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Metaphorically speaking, I think every app store has slider in its settings panel, with "lots of crappy/derivative apps" at one end, and "subjective/random cura
by fenomas 12y ago
Metaphorically speaking, I think every app store has slider in its settings panel, with "lots of crappy/derivative apps" at one end, and "subjective/random curation" at the other. You can't decrease one without increasing the other.
Of course Google leaves their slider pushed to zero curation, treating apps like web pages (index them all and bury the crappy ones low in search results). But Apple seems to like their slider in the middle, which is why it seems so random to developers. After all, even when applied consistently, subjective rules appear random once you modulo by the difference between the observer's and the reviewers subjective viewpoints.
Personally I much prefer the Google approach, but then that's probably because I'd like for app stores to become commoditized. Apple probably doesn't agree. ;) Their slider does seem to have moved over the past few years though - perhaps it's post-Jobs drift; perhaps pressure from Google?
- eloisant 12y agoIt's not "zero curation" with Google, they let anyone publish any app but they remove apps afterwards. For example they recently cleaned up all swing copter clones. If a developer account makes too many apps that end up suspended, they can ban the user account. Then they're pretty good at detecting same physical persons using multiple accounts (credit card, IP address, etc.)
- fenomas 12y agoI don't think that qualifies as curation. Google's market policy is basically identical to YouTube, right? They resolve disputes and enforce the ToS, and that's about it. But one would be hard-pressed to call YouTube curated..
- 6cxs2hd6 12y agoYes. Also: this recent blog post claims Google is willing to remove apps that increase privacy (not just ad-blocking) in a way that undermines Google's business model: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8240450 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8240450