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[...] Random Feed wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptApple reaffirmed its intent to control what programs may legitimately run on its iPhone this week when the company revoked ad hoc distribution authority from a developer whose application it previously barred from distribution through the iTunes AppStore. Last week, when Podcaster received official notice from Apple that the AppStore would not be carrying its application because the company had determined it duplicates the functionality of the Podcast section of iTunes, the developer decided [...]

AppStore Management Draws Anti-Competitive Claims, on September 24th, 2008 at 9:40 pm

Apple is iPhone’s biggest roadblock to success. (< period)

John, on September 24th, 2008 at 10:23 pm

[...] AppStore Management Draws Anti-Competitive Claims [...]

Cleaning Out The Inbox, on September 24th, 2008 at 11:39 pm

[...] AppStore Management Draws Anti-Competitive Claims [...]

Cleaning Out The Inbox, on September 24th, 2008 at 11:39 pm

I’ve had an Apple of some sort all my life. I was raised on Apple II’s, I remember when the first Macs came out, and was tickled pink when Dad came home with a IIci from work. My father was very impressed with Jobs & Woz, and speaking ill of them was verboten in our house.

That said:

I have about a year left on my iPhone contract. If Apple does not change their App Store stance, I’ll being going Android for my next phone.

Apple’s behavior is so contrary to what Woz had in mind when he built the Apple II. He wanted that machine to be open, and he wanted people to tinker. Hence, the easily-opened “hood” (or bonnet, depending on your side of the pond) and oodles of open slots. I can’t help but think Woz is very unhappy about the Draconian system the other Steve has built around the iPhone.

Think Different, indeed.

Matt, on September 25th, 2008 at 6:03 am

Since Apple does everything it can to prevent jailbreaking, it is wholly irrelevant to this issue at hand.

DBL, on September 25th, 2008 at 9:34 am

Yay Apple! Yay ANY COMPANY that defends itself from pirates and hackers.

After just two weeks of using my original iPhone I knew that I would never want to be without one again. I have come to depend on this “computer-in-my-pocket” so much that I absolutely want Apple to maintain very strict control over who gets to put what on my most valuable accessory.

No wonder pirates don’t like the App Store. Good ridden to them all and good luck to the Google phone users who will get them. They are more than welcome to “develop” for jailbroken iPhones too, since that’s where they really belong - not in the legitimate App Store.

As an iPhone customer I am strongly depending on Apple to maintain high standards and safety when it comes to allowing 3rd party applications access to my device. If not Apple, then just who exactly?

And it’s foolish to expect Apple to carry competing hardware/software in it’s very own store (even a virtual one)? Nobody does that! Let’s face it, some developers were just hoping for a free ride on the iPhone’s success. Apple’s success. Geesh.

p.s. (As a side note - It was my understanding that the whole “ad-hoc” distribution method was intended to allow businesses to distribute their software for the iPhone just to their own employees, and not the general public. Not as a second form of commercial distribution for an un-approved application…)

YodaMac, on September 25th, 2008 at 1:29 pm

While I’m glad that Apple keeps a strict control on what applications are allowed in order to prevent things like spyware and viruses, I’m also rather upset/worried that they are doing such rather odd things with the App store - particularly when they remove apps for doing what Apple does, only better.

There is another problem - while I know Apple likes to force obsolescence with its hardware (eg, lack of the remote port on Video iPods and after), this is getting ridiculous. No Wired Remote? No charging over firewire? No video without the dock? What next, a proprietary headphone port that will only allow you to use Apple earbuds?

The refusal to allow the wired remote to work with the iPod Touch is not only annoying, but dangerous too. You see, I like to use my iPod in my car, and would use the remote to skip tracks and fiddle with the volume. Even without the remote, I could still tell what I was doing as it was possible to tell where the buttons were on the click wheel of my iPod Video by touch (although it was not quite as safe). Now, I actually have to control the iPod via the touchscreen - meaning I need to divert full attention - and vision - to the iPod…. To solve this, I ended up attaching my iPod Dock to my car’s dashboard, and using my MacBook Pro’s IR remote to control the iPod safely… Ridiculous.

weatherguy, on September 26th, 2008 at 12:29 pm

[...] la versión de Opera que los desarrolladores han creado para el iPhone/iPod Touch. Ya había pasado algo similar, pero cada vez suena más ridículo. Si Safari es tan bueno ¿A qué le temen?, de todos modos la [...]

Estrafalarius — Apple rechaza versión de Opera para iPhone, on October 30th, 2008 at 9:51 pm

[...] True, there has been controversy over third-party podcast players on Apple’s App Store, but the sheer popularity of podcasts today and the fact that there was no way to play them on a Blackberry until Watkins launched his app this past spring speaks to a certain failure of imagination among the executives and engineers at Research in Motion (RIM), makers of the Blackberry. [...]

Tales from Development Hell – Why iPhone Developers Have It Good | Datensklaven, on June 24th, 2009 at 1:02 am