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Note I didn't say that there weren't examples of applications that could be abusive if such a rule didn't exist. I'm saying that the rule is far too general and

Note I didn't say that there weren't examples of applications that could be abusive if such a rule didn't exist. I'm saying that the rule is far too general and covers far too many benign ideas that could end up becoming incredible products. Many iOS apps have an admin console that can only be unlocked by special designators in their account on the server side, yet by this rule that would be disallowed. In fact the company I worked for disabled their admin panel for this very reason, despite the fact that it was very useful for debugging and field testing a released build. EDIT: Also is there any evidence that companies in the App Store are more sustainable than elsewhere? I can see how this is possible, but it's also unintuitive that companies paying higher costs would end up keeping their apps maintained for longer.

IBM 10y ago
I don't think it's a surprise that Apple's rules chafe developers, I also don't think it's a surprise that Apple has a bias towards their customers which is why they're willing to have restrictive rules. Ultimately it comes down to leverage, and they have plenty of it because they've aggregated a very nice demographic of users that are willing to spend money.
- knucklesandwich 10y ago
  This is exactly the kind of "Apple is infallable" logic I'm talking about. How exactly does it benefit customers to limit access to safe, cool apps that violate some arcane rule they have? If they actually wanted to do right by their customers it stands to reason that they should work with developers to come up with a more precise set of rules that still keeps their reputation intact and their customers happy so that customers have access to more varied kinds of apps. I'm an iOS customer (and not an app developer) who is irked by this, so there's at least an existence proof of people that feel the opposite.
  - IBM 10y ago
    What apps are being made elsewhere that aren't being made for iOS? And how successful/popular are they? Saying there are plenty, without evidence, is a counterfactual that can't be proven. There may be some apps that aren't made on the margins, but on the whole the rules make the App Store a better experience, and it's their prerogative to choose that over the marginal app.
  - mcphage 10y ago
    > If they actually wanted to do right by their customers it stands to reason that they should work with developers to come up with a more precise set of rules that still keeps their reputation intact and their customers happy so that customers have access to more varied kinds of apps. I'm an iOS customer (and not an app develop Apple's general MO around restrictions against abuse is to make them too strong, see what kind of useful apps get developed in other app stores that would be against Apple's rules, and then change the rules to allow for just those examples. So if there's an overly strict Apple rule, but no other good apps come out elsewhere, then the rule will stay.

IBM 10y ago

I don't think it's a surprise that Apple's rules chafe developers, I also don't think it's a surprise that Apple has a bias towards their customers which is why they're willing to have restrictive rules. Ultimately it comes down to leverage, and they have plenty of it because they've aggregated a very nice demographic of users that are willing to spend money.

knucklesandwich 10y ago
This is exactly the kind of "Apple is infallable" logic I'm talking about. How exactly does it benefit customers to limit access to safe, cool apps that violate some arcane rule they have? If they actually wanted to do right by their customers it stands to reason that they should work with developers to come up with a more precise set of rules that still keeps their reputation intact and their customers happy so that customers have access to more varied kinds of apps. I'm an iOS customer (and not an app developer) who is irked by this, so there's at least an existence proof of people that feel the opposite.
- IBM 10y ago
  What apps are being made elsewhere that aren't being made for iOS? And how successful/popular are they? Saying there are plenty, without evidence, is a counterfactual that can't be proven. There may be some apps that aren't made on the margins, but on the whole the rules make the App Store a better experience, and it's their prerogative to choose that over the marginal app.
- mcphage 10y ago
  > If they actually wanted to do right by their customers it stands to reason that they should work with developers to come up with a more precise set of rules that still keeps their reputation intact and their customers happy so that customers have access to more varied kinds of apps. I'm an iOS customer (and not an app develop Apple's general MO around restrictions against abuse is to make them too strong, see what kind of useful apps get developed in other app stores that would be against Apple's rules, and then change the rules to allow for just those examples. So if there's an overly strict Apple rule, but no other good apps come out elsewhere, then the rule will stay.