This hasn't been a good week for news about the App Store. First, Joe Hewitt, the developer of the Facebook application on the iPhone (one of the most popular apps in the store) announced that he will no longer be developing on the iPhone due to Apple's horrible policies regarding the App Store.
On TechCrunch, Hewitt is quoted as saying, "My decision to stop iPhone development has had everything to do with Apple’s policies. I respect their right to manage their platform however they want, however I am philosophically opposed to the existence of their review process. I am very concerned that they are setting a horrible precedent for other software platforms, and soon gatekeepers will start infesting the lives of every software developer."
And today, Rogue Amoeba, the developers behind the iPhone application Speakers (and makers of many fine Mac applications) announced they are abandoning all further development on the iPhone after Apple took ***3.5 months*** to approve a simple point release for bug fixes. From their blog: "The chorus of disenchanted developers is growing and we’re adding our voices as well. Rogue Amoeba no longer has any plans for additional iPhone applications, and updates to our existing iPhone applications will likely be rare. The iPhone platform had great promise, but that promise is not enough, so we’re focusing on the Mac."
Frankly, I'm excited to see this happen and hope many more developers jump on board. While I really enjoy my iPhone (when it works), the App Store review process is fundamentally broken and is not conducive to innovation. Why spend countless hours and money developing an application for the iPhone when you're not even sure it will be approved in the first place (let alone in a timely matter).
Something needs to happen.
We previously discussed a similar topic to this a few months ago:
Would an App Strike work against Apple?
discuss.gdgt.com/apple/general/would-an-app-strike...
Other relevant links:
www.techcrunch.com/2009/11/11/joe-hewitt-developer...
www.rogueamoeba.com/utm/
www.mikeash.com/?page=pyblog/the-iphone-developmen...
carpeaqua.com/2009/10/16/back-to-the-mac/
Also, XKCD weighs in:
xkcd.com/662/
Discussion about
Beginning of an App Store revolt?
It takes time for an App Store to mature, right now Blackberry is hitting its stride, there are about 10,000 Apps available for Blackberry and the list is growing. Android is the newest platform and by mid June of 2010 they should have as many Apps as the Blackberry and beginning to be a credible alternative to the App Store.
I just bought a Motorola Droid. Bringing my Phone total to 3. A Verizon BB tour, the Motorola Droid and the iPhone 3GS, as soon as the iPhone is available on Verizon I am ditching AT&T and getting a CDMA iPhone.
Let's hope this happens soon.
Merry Christmas Coolguy1957!
I just bought a Motorola Droid. Bringing my Phone total to 3. A Verizon BB tour, the Motorola Droid and the iPhone 3GS, as soon as the iPhone is available on Verizon I am ditching AT&T and getting a CDMA iPhone.
Let's hope this happens soon.
Merry Christmas Coolguy1957!
Just to correct you, Android has between 16000-20000 apps, with now more then 3000 added a month so it has passed the Blackberry app store. If anything Android is the more credible app store.
I don't think number of available apps alone makes an App Store credible or not. However, I think that Android probably has the #2 most relevant app storein the mobile field today, based on its open nature and the number of different devices available to it.
Despite Apple's draconian policies, they are still the one to beat and will be for the foreseeable future. It will be interesting to see how they react as the Android market inevitably grows and begins to mount a serious challenge to them.
Despite Apple's draconian policies, they are still the one to beat and will be for the foreseeable future. It will be interesting to see how they react as the Android market inevitably grows and begins to mount a serious challenge to them.
Oh I agree, the App store is one to beat but the Android Market is picking up speed and power. If you look at what the two OS can do Android has the potential for much more powerful apps, running in Davlich(I know I butchered that but i'm lazy), with native C+ development, multitasking, interapp connectivity and I have a feeling once Google releases the SDK for 2.1 Apps are going to get a lot of flash, comparable to the iphone. But for now the App store does rule the roast.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to y'all! Here's to app store parity for 2010!!! :)
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Eventually programmers will learn how to post their Android App to a centralized location. At that point there will be a competitive model with the Apple App Store. Until that time the App Store is the only game in town until enough Android Apps are created to meet the demand of new Android Users.
There really is only one centralized location for Android apps and it is close to 17000, so how is it not already battling Apple. I would not call the App store the only one in town because Android Market is gaining momentum. I would imagine that by the end of the year if the rate continues there will be more then 22000 apps.
But i don't think numbers should count because how many apps do you need to play solitaire or take a note. The main difference is quality and the iphone has more flash over android app but android can be said to be much more functional since apps can talk to each other, every app can have its on notification style ect, which in the long run is going to make it the better market.
But i don't think numbers should count because how many apps do you need to play solitaire or take a note. The main difference is quality and the iphone has more flash over android app but android can be said to be much more functional since apps can talk to each other, every app can have its on notification style ect, which in the long run is going to make it the better market.
you answered your own question when you mentioned the "F" word....
At first i thought i had typed something else, then it hit me it is all about flash, but to me i could care less, i prefer functionality over style.
I would say I prefer both and you get both to a certain degree in a lot of these smartphones. I think you as a programmer feel better served by your Android product, while non-techie people feel they can control their entertainment centers and land space shuttles with their iPhones. To be fair, they both offer great hardware and software. This new crop of Android phones has way upped the flash also. You can't deny that. Lots of these new models look like baby iPhones and thats not a bad thing.... Your trooper phone, the G1, had a lot going for it, but looks was not one of them!
To each his own though, i think my G1 looks a lot more professional then an iphone but again that's my opinion. Plus like you said the current Androids are getting the flash part down and i think next year the low end Android phones are going to be better equipped then the new iphone my speculation but i don't think Apple is going to fragment the apple store by making a tegra based phone, at most they might add some new features but i don't see them boosting the processor much.
thats a good point.... the apps follow you as long as you stay on the iPhone platform.... Someone would have to dump them all in order to jump ship.... lots of money down the drain....
All of this is making me less and less excited about doing iPhone dev in the future.... I only hope competition will pull them off of their ethical pedestal.... As with anything else, I believe people are the ones who should choose whats right or wrong for them, not Apple...
Competition is the answer. If there was another serious platform for developing apps on then Apple would have to fix the problem. Android might be that competitor in another 6 months or 1 year.
Unfortunately, now that Apple has so much momentum it is going to be difficult to catch up. Obviously, Google needs to be aggressive about reaching out to angry iPhone developers. Perhaps more importantly they need to be aggressive about bribing the top iPhone developers who are ambivalent about Apple's app policies.
Great applications will drive sales of Android devices and greater device sales will drive more application development, but Google will have to grease some palms to really get things started.
Unfortunately, now that Apple has so much momentum it is going to be difficult to catch up. Obviously, Google needs to be aggressive about reaching out to angry iPhone developers. Perhaps more importantly they need to be aggressive about bribing the top iPhone developers who are ambivalent about Apple's app policies.
Great applications will drive sales of Android devices and greater device sales will drive more application development, but Google will have to grease some palms to really get things started.
Great Android apps aren't going to get the iPhone out of peoples hands who are happy with it though. I honestly don't know what would do that......
hands down.... this DROID campaign has been entertaining at least.... it still can't compete with the iPhone and Apple name though...
"Android might be that competitor in another 6 months or 1 year."
Android might be that competitor when the installed user base numbers are compelling enough for devs to monetize that platform vs iPhone (or do both until then?). I'd give it a longer time than 6 - 12 months, but I wouldn't count them out.
Android might be that competitor when the installed user base numbers are compelling enough for devs to monetize that platform vs iPhone (or do both until then?). I'd give it a longer time than 6 - 12 months, but I wouldn't count them out.
Like I said, Google needs to provide some monetary incentive to the top developers. Right now the only reason for a developer to develop apps for Android instead of iPhone is rejection or ideological incompatibilities. Google can change that by breaking out the checkbook.
They done an app contest twice now with over million dollars up for grabs, so IMO that is way more incentive then what apple is currently offering to develope a great app, and many have come from it.
Idk, Android's momentum is picking up, already halfway through the month and they have more new apps then they did in June, By the end of the month there will have been more then 3000 new android apps, and i excpect December to see almost 4000. Its no iphone momentum but it is picking up, and switching from mainly apps to games. Granted there is more then its far share of bookmark apps and crap but there are more then its far share of apps the Iphone will never see. GDE is one of them, it gives you the cube from Compiz Fusion as your home screen or two other effects.
www.androlib.com/appstats.aspx
www.androlib.com/appstats.aspx
What app? I wouldn't mind supporting devs who've had trouble with the App Store.
You followed the flowchart right? www.orangeek.org/images/apple_flowchart_for_applic...
In all seriousness that sucks. Good luck!
In all seriousness that sucks. Good luck!
I understand it's fashionable to bash Apple and the iPhone, that alone should worry Apple greatly. There is no better way to get a lot of hits on a blog posting than to condemn the iPhone or this and that. That being said, they do need to work on the approval process and do so soon. I am sure this all brings many hits to the developers websites as well.
I do enjoy my iPhone (which always works for me) but Apple needs to work on the PR around this all.
I do enjoy my iPhone (which always works for me) but Apple needs to work on the PR around this all.
Its not a PR problem its a bad policy problem. If Microsoft controlled what you installed on PCs I think most people would flip out. The same is true with Apple. They need to let me side load! Until then they will not get my business and I will vehemently oppose anyone getting into that ecosystem.
Side loading would solve this issue perfectly. Windows Mobile has the best of both worlds - an app store on the device that only provides vetted apps (though currently there are only 200 or so...nowhere near the number on the iPhone), and you can also source unrestricted apps from the dozens of online stores and side load them onto your device.
If the iPhone allowed this (unlikely given Apple's apparent dislike of giving their customers freedom) they would have a massive app store that most (i.e. non-tech) users would use and an alternative way for the more tech savvy consumers to get apps that don't meet Steve Jobs's personal standards and tastes.
But the iPhone's demographic is mostly not tech savvy and/or interested in the details. They just want to tap the screen and download Facebook.
It's sad that in the year 2009 a technology company is trying to enforce its values on its customers.
If the iPhone allowed this (unlikely given Apple's apparent dislike of giving their customers freedom) they would have a massive app store that most (i.e. non-tech) users would use and an alternative way for the more tech savvy consumers to get apps that don't meet Steve Jobs's personal standards and tastes.
But the iPhone's demographic is mostly not tech savvy and/or interested in the details. They just want to tap the screen and download Facebook.
It's sad that in the year 2009 a technology company is trying to enforce its values on its customers.
"But the iPhone's demographic is mostly not tech savvy and/or interested in the details. They just want to tap the screen and download Facebook."
I don't get why people assume this. Nearly every person I know in the tech world (including the majority of the gdgt team) use iPhones.
I don't get why people assume this. Nearly every person I know in the tech world (including the majority of the gdgt team) use iPhones.
I never spoke about others not doing business with Apple just myself, except to say that if Microsoft had control over applications people would flip out. Given that Microsoft's bundling of Internet Explorer into its OS has caused it enough grief, control over other applications would land it in more trouble.
"I don't get why people assume this. Nearly every person I know in the tech world (including the majority of the gdgt team) use iPhones."
While that may be true, that isn't the mainstream demographic of consumers. We are the 20 of the 80/20. People turn to Apple products for ease of use and quality — it is part of their brand identity — and the approval process controls this tightly. Opening up the iPhone for side loading will cut into Apple's profits and control over user experience, but I am interested in seeing how this will play out with the rise of Android. I welcome the competition more than anything because clearly the iPhone honeymoon is over.
While that may be true, that isn't the mainstream demographic of consumers. We are the 20 of the 80/20. People turn to Apple products for ease of use and quality — it is part of their brand identity — and the approval process controls this tightly. Opening up the iPhone for side loading will cut into Apple's profits and control over user experience, but I am interested in seeing how this will play out with the rise of Android. I welcome the competition more than anything because clearly the iPhone honeymoon is over.
yes, tech people have iPhones, but so does EVERYONE ELSE, including a huge number of very non-tech savvy people.
The iPhone is popular across a huge variety of demographics and only a small percentage of any given group is particularly tech savvy so the overall numbers lean towards people who probably have not even heard of android.
The iPhone is popular across a huge variety of demographics and only a small percentage of any given group is particularly tech savvy so the overall numbers lean towards people who probably have not even heard of android.
ya, most iphone users I know are that or nothing... they don't know or care about android and they are happy... oh well...
I don't think the people Apple wants to buy its phone are going to notice any bad press around topics such as this. They are trying to get a mainstream demographic with the iPhone. This is unfortunate.
Also, I really think 'working on the approval process' is missing the point completely. The problem is that Apple wants to control what content is available on their hardware. This is a Very Bad Thing.
Improving the approval process would make the product better, but it's not fixing the actual problem - just a few side effect symptoms.
Also, I really think 'working on the approval process' is missing the point completely. The problem is that Apple wants to control what content is available on their hardware. This is a Very Bad Thing.
Improving the approval process would make the product better, but it's not fixing the actual problem - just a few side effect symptoms.
Interesting topic. The people who decide what happens will be the consumer. Open development probably sounds nice to them but means nothing. Though if the people like us ruled Apple the App Store would be open and only a day or two of testing just to see if the app doesn't crash too much of isn't malware. But the consumer won't really notice this topic until they see a widespread wanted app be rejected.
I'm really happy thats happening. My gdgt list has been filled with Apple products but this attitude is just turning me away. I really liked the iPhone and rarely encountered the dropped call and signal problems.
But got fed up of Apple's control habits and did the best thing I can as a customer: stop buying their products. So I sold off my iPhone and plan on not buying any of their products until something is done about it. Not really my loss since Windows 7 isn't bad and Blackberries are far better with the communicating than most which is what I use my cell phone for.
But got fed up of Apple's control habits and did the best thing I can as a customer: stop buying their products. So I sold off my iPhone and plan on not buying any of their products until something is done about it. Not really my loss since Windows 7 isn't bad and Blackberries are far better with the communicating than most which is what I use my cell phone for.
I think soon all hell will break loose.
But the question remains, where will the devs go? My bet is Android but maybe something like Maemo, Symbian or BB could get lucky. Androids advantage is size, Maemos is language iPhone devs get C already (and Unix OSs) so there's less of a jump, WebOS might get some of the devs who have lightweight apps and like pretty interfaces.Not sure about BB, Symbian or WinMo (depends on the HD2)
But the question remains, where will the devs go? My bet is Android but maybe something like Maemo, Symbian or BB could get lucky. Androids advantage is size, Maemos is language iPhone devs get C already (and Unix OSs) so there's less of a jump, WebOS might get some of the devs who have lightweight apps and like pretty interfaces.Not sure about BB, Symbian or WinMo (depends on the HD2)
My bet is Android. It's the only major platform that still hasn't hit its peak and it's backed by Google. Plus, I think a lot more developers know Java than Objective C.
My hope is that Google cleans up the UI to make the "default" more standardized for people to use. Android itself still has a lot of work it needs to do to get up to feature parity with the iPhone OS.
My hope is that Google cleans up the UI to make the "default" more standardized for people to use. Android itself still has a lot of work it needs to do to get up to feature parity with the iPhone OS.
Im hoping they head over to Android. I think most of them will try to avoid WinMo and probably BB as well. I'm not sure that WebOS will get them either just because a lot of the developers have been writing native apps for the iPhone after being frustrated when they were originally restricted to web-based apps. Some of the devs might just stop for a while altogether hoping that Apple will change their ways.
Yeah Apple is really hurting itself here but I don't know if enough developers will be disgruntled enough to stop development altogether. I hope I'm wrong though because Apple needs to change their policies dramatically, and soon. It's frustrating for me to see and I'm not a developer.
I think it is funny that Apple is trying to appease the masses by letting you check on the progress of your app: www.engadget.com/2009/11/11/apple-lets-devs-bite-t...
It doesn't matter whether or not I can SEE that an app update is waiting to be approved for 3.5 months, it's the fact that it takes 3.5 months in the first place. Come on, Apple. You're going to have to try harder than that.
I think it is funny that Apple is trying to appease the masses by letting you check on the progress of your app: www.engadget.com/2009/11/11/apple-lets-devs-bite-t...
It doesn't matter whether or not I can SEE that an app update is waiting to be approved for 3.5 months, it's the fact that it takes 3.5 months in the first place. Come on, Apple. You're going to have to try harder than that.
Isn't the fact that an app needs approval in the first place the bigger concern?
Apple's policy is anti-consumer and anti-technology. It's a shame the iPhone is so popular when there are alternatives that don't play big brother to their customers.
Apple's policy is anti-consumer and anti-technology. It's a shame the iPhone is so popular when there are alternatives that don't play big brother to their customers.
