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I think this is really interesting. The core point seems to be because Apple force app distribution through the App Store they decide what's appropriate rather
by sh1mmer 18y ago
I think this is really interesting.
The core point seems to be because Apple force app distribution through the App Store they decide what's appropriate rather than a free-market economy.
While the "I Am Rich" app is stupid, I agree with Steve that's it's valid and if dumb people buy it, give them a refund.
- tstegart 18y agoI agree. What's really bothering me is the lack of guidelines. Its fine if you clearly delineate what won't be allowed, and developers just have to live with that. But making it up as you go along is just bad business. "I am Rich" might have been a very simple app, but a developer who spends a lot of time on their app only to have it removed as a "judgement call" doesn't deserve that type of treatment. Apple needs to start speaking out about what criteria they're using. Developers don't like risk, and they'll start looking elsewhere if Apple doesn't start putting down the rules in writing (whatever they might be).
- sutro 18y agoAnd where is this "elsewhere" of which you speak? With no comparable alternative, at least for the time being, Apple has iPhone developers by the short hairs.
- tstegart 18y agoI mean shops that develop professionally for the iPhone, or developers that want to port something else that they've done. If you put all this time into something only to have it banned, well, thats too big a risk when you need a return to keep yourself in business. Selling something on another platform, like Palm, BB, Android or Symbian is better than selling nothing on the iPhone. The "I am Rich" guy didn't lose a lot of time over his app, but some companies put months or years into development. You just can't do that unless you know your app will be accepted.
- sutro 18y agoI understand your point about risk. My point is that most mobile developers will accept that risk in exchange for the marketing, distribution, and payment processing platform that the iPhone App Store provides. Until the other platforms you mention provide similar turnkey solutions, "looking elsewhere" is, to Apple, an idle threat.
- scott_s 18y agoIf you have more refund requests than legitimate purchases, then it's more trouble than it's worth.
- Tichy 18y agoSo are you saying that companies in general should never give refunds, because there is a faint chance that there will be more refunds than purchases (which seems logically impossible, btw.)?
- sh1mmer 18y agoWell there could be more refunds than legitimate purchases if you sold 3, refunded 2 and got to keep the money for 1.
- scott_s 18y agoYou misunderstood me. If you're giving more refunds for a product than actual sales, it's probably better to pull the product.
- Tichy 18y agoI see. Still, "I am rich" was sold 5 times and one person was a candidate for a refund. I would be happy with those sales (4000$ after the refund), given the short amount of time.
- stcredzero 18y agoImagine the "user experience" of accidentally buying a $999 app, then returning it. Feeling stupid, even if it's well deserved, just tends to distract from the user experience. And for the onlookers not buying the app, it's bad PR for Apple as well. Yes, it's a restrictive gated community. Yes, the lack of freedom sucks. But some people are willing to play along to be taken care of by Steve & co.
- scott_s 18y agoI'm unsure what that I said that you're responding to.