The Apple App Store: considering developer, vendor rights
Posted by Dennis Sellers 
Aug 21, 2008 at 7:36am
Developer Steven Frank has an interesting online post about the Apple App Store. It’s an interesting take on the store from a developer’s perspective, although there’s also a flip side to the issue.
“I work in the software industry so I can (A) solve problems that annoy me, and (B) make money on which to live,” Frank writes. “While I respect the GPL and Open Source movements, I believe that commercial software is a necessary and important part of the ecosystem—however NOT at the expense of the above basic freedoms. The iTunes App Store distribution model mangles almost every one of those tenets in some way, which is exasperating to me.”
Read his blog for complete details on his grievances. However, vendor’s rights must also be considered. In Apple’s case, if they’re marketing a product/ecosystem where they happen to also be marketing some security to the general masses, part of that security has to include the ability for them to filter out potentially harmful applications from their device/ecosystem. Apple makes the whole widget from beginning to end, which is part of their strength and weakness. If a guy wants a platform where there are no restrictions, there’s Linux, in general, and the new Android-based phone in particular.
That said, I disagree with Apple’s removal of the goofy “I Am Rich” application. It didn’t violate any terms that Apple had set up. What Apple should have done is to disable the one-click step for that application and any more like it, and place an alert screen between the intent to purchase and the actual purchase. The alert would serve as extra warning and information about exactly what users are preparing to purchase. In fact, such an approach could go further. If an application has sufficient feedback with very low ratings, then the warning could be used to alert people that they are about to purchase a very poorly received application. Then, if they purchase it, it will have been done so with a little more thought.
(Thanks to my Macsimum compadre, J. Scott Anderson, for his help with today’s column.)
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Ken Says:
Apple has people that developers can work with if they are serious about investing significant effort into an app for the AppStore. If there is any doubt as to Apple’s acceptance then the developer should open a line of communications and ensure that they fell within the guidelines.
There will be some people who will try to get malware inside of an app, there will be people who simply present unsuitable apps. I can see Apple gradually pulling apps that get very low reviews from users - but only after looking at the reviews, testing the apps within the company and making a decision. Apple wants a lot of apps in the AppStore, but not a load that are only rated 1 star my the majority of customers.
Since we’re in the first quarter of the AppStore operations I wouldn’t look at the existing range (and quality) of apps as an indication of where we will be a year from now.
Posted on August 21, 2008
James Katt Says:
A vendor that doesn’t like Apple’s rules can always go to Android/Linux or Nokia/Symbian or gosh almighty, Microsoft Windows.
After all, Apple’s iPhone is only 1% of all cell phones. Cellphones are a HUGE market. Go play elsewhere if you don’t like it.
I think Apple has done a good job in determining what apps stay and what apps don’t. So far, only a few bad ones are left out. Even Box Office came back.
Posted on August 21, 2008
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Contributor
Dennis Sellers
Dennis has been a newspaper editor/reporter (seven years) and teacher (seven years). He has over 4,000 magazine, newspaper and online articles to his credit. He has also covered the Mac and tech industries for over a decade for such online publications as MacCentral, MacMinute and now MacsimumNews.
Jerry Says:
Apple is walking a fine line here. They are determining what applications are and are not allowed based on subjective criteria instead of well-defined, open requirements. I wonder if this will somehow open them to potential lawsuits from vendors that follow the rules but have their hard work refused for subjective reasons. Apple needs to decide if it is just trying to protect the iPhone from insecure or dangerous applications or if it is going to control content opening it to charges of unfairness and perhaps preference to some vendors.
Posted on August 21, 2008