SDK Beta Period App Duplication Effect

[CommodityFetish]

It will be funny and sad when June rolls around and it turns out that each application niche (word processor, spreadsheet, IM, sudoku game, etc) has hundreds of contenders basically duplicating each other, providing the same functionality, all being released at the same time.

Like everyone showing up to the party wearing the same outfit!

A bit of an unprecedented situation to have a new platform with all this pent-up interest. No time for slow organic growth with new apps responding and improving upon existing apps. Instead a mad dash growth spurt as everyone rushes into the door to try and out-do the others out of the gate.

Could make for a lot of duplicated/wasted effort, and a big rubish bin of 1st gen apps that were outdone from the get-go. Maybe someone should start a registry or some sort of way for developers to know what others are doing, and for the open-source devs to collaborate... (maybe someone already has?)

Just some thoughts...

 

[JBaker122586]

It will be funny and sad when June rolls around and it turns out that each application niche (word processor, spreadsheet, IM, sudoku game, etc) has hundreds of contenders basically duplicating each other, providing the same functionality, all being released at the same time.

Like everyone showing up to the party wearing the same outfit!

A bit of an unprecedented situation to have a new platform with all this pent-up interest. No time for slow organic growth with new apps responding and improving upon existing apps. Instead a mad dash growth spurt as everyone rushes into the door to try and out-do the others out of the gate.

Could make for a lot of duplicated/wasted effort, and a big rubish bin of 1st gen apps that were outdone from the get-go. Maybe someone should start a registry or some sort of way for developers to know what others are doing, and for the open-source devs to collaborate... (maybe someone already has?)

Just some thoughts...

Same thing can happen with the release of any new OS.
Developers had a Leopard SDK months before its release. I know it's a bit different, but it's just like it was with the original OSX I'm sure.
Besides, competition breeds excellence. Good for the end consumer.

 

[Knowlege Bomb]

I think this will actually be a good thing. Not only will it instill the competitive spirit between developers, but since Apple is regulating what goes into the store, it'll give them a wide variety of similar apps from which to choose the best option. This will ensure that we WON'T have a bunch of mediocre first gen apps.

 

[waterskier2007]

I think this will actually be a good thing. Not only will it instill the competitive spirit between developers, but since Apple is regulating what goes into the store, it'll give them a wide variety of similar apps from which to choose the best option. This will ensure that we WON'T have a bunch of mediocre first gen apps.

agreed. it will greatly increase the caliber of apps that we get. the op's post is really invalid because apple approves the apps, so the app store wont be flooded with tons of the same apps, and the end user wont have to search through multiple apps to find the best one

 

[kdarling]

Anybody get accepted as a $99 developer yet, btw?

Just got a notice from Apple that they were still only taking a few.

Wonder how many will lose interest...