally had their own philosophy for how the iPhone should be used. The marketplace dictated that this concept was not viable long-term. Apple changed their concept after realizing this. Apple could not have continued the iPhone the way it was. So, to me, this was a failed concept compared to the 3G/3GS.
opcorn:I am always fascinated seeing the battlelines being drawn in these threads--
fanboys/apologists vs. melodramatic conspiracy theorists. Both sides need to get a grip.
It will be interesting to see how Microsoft, RIM and Palm handle their own App Store clones. Surely they are sitting back and watching the negative backlash against Apple very carefully (and with some amount of glee I suppose) and will try not to step in the same poop that Apple has. That said, they will still have serious reservations about peddling "anything goes" content, both from a legal perspective and protecting their respective brands. They will be forced to impose some limitations, no doubt about it. Of course when they do, they won't generate the amount of public outrage that Apple tends to (bad Apple press is good press, you see) and we won't hear about it as much as we hear about Apple.
I anticipate an outcome somewhere along the lines of "Look, we're not like Apple! (Sorta.)"
Very interesting indeed. Apple is the one having to figure all of this out for the rest of the industry.
The pioneers are the ones who take all the arrows in the back...
I anticipate an outcome somewhere along the lines of "Look, we're not like Apple! (Sorta.)"
Very interesting indeed. Apple is the one having to figure all of this out for the rest of the industry.
The pioneers are the ones who take all the arrows in the back...
All this fuss is overblown. I had a Windows mobile phone for years, you know how many apps I bought? Maybe one or two at most. Why? Because the experience sucked. Know how many iPhone apps I've bought since the 3GS came out? I've lost count!
The app store is a game changer and not everyone is going to like it. Developers can't willy nilly peddle the same crap as they used to, and yes Apple and AT&T may refuse apps that interfere with their core business model. It's their turf and they get to protect it whether we are happy about it or not.
The app store is not a democracy, it's a business. Period.
The app store is a game changer and not everyone is going to like it. Developers can't willy nilly peddle the same crap as they used to, and yes Apple and AT&T may refuse apps that interfere with their core business model. It's their turf and they get to protect it whether we are happy about it or not.
The app store is not a democracy, it's a business. Period.
swingerofbirch
macrumors 68040
I wonder why this guy thinks he needs permission to publish an email. I recall the other person (daring fireball) who was sent an e-mail went out of his way to get Schiller's permission to publish parts of the e-mail he received. Publishing correspondence that someone sends to you is legal with or without the person's permission! These people really seem scared of Apple.
Yeah, I had this same thought. This looks like the answer to the question of "Who takes over when Steve leaves?"