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The App Store turns 10

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Re: The App Store turns 10

#41

Post by ksec »

duxup wrote: post #31

I heard once that Steve and Co. early on envisioned the iPhone to work mostly with web apps through the browser, but when it became clear the tech wasn't going to be there they went the app store route? Anyone have anything that backs that up or hear the same thing? It's interesting that 10 years later we're still there ;)

There are lots of different points of view, Jobs wanted HTML 5 only iPhone while Apple Internally, Scott Forstall wanted to open SDK to developers, and the Jailbreaking communities shown the concept of an App Store.

So it really is a combination of things.

And of course once Jobs saw the App Store model, there is no turning back.

Re: The App Store turns 10

#42

Post by duxup »

mankash666 wrote: post #39
duxup wrote: post #31

I heard once that Steve and Co. early on envisioned the iPhone to work mostly with web apps through the browser, but when it became clear the tech wasn't going to be there they went the app store route? Anyone have anything that backs that up or hear the same thing? It's interesting that 10 years later we're still there ;)

Despite initial plans, that ship has long sailed. Apple's all about exerting control over the app store, and purposefully breaking the open web on their platform, to drive users and devs to the app store. Non exhaustive list of web APIs broken on iOS Safari: 1. WebRTC Data channel 2. WebGl 2 3. Limiting WebApp storage to 50MB, just because. Oh, and purging it at random, just because 4. Web push notifications 5. Disal…

Oh I don't doubt it, they're not interested in going back. I just thought it was an interesting fact if true about their perspective early on.

Heck I'm just getting into web development and honestly... web apps seem to be JUST barely now getting there when it comes to app quality, polish.

Re: The App Store turns 10

#43

Post by sillyquiet »

scarface74 wrote: post #28
sillyquiet wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This can happen, when non-scrupulous devs 'deprecate' an older version of their app in favor of the 'new' version. e.g., you buy 'CoolApp' and in-app purchase features for it. But oh no, 'CoolApp2' has come out and 'CoolApp' is no longer updated for newer devices, so sorry. Otherwise, an app, and its in-app purchase set remain available via a user's iTunes account indefinitely as far as I can tell.

Why is it "non-scrupulous" for a dev to charge for a new version of piece of software? Are they suppose to update an app forever without further compensation?

I personally think devs cross from scrupulous to non-scrupulous somewhere between 'this new version has no new features, but we changed the name of it so buy it again' and' 'we charge in-app for feature x, thanks for buying, but that payment is not enough to justify a free update'

Re: The App Store turns 10

#44

Post by duxup »

ksec wrote: post #41
duxup wrote: post #31

I heard once that Steve and Co. early on envisioned the iPhone to work mostly with web apps through the browser, but when it became clear the tech wasn't going to be there they went the app store route? Anyone have anything that backs that up or hear the same thing? It's interesting that 10 years later we're still there ;)

There are lots of different points of view, Jobs wanted HTML 5 only iPhone while Apple Internally, Scott Forstall wanted to open SDK to developers, and the Jailbreaking communities shown the concept of an App Store. So it really is a combination of things. And of course once Jobs saw the App Store model, there is no turning back.

Steve looking to HTML 5 would seem to "somewhat" confirm it, at least in a sense he was expecting more from the web and the app store largely filled / took that gap.

Re: The App Store turns 10

#45

Post by nodamage »

sillyquiet wrote: post #9
NearAP wrote: post #6

If you purchase an App from the App store and then change your phone, I assume you should be able to carry over the paid app to your new phone. Does anybody know if the App Store enforces this and what (if anything) they do to vendors who violate this? It seems that there are numerous complaints on the review page of "word with friends" by people who paid for the Ad-free version but when they moved to a new device, t…

This can happen, when non-scrupulous devs 'deprecate' an older version of their app in favor of the 'new' version. e.g., you buy 'CoolApp' and in-app purchase features for it. But oh no, 'CoolApp2' has come out and 'CoolApp' is no longer updated for newer devices, so sorry. Otherwise, an app, and its in-app purchase set remain available via a user's iTunes account indefinitely as far as I can tell.

Actually, even apps that have been removed from sale by the developer can still be installed by the customer through the previous purchases section of the App Store. (Assuming it's still compatible with the device and version of iOS you're trying to install on.)

Re: The App Store turns 10

#46

Post by scarface74 »

duxup wrote: post #31

I heard once that Steve and Co. early on envisioned the iPhone to work mostly with web apps through the browser, but when it became clear the tech wasn't going to be there they went the app store route? Anyone have anything that backs that up or hear the same thing? It's interesting that 10 years later we're still there ;)

It was Apple's official "sweet solution" for app development on the iPhone.

https://daringfireball.net/2007/06/wwdc_2007_keynote

Re: The App Store turns 10

#47

Post by badwolf »

abraham wrote: post #37
thesandlord wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google Play Music has podcasts, that might be the closest thing.

Google just launched a dedicated Podcasts app. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.and...

Huh. They brought back Listen...

Maybe next year they'll resurrect Reader :(

Re: The App Store turns 10

#48

Post by sillyquiet »

nodamage wrote: post #45
sillyquiet wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This can happen, when non-scrupulous devs 'deprecate' an older version of their app in favor of the 'new' version. e.g., you buy 'CoolApp' and in-app purchase features for it. But oh no, 'CoolApp2' has come out and 'CoolApp' is no longer updated for newer devices, so sorry. Otherwise, an app, and its in-app purchase set remain available via a user's iTunes account indefinitely as far as I can tell.

Actually, even apps that have been removed from sale by the developer can still be installed by the customer through the previous purchases section of the App Store. (Assuming it's still compatible with the device and version of iOS you're trying to install on.)

Right, I was thinking specifically of a number of apps that were never updated and won't run on newer devices.

Re: The App Store turns 10

#49

Post by scarface74 »

sillyquiet wrote: post #43
scarface74 wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is it "non-scrupulous" for a dev to charge for a new version of piece of software? Are they suppose to update an app forever without further compensation?

I personally think devs cross from scrupulous to non-scrupulous somewhere between 'this new version has no new features, but we changed the name of it so buy it again' and' 'we charge in-app for feature x, thanks for buying, but that payment is not enough to justify a free update'

Unfortunately, part of the blame is Apple's for not having a clean upgrade pricing solution. You can do it with app bundles but it's a hack.

Re: The App Store turns 10

#50

Post by ISL »

waivek wrote: post #33

Whenever I get a new Windows laptop, the first four or five hours are spent reinstalling software that I use on a daily basis. I can just leave a new phone next to the router. With windows, I have to sit and monitor a lot of things for those four hours along with hunting down the most updated executables and setup files. I feel that mobile got software distribution correct. Thanks a ton, Scott Forstall.

Apt also gets package distribution right, and it predates the app store by many years.

When I get a new Debian box, I just sudo apt-get install a list of my most-common programs and I'm off to the races.

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