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Ok, not only "cute bouncing pixels." I think that 3 things made Apple the kind of the smart phone market: 1) Great product ahead of any other existing product

Ok, not only "cute bouncing pixels." I think that 3 things made Apple the kind of the smart phone market: 1) Great product ahead of any other existing product at the time (not anymore though). 2) Understand that the mobile market value chain was vastly different than the PC one and architected a platform that would be attracting existing market players while creating a exclusive new market for themselves (this was so bold and smart). 3) Steve Jobs genius. Now, the only thing that scares me is that they did it in the most proprietary way that any software companies have ever dare doing. Apple is the living proof that openness is not a required ingredient to create new technology based markets. So, again, kudos to Apple to revolutionize a market that have been frozen for years. However, they are doing it in such as way that it could set a very bad precedence to the software industry. I do not want to have to go through a iMicrosoftStore to publish my Windows application, a iGoogleStore to publish a Web Site, a iAndroidStore to publish a mobile application. I have nothing against software stores, but they should be optional not required.

tjogin 17y ago
> I have nothing against software stores, but they should be optional not required. I agree completely. My hope is that AppStore will become optional, rather than the exclusive way to get apps on the iPhone. But I do think it was a wise decision to start out with the AppStore as the one exclusive way to get on it, and judging from their phenomenal success in both sales and attracting developers, it was probably a smart choice. Lest not forget, the AppStore makes it extraordinarily easy to buy and download apps. Only by making it the exclusive way to get apps on the iPhone were they able to make sure that users found the experience of buying and downloading apps so effortless that it makes impulse purchases super simple. And, safe! iPhone users do not worry about anything on the AppStore containing viruses or malware. Now, as what they refer to as a "power user", I'd like to be able to just download any app from anywhere and take my chances. But I understand that Apple has to take more than just my preferences into consideration. I believe it is actually not in their best interest to do that — even though it would suit me better. If I were Apple, I'd keep the AppStore the exclusive way to get apps on the AppStore. I'd work on continuously improving the experience and interaction with developers, of course, but I'd keep it a walled garden, approval process and all. Pleasing power users such as you and me simply doesn't make sense in the big picture, because it would fracture the developer community. Some apps would be on the app store, some on the web. Users would feel safer getting apps from the AppStore, but as recommendations come from friends using apps from the web, soon enough you'd have regular users downloading apps from the web too. And following that you'd have viruses and malware. While users could still just stick to downloading from the AppStore if they wanted to be safe, Apple would still have to deal with malicious apps, problems and trust issues. This, they just don't need, and pleasing the relatively few power users just doesn't make any sense, considering the sacrifice. Though I'd be just fine with it, I understand very well why Apple does not prioritize my needs in this.
- jeremychone 17y ago
  I am going to stop arguing against Apple, I am loosing all my karma ;)
  - tjogin 17y ago
    I don't think its about arguing against Apple, I sure as hell don't feel I'm arguing for Apple. Just allow yourself to see that there are many many aspects to this, it's not as simple as you made it out to be (and it's not just about your preferences, it's about balancing everybody's). If you write fawning fanboy posts you'll be voted down just the same.
    - jeremychone 17y ago
      Again, I give lot of credits to Apple, but having the Device/OS provider exclusively owning what can get distributed or not on this OS is a big step backwards. True, consoles and closed devices have this model, but Mobile was opening up. If you step back and look at the consequence of having iStore model (exclusive control on application distribution) in the software industry, you cannot conclude that this is a good step forward. The fact that Apple made the iStore the only way to distribute application is not about maintaining quality, experience, ..., it is about controlling the distribution. And this control does not exist in the PC world, and was going to disappear in the mobile world. But point taken, I will be more diplomatic in my answers.
      - tjogin 17y ago
        It's called the AppStore. And of course it's also about controlling quality, are you kidding? Don't reduce this to only being about either one thing or the other — like you apparently love to do — it's obviously a multifaceted issue. Quality has got to be one of the very primary concerns, Apple would absolutely hate for the iPhone to become a malware infested platform which consumers are afraid to download apps for, always on the look out for viruses, wondering if every unexpected behaviour is the fault of a trojan — like on a certain other platform. Don't get me wrong, Apple don't just want quality because they're knights in shining armor — they want to make money. And how do you make money? First, make sure your customers feel completely secure and don't hesitate about downloading a new app for even a second. You cannot do that without very high quality apps, distributed in a very secure way. It's not malice, it's a win-win strategy. As has been proven in a plethora of ways. While the walled garden of AppStore can definitely and be seen as a step backwards, don't you think that the unprecedented amount of apps AppStore makes available for a mobile phone — and the unprecedented amount of developers finally being able to make a living from developing mobile apps — represent a gigantic step forwards? Once again it's ridiculous to reduce this complex setup to being just one of two things. Don't be diplomatic. Be open to the fact that things aren't that simple. You'll never understand another's perspective if you don't even make an attempt to.

tjogin 17y ago

> I have nothing against software stores, but they should be optional not required. I agree completely. My hope is that AppStore will become optional, rather than the exclusive way to get apps on the iPhone. But I do think it was a wise decision to start out with the AppStore as the one exclusive way to get on it, and judging from their phenomenal success in both sales and attracting developers, it was probably a smart choice. Lest not forget, the AppStore makes it extraordinarily easy to buy and download apps. Only by making it the exclusive way to get apps on the iPhone were they able to make sure that users found the experience of buying and downloading apps so effortless that it makes impulse purchases super simple. And, safe! iPhone users do not worry about anything on the AppStore containing viruses or malware. Now, as what they refer to as a "power user", I'd like to be able to just download any app from anywhere and take my chances. But I understand that Apple has to take more than just my preferences into consideration. I believe it is actually not in their best interest to do that — even though it would suit me better. If I were Apple, I'd keep the AppStore the exclusive way to get apps on the AppStore. I'd work on continuously improving the experience and interaction with developers, of course, but I'd keep it a walled garden, approval process and all. Pleasing power users such as you and me simply doesn't make sense in the big picture, because it would fracture the developer community. Some apps would be on the app store, some on the web. Users would feel safer getting apps from the AppStore, but as recommendations come from friends using apps from the web, soon enough you'd have regular users downloading apps from the web too. And following that you'd have viruses and malware. While users could still just stick to downloading from the AppStore if they wanted to be safe, Apple would still have to deal with malicious apps, problems and trust issues. This, they just don't need, and pleasing the relatively few power users just doesn't make any sense, considering the sacrifice. Though I'd be just fine with it, I understand very well why Apple does not prioritize my needs in this.

jeremychone 17y ago
I am going to stop arguing against Apple, I am loosing all my karma ;)
- tjogin 17y ago
  I don't think its about arguing against Apple, I sure as hell don't feel I'm arguing for Apple. Just allow yourself to see that there are many many aspects to this, it's not as simple as you made it out to be (and it's not just about your preferences, it's about balancing everybody's). If you write fawning fanboy posts you'll be voted down just the same.
  - jeremychone 17y ago
    Again, I give lot of credits to Apple, but having the Device/OS provider exclusively owning what can get distributed or not on this OS is a big step backwards. True, consoles and closed devices have this model, but Mobile was opening up. If you step back and look at the consequence of having iStore model (exclusive control on application distribution) in the software industry, you cannot conclude that this is a good step forward. The fact that Apple made the iStore the only way to distribute application is not about maintaining quality, experience, ..., it is about controlling the distribution. And this control does not exist in the PC world, and was going to disappear in the mobile world. But point taken, I will be more diplomatic in my answers.
    - tjogin 17y ago
      It's called the AppStore. And of course it's also about controlling quality, are you kidding? Don't reduce this to only being about either one thing or the other — like you apparently love to do — it's obviously a multifaceted issue. Quality has got to be one of the very primary concerns, Apple would absolutely hate for the iPhone to become a malware infested platform which consumers are afraid to download apps for, always on the look out for viruses, wondering if every unexpected behaviour is the fault of a trojan — like on a certain other platform. Don't get me wrong, Apple don't just want quality because they're knights in shining armor — they want to make money. And how do you make money? First, make sure your customers feel completely secure and don't hesitate about downloading a new app for even a second. You cannot do that without very high quality apps, distributed in a very secure way. It's not malice, it's a win-win strategy. As has been proven in a plethora of ways. While the walled garden of AppStore can definitely and be seen as a step backwards, don't you think that the unprecedented amount of apps AppStore makes available for a mobile phone — and the unprecedented amount of developers finally being able to make a living from developing mobile apps — represent a gigantic step forwards? Once again it's ridiculous to reduce this complex setup to being just one of two things. Don't be diplomatic. Be open to the fact that things aren't that simple. You'll never understand another's perspective if you don't even make an attempt to.