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"Developers are being shown that their apps — and their months or years of hard work, and in many cases, their entire businesses — can be yanked by Apple’s whim

by lotusleaf1987 16y ago

"Developers are being shown that their apps — and their months or years of hard work, and in many cases, their entire businesses — can be yanked by Apple’s whim at any time for reasons that they couldn’t have anticipated or avoided." Exactly, it's the classic bait and switch. Now after spending the time, money, and effort involved in developing the apps developers are forced to either cut their losses and abandon ship, or continue giving into Apple's demands.

ojbyrne 16y ago
Not just developers, but users as well. 90% of my ipad usage is with 2 apps - Netflix and Kindle, and now Apple is threatening to mess with them. I am not amused.
- staunch 16y ago
  Netflix is the killer app for me. They go off the iPad and I'll probably buy something else when I buy a new tablet.
- kenjackson 16y ago
  Apple won't mess with Netflix. No way. Any phone/tablet without Netflix is a non-starter. Apple knows this. Netflix gets an exemption. Kindle is a tougher call. I think Apple may try to pull them and see if they can do it or not.
  - tomkarlo 16y ago
    Don't forget there's a web-based Kindle reader as well. It's not as great as an app but with some offline storage it's a somewhat viable substitute.
  - jonknee 16y ago
    I don't disagree, but that's also how you get sued/investigated for anti-competitive behavior.
    - andyman1080 16y ago
      Seriously? Did I miss the part where iOS obtained 95% mobile OS market share?
      - Natsu 16y ago
        > Did I miss the part where iOS obtained 95% mobile OS market share? That depends on whether or not you believe what Steve said in the keynote about having over 90% of the tablet market.
        mhw 16y ago
        Did I miss the part where first-mover advantage became anti-competitive behaviour?
        Natsu 16y ago
        I'm not making any claims about who is and isn't an illegal monopoly, that's a legal matter and IANAL. I was addressing the claim about market share and only that.
        mhw 16y ago
        Neither was I really. I was making a point about the speed with which people are jumping to claims of anti-competitive behaviour before the competition have really got out of the starting blocks, and in some cases before they've even got their running spikes on. I think it would be a very bad move to regulate a market that's only really existed for 3 years and hasn't yet reached a point where anyone can be said to have an established monopoly. Must remember not to try being pithy on HN in future.
- kmfrk 16y ago
  It's funny to think of the app comparison Jobs did at his keynote presentation. Let's see the numbers for books on Kindle and compare notes.
brianwillis 16y ago
...and it raises the question for every other iOS developer: am I next?
- rimantas 16y ago
  as if every iOS developer sells subscriptions…
  - larrik 16y ago
    No, the point is who knows what types of apps will be deemed undesirable next? IE. What if Apple decides that they'd rather have only the top 1 or two apps for a category? That having only one throwing physics game, or one tower defense game, is what customers really want? Sure, that's ridiculous, but it's not THAT far from Apple's history. Or, maybe apps that let you play musical instruments compete too much with the new Garage Band. The point is, there is no limit to what Apple can change.

ojbyrne 16y ago

Not just developers, but users as well. 90% of my ipad usage is with 2 apps - Netflix and Kindle, and now Apple is threatening to mess with them. I am not amused.

staunch 16y ago
Netflix is the killer app for me. They go off the iPad and I'll probably buy something else when I buy a new tablet.
kenjackson 16y ago
Apple won't mess with Netflix. No way. Any phone/tablet without Netflix is a non-starter. Apple knows this. Netflix gets an exemption. Kindle is a tougher call. I think Apple may try to pull them and see if they can do it or not.
- tomkarlo 16y ago
  Don't forget there's a web-based Kindle reader as well. It's not as great as an app but with some offline storage it's a somewhat viable substitute.
- jonknee 16y ago
  I don't disagree, but that's also how you get sued/investigated for anti-competitive behavior.
  - andyman1080 16y ago
    Seriously? Did I miss the part where iOS obtained 95% mobile OS market share?
    - Natsu 16y ago
      > Did I miss the part where iOS obtained 95% mobile OS market share? That depends on whether or not you believe what Steve said in the keynote about having over 90% of the tablet market.
      - mhw 16y ago
        Did I miss the part where first-mover advantage became anti-competitive behaviour?
        Natsu 16y ago
        I'm not making any claims about who is and isn't an illegal monopoly, that's a legal matter and IANAL. I was addressing the claim about market share and only that.
        mhw 16y ago
        Neither was I really. I was making a point about the speed with which people are jumping to claims of anti-competitive behaviour before the competition have really got out of the starting blocks, and in some cases before they've even got their running spikes on. I think it would be a very bad move to regulate a market that's only really existed for 3 years and hasn't yet reached a point where anyone can be said to have an established monopoly. Must remember not to try being pithy on HN in future.
kmfrk 16y ago
It's funny to think of the app comparison Jobs did at his keynote presentation. Let's see the numbers for books on Kindle and compare notes.

brianwillis 16y ago

...and it raises the question for every other iOS developer: am I next?

rimantas 16y ago
as if every iOS developer sells subscriptions…
- larrik 16y ago
  No, the point is who knows what types of apps will be deemed undesirable next? IE. What if Apple decides that they'd rather have only the top 1 or two apps for a category? That having only one throwing physics game, or one tower defense game, is what customers really want? Sure, that's ridiculous, but it's not THAT far from Apple's history. Or, maybe apps that let you play musical instruments compete too much with the new Garage Band. The point is, there is no limit to what Apple can change.