Survey Suggests Mac Developers Continue to Be Dissatisfied With Mac App Store

[appleman1988]

Sounds like your just on some rant now...

For a reason.

 

[manni]

I like the App store and know others who do as well. Just as with iOS app sore, I like knowing a piece of software has been approved by apple and I know it's safe and I am happier paying via Apple. In fact, of all the ways to get software on my Mac the AppStore is my preferred choice.

The problem I have often found is that software doesn't get updated enough, even some expensive games. Some then won't work with the latest MacOS. Then you have to go through the trouble of requesting a refund.

Apple could improve this by allowing free trials or maybe not allowing apps on there that haven't been updated within a certain time frame.

 

[huperniketes]

Just as with iOS app sore, I like knowing a piece of software has been approved by apple and I know it's safe and I am happier paying via Apple.

Apps on the App Stores are neither vetted nor approved by Apple. They are simply apps in which Apple hasn't found a glaringly obvious problem.

Apple could improve this by allowing free trials or maybe not allowing apps on there that haven't been updated within a certain time frame.

Yes, Apple should allow developers to set up free trials, trial periods, paid upgrades (although in-app subscriptions seem to be one type of alternative), etc. But, no, Apple shouldn't remove apps which haven't been updated for a while if they still work. Users who've paid for them would be deprived of their functionality.

 

[jgdeschamps]

This is incorrect. Indies did have the opportunity to market our own apps. We even had a couple of app developer communities: MacSB, which was Mac-focused; and microISVs, which were for indie devs of all platforms. We were, and many still are, active on IRC, Twitter, forums such as MacRumors, etc. where we shared tips and info on app development, marketing and other business issues.



He might not. And you might not. But I remember what resources Apple provided indies before the Mac App Store. One of which was their Downloads section, which would list our apps for us, with a lot more categories and other discoverability features which are still not met by MAS.

Some other key differences between the old system and MAS:

• hosting - before you had to find a way to host your apps, now MAS will distribute it for you;
• Developer Program registration - before you could make and distribute apps simply by registering, now you must enroll in the Apple Developer Program, paying the $99 minimum fee (unless you're a student);
• user licenses - you had to pick and implement your own licensing technology, now it's incorporated into MAS;
• user engagement - you knew who your customers were and could contact and respond to them directly. Now that engagement can only occur through Apple's review process;
• user reviews - 3rd party review and discoverability sites such as MacUpdate, iusethis, Softpedia, etc. were more important to microISVs back then, but they're still around; now, the review process on MAS is still pretty bad according to developers on the store.

Of course, Amazon also has its own app store where you can discover, buy, and review Mac apps.

There's always a lot of competition. It isn't a matter of making a great app or game. It's a matter of having the business and marketing skills required to make yourself known and build a relationship with the users. Microsoft had this down pat decades ago.

I actually know the process, because of my brother (he's an Apple developer, as well as other platforms, only not for public applications... and I'm also registered as a developer just to play with Swift.) What I meant was not that you couldn't publish as indie, but that it was harder to do. Indies didn't have the exposure they have now. I know I didn't hang out at forums to buy software when I had my first Mac back in the nineties. Like you said, you hanged out with others via internet and shared ideas on how to get noticed. You are now concentrated within a portal that helps you get noticed and it's embedded in Macs and iDevices right out of the box. Or you, as a developer, would rather see Apple's app stores go? Can't be that bad...

As an example, I'm a fire protection systems contractor, and the industry changed in the last 8 years in my country. It used to be that an industrial plant would contact you directly as a contractor so you could provide them with a "turn key" system, or EPC project. All fine and dandy. But you had to knock on doors all over the country to see which industrial plants wanted your services. Today, there are 4 big construction companies that concentrate a lot of services for commercial and industrial projects and facilities. The end client prefers to deal with one entity (one of those construction companies,) instead of 10 contractors that meet all their different needs. Long story short: the difference for a contractor is that you had to reduce your utilities a bit to maintain a competitive price in the market. But, now we don't have to knock on doors all over the place because the big construction companies just passes to us all the projects and we submit our bids. We have at least 5 times more work than before, and it even helps us concentrate our warranty policies. Sounds familiar?

By the way, thank you for your informed POV, it makes for a great conversation. I like this for a change in the forum.

 

[ikir]

The Mac App Store needs to be eliminated completely. Everything worked just fine for software distribution before its advent. All it is (and ever was) is another way for Apple to control all aspects of its business model to generate even more revenue for the company. Because, you know, they don't already have enough money without it.

From what I understand it's also a pain in the ass for Mac developers. That sounds to me like it's a lose/lose proposition for everyone BUT Apple.

Nope it is very handy to have all there, family sharing too
[doublepost=1498172482][/doublepost]

They keep 30% more!

(Minus the costs associated with the hosting, of course)

And the payment

 

[Bubble99]

Except there is plenty of scams apps or more and less shady apps in MAS. Few examples:

https://twitter.com/thomasareed/status/873492578817241088

https://twitter.com/djross95/status/819016169197830144

https://twitter.com/deluxive/status/822282939060854787

https://twitter.com/deluxive/status/783712367758761984

https://twitter.com/deluxive/status/873459603022983169

https://twitter.com/deluxive/status/867381624584982528

https://twitter.com/jhpot/status/806998268685103104

https://twitter.com/thomasareed/status/781174814434324480

There are lots of these scams and junk apps for iOS too.

People should read the comments and if it app you got to pay for make sure you do your home work before you download it.

Read up on the reviews and what the app does and what other people think of it.

 

[Anderton]

Having checked all of your provided links I must admit I am aware of those apps, and most of those mentioned by you should definitely advertise in a different fashion, that's for sure.

But I struggle to see any illegal activity (fraud or "scam", as you call it).

While i know the thread is, and your reply is old, i will reply for people coming here via Google or some other source.
Even if ”MyappX” (dummy name) don't break any laws (of course, this depends on where you live), it still can be fraudulent.

In the links i posted, you see one developer submitting apps on MAS, sometimes with names very similar to other applications from well known developers. However, even if not using similar names, the apps mostly lies about the functionality, OPSWAT Certifications and other things. When they get kicked of MAS, they return in a couple of weeks with ”another” (which is the same as before) developer and new app names (doing the same thing)[1]. That's fraudulent behaviour if you ask me.

Regarding illegal activity, most of them breaks various Open Source licenses. They build their apps around some well known Open Source project or library, and slaps a GUI to it, their own or from another Open Source project. While the most common used Open Source licenses used by the ”shady” developers at MAS and elsewhere doesn't prohibit them from selling the software (and it's nothing wrong with selling Open Source software at all), they have to follow the terms stated in the licenses. Which they almost never do[2], which is technically speaking illegal in most countries in the world. Also, many uses licences that are not compatible with Mac App Store licenses[2].

Also, the thing with shady developers like this, is even the apps don't install malicious stuff on your computer, they sometimes ”recommend” from in-app to install add-ons or extras from their websites, which mostly contains PUPs, adware, trackingware or worse.

And while you can feel more safe using MAS than downloading apps from a Blogspot site doing some random googling, MAS has served malware before[3], and as malware developers get more clever, they certainly will find a way (if not already).

Of course, common sense and some Google-FU alongside Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (and other recommended apps like: BlockBlock, KnockKnock and LittleSnitch for starters)[4] will help out in the long run.

[1]: https://blog.malwarebytes.com/puppum/2016/09/pup-friday-nikoff-security-redux/
[2]: https://ma.tt/2016/10/wix-and-the-gpl/
[3]: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-34338362
[4]: Don't take my word for it, check out Infosec News, forums or what Mac Security Researchers say on this.

 

[LinusR]

While i know the thread is, and your reply is old, i will reply for people coming here via Google or some other source.
Even if ”MyappX” (dummy name) don't break any laws (of course, this depends on where you live), it still can be fraudulent.

In the links i posted, you see one developer submitting apps on MAS, sometimes with names very similar to other applications from well known developers. However, even if not using similar names, the apps mostly lies about the functionality, OPSWAT Certifications and other things. When they get kicked of MAS, they return in a couple of weeks with ”another” (which is the same as before) developer and new app names (doing the same thing)[1]. That's fraudulent behaviour if you ask me.

Regarding illegal activity, most of them breaks various Open Source licenses. They build their apps around some well known Open Source project or library, and slaps a GUI to it, their own or from another Open Source project. While the most common used Open Source licenses used by the ”shady” developers at MAS and elsewhere doesn't prohibit them from selling the software (and it's nothing wrong with selling Open Source software at all), they have to follow the terms stated in the licenses. Which they almost never do[2], which is technically speaking illegal in most countries in the world. Also, many uses licences that are not compatible with Mac App Store licenses[2].

Also, the thing with shady developers like this, is even the apps don't install malicious stuff on your computer, they sometimes ”recommend” from in-app to install add-ons or extras from their websites, which mostly contains PUPs, adware, trackingware or worse.

And while you can feel more safe using MAS than downloading apps from a Blogspot site doing some random googling, MAS has served malware before[3], and as malware developers get more clever, they certainly will find a way (if not already).

Of course, common sense and some Google-FU alongside Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (and other recommended apps like: BlockBlock, KnockKnock and LittleSnitch for starters)[4] will help out in the long run.

[1]: https://blog.malwarebytes.com/puppum/2016/09/pup-friday-nikoff-security-redux/
[2]: https://ma.tt/2016/10/wix-and-the-gpl/
[3]: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-34338362
[4]: Don't take my word for it, check out Infosec News, forums or what Mac Security Researchers say on this.

I didn't expect to get a response to my original post, so thanks for that!
Also, I totally agree with you and upon reading your response I would want to edit my original post -- I didn't mean to excuse developers who sell useless/fraudulent apps, my point was just a pedantic one. Thanks for the sources by the way, those were very helpful indeed!