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So to get this you need to apply by giving your app idea to a company notorious for stealing third party app ideas?

by bogwog 3y ago

paxys 3y ago
Don't worry, they aren't going to steal your app idea. They will wait for it to get successful first.
- delfinom 3y ago
  They also reserve the right to kick you out of the app store once they have their clone ready :D
  - nmjohn 3y ago
    Which apps have they done that to?
    - lostmsu 3y ago
      I remember something about phone usage trackers.
    - bangonkeyboard 3y ago
      FlickType: https://www.inverse.com/input/tech/apple-blocked-the-flicktype-watch-keyboard-then-announced-a-clone-of-it https://www.inverse.com/input/tech/apple-blocked-the-flickty...
    - Alifatisk 3y ago
      Remember Tiles?
f6v 3y ago
I don’t download any apps except maybe 3 or 4. What have they stolen?
- ceejayoz 3y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherlock_(software) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherlock_(software) > The phenomenon of Apple releasing a feature that supplants or obviates third-party software is so well known that being Sherlocked has become an accepted term used within the Mac and iOS developer community. (Honestly, I think the fuss over Sherlock was overblown, but they definitely have a bit of a reputation for this.)
  - jahnu 3y ago
    Here are a few more recent examples https://9to5mac.com/2022/06/16/sherlocked-apps/ https://9to5mac.com/2022/06/16/sherlocked-apps/
    - joshstrange 3y ago
      I mean... you can call some of those things Sherlocked if you want but that's a pretty bad list. Does Apple build features into their core products that resemble other products on the market? Absolutely but often it helps raise the bar for that type of software. It gives users who were never going to go looking for another app something they didn't have before, it sets the floor for what they type of app should do/how it should look, and it gives existing apps a space to carve out a pro/prosumer space with features that Apple will never implement. Spotlight (specifically the Command+space popup) exists and I think that's a net win for macOS, I don't use it, I use Alfred and have no plans to leave. Same with Notes vs Drafts or Weather vs Carrot Weather or Reminders vs Things, and the list goes on. Does it clear out some of the bottom of the barrel versions? Yes, I'm fine with that. Does it sometimes integrate deeper into the system in a better way than a 3rd party can (Sidecar being a good example or Camera Continuity)? Yes, but should we all deal with a hacky/crappy experience just so that Apple doesn't Sherlock someone? My answer is no.
  - yieldcrv 3y ago
    This should be an antitrust violation solvable by Apple cash and stock and a third party valuation.
natch 3y ago
Ideas don’t belong to anyone. I can think of a search-my-files idea just as well as anyone can, and Apple can do the same.
- brookst 3y ago
  There’s a common fallacy that a brilliant idea is the hard part of building a business. People who consider themselves “idea people” see execution as a footnote that any pleb can do. The reality is exactly the opposite: ideas are a dime a dozen, good execution is hard.
  - alaskamiller 3y ago
    After twenty years of hearing the same thing over and over again I believe the actual fallacy is that ideas are a dime a dozen, good execution is hard. Now I learned ideas and execution are minimum requirement, good execution is common, great execution is hard, good ideas are hard, great ideas aren’t worth it. Starting with a good idea can save you plenty of opportunity cost, money and tears; but many can’t explain nor tell apart what a good idea really is. Then you have the metaphorical sand trap of great ideas. Don’t get stuck in those. And, finally, it doesn’t even matter if it’s good ideas nor good execution, if people don’t know your story nor are they willing to retell your story then none of this matters in the market.
    - natch 3y ago
      Please say more about this “great ideas aren’t worth it”; sounds interesting.
vanjajaja1 3y ago
I don't think they're interested in ideas and potential, they seem interested in proven track record teams that have existing apple apps
natch 3y ago
Do you use an Android phone, by any chance? I hate to break it to you… hard to have it both ways.
pk455 3y ago
as opposed to putting it on their store as people have done for 10+ years?
jeroenhd 3y ago
You don't get Sherlock'd until you've proven your idea works when your app becomes popular. That way, you take all the risk and they don't even need to think about what ideas are worth stealing! In this case, it'd probably be wise to patent your app before even applying for the dev kit, just in case. You'll still be fighting Apple in court eventually, but you'll make more money through hostile takeovers than when you get copied, replaced, and dumped.

So to get this you need to apply by giving your app idea to a company notorious for stealing third party app ideas?

by bogwog 3y ago

So to get this you need to apply by giving your app idea to a company notorious for stealing third party app ideas?

paxys 3y ago

Don't worry, they aren't going to steal your app idea. They will wait for it to get successful first.

delfinom 3y ago
They also reserve the right to kick you out of the app store once they have their clone ready :D
- nmjohn 3y ago
  Which apps have they done that to?
  - lostmsu 3y ago
    I remember something about phone usage trackers.
  - bangonkeyboard 3y ago
    FlickType: https://www.inverse.com/input/tech/apple-blocked-the-flicktype-watch-keyboard-then-announced-a-clone-of-it https://www.inverse.com/input/tech/apple-blocked-the-flickty...
  - Alifatisk 3y ago
    Remember Tiles?

f6v 3y ago

I don’t download any apps except maybe 3 or 4. What have they stolen?

ceejayoz 3y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherlock_(software) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherlock_(software) > The phenomenon of Apple releasing a feature that supplants or obviates third-party software is so well known that being Sherlocked has become an accepted term used within the Mac and iOS developer community. (Honestly, I think the fuss over Sherlock was overblown, but they definitely have a bit of a reputation for this.)
- jahnu 3y ago
  Here are a few more recent examples https://9to5mac.com/2022/06/16/sherlocked-apps/ https://9to5mac.com/2022/06/16/sherlocked-apps/
  - joshstrange 3y ago
    I mean... you can call some of those things Sherlocked if you want but that's a pretty bad list. Does Apple build features into their core products that resemble other products on the market? Absolutely but often it helps raise the bar for that type of software. It gives users who were never going to go looking for another app something they didn't have before, it sets the floor for what they type of app should do/how it should look, and it gives existing apps a space to carve out a pro/prosumer space with features that Apple will never implement. Spotlight (specifically the Command+space popup) exists and I think that's a net win for macOS, I don't use it, I use Alfred and have no plans to leave. Same with Notes vs Drafts or Weather vs Carrot Weather or Reminders vs Things, and the list goes on. Does it clear out some of the bottom of the barrel versions? Yes, I'm fine with that. Does it sometimes integrate deeper into the system in a better way than a 3rd party can (Sidecar being a good example or Camera Continuity)? Yes, but should we all deal with a hacky/crappy experience just so that Apple doesn't Sherlock someone? My answer is no.
- yieldcrv 3y ago
  This should be an antitrust violation solvable by Apple cash and stock and a third party valuation.

natch 3y ago

Ideas don’t belong to anyone. I can think of a search-my-files idea just as well as anyone can, and Apple can do the same.

brookst 3y ago
There’s a common fallacy that a brilliant idea is the hard part of building a business. People who consider themselves “idea people” see execution as a footnote that any pleb can do. The reality is exactly the opposite: ideas are a dime a dozen, good execution is hard.
- alaskamiller 3y ago
  After twenty years of hearing the same thing over and over again I believe the actual fallacy is that ideas are a dime a dozen, good execution is hard. Now I learned ideas and execution are minimum requirement, good execution is common, great execution is hard, good ideas are hard, great ideas aren’t worth it. Starting with a good idea can save you plenty of opportunity cost, money and tears; but many can’t explain nor tell apart what a good idea really is. Then you have the metaphorical sand trap of great ideas. Don’t get stuck in those. And, finally, it doesn’t even matter if it’s good ideas nor good execution, if people don’t know your story nor are they willing to retell your story then none of this matters in the market.
  - natch 3y ago
    Please say more about this “great ideas aren’t worth it”; sounds interesting.

vanjajaja1 3y ago

I don't think they're interested in ideas and potential, they seem interested in proven track record teams that have existing apple apps

natch 3y ago

Do you use an Android phone, by any chance? I hate to break it to you… hard to have it both ways.

pk455 3y ago

as opposed to putting it on their store as people have done for 10+ years?

jeroenhd 3y ago

You don't get Sherlock'd until you've proven your idea works when your app becomes popular. That way, you take all the risk and they don't even need to think about what ideas are worth stealing! In this case, it'd probably be wise to patent your app before even applying for the dev kit, just in case. You'll still be fighting Apple in court eventually, but you'll make more money through hostile takeovers than when you get copied, replaced, and dumped.