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Apple rejects developer's horoscope app, says App Store has enough

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Re: Apple rejects developer's horoscope app, says App Store has enough

#61
post #32
post #9

The developer has some screenshots on Twitter https://twitter.com/nightcatprod/status/1439773812753637378 Seems like it's got humorous horoscopes. Given that the screenshots are all of just text on a screen, and the development took about a year, I wonder if the rejection is more about the app being 'low quality' rather than about it being just another horoscope app. Regardless, it seems weird to reject an app becaus…

Years ago I made a similar app for that’s what she said jokes and was rejected due to minimal functionality. This was the same time they were allowing those scam 1000 apps that just showed a diamond. Apple makes no sense.

That's because reviews are done by a single person from a large group of possible reviewers who each have differing perspectives.

Do you see a way that Apple could be consistent besides letting every app in?

Re: Apple rejects developer's horoscope app, says App Store has enough

#62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And apple calls itself an innovative company. They say no more lightbulb apps forgetting it took Edison 5000 filaments to find the best one. Naturally if you trust one dev for one job, and not to ruin the app, you will likely trust them for another, category saturation be damned. I don't see much benefit for users when the manufacturer dictates what developers are not to build for users based on some archaic first in…

In many cases it would make sense, but flashlight apps? They're literally an on-off switch for a single system resource. There's nothing that you can add to them to improve the experience.

How about a timer that switches the "flashlight" off after a configurable period of time? :-)

Re: Apple rejects developer's horoscope app, says App Store has enough

#63

> Also avoid piling on to a category that is already saturated; the App Store has enough fart, burp, flashlight, fortune telling, dating, drinking games, and Kama Sutra apps, etc. already. I had to double-take to see if this was really a statement from Apple... It was.

And apple calls itself an innovative company. They say no more lightbulb apps forgetting it took Edison 5000 filaments to find the best one. Naturally if you trust one dev for one job, and not to ruin the app, you will likely trust them for another, category saturation be damned. I don't see much benefit for users when the manufacturer dictates what developers are not to build for users based on some archaic first in…

Edison did not test 5,000 filaments himself, and a team of his size would always get their app through review.

Re: Apple rejects developer's horoscope app, says App Store has enough

#64
post #35
post #4

> We will reject these apps unless they provide a unique, high-quality experience. Apple has a point. Otherwise I would not be seeing tons of Calendar apps on the App Store. This looks like typical quality over quantity control here. Nothing to see here.

We should also tell Google to limit the search results to just 5. That would prevent you from having to see tons of search results on google.

> We should also tell Google to limit the search results to just 5

Generic we shouldn't. But if Google decided to do that, I can't see how one could object.

Re: Apple rejects developer's horoscope app, says App Store has enough

#65

App Store development has me sort of offended. If I build it I’m not certain users can even try it unless apple (gatekeeper) decides their user base should. It’s certainly a walled garden and perhaps a reason I’ve steered my career away from mobile development.

We need to be able to use non-Apple app stores for iPhone.

I was really hoping this would be the outcome of Epic v. Apple, but alas it was not.

I honestly don't know if I understand any reasoning behind it. I would buy an iPhone tomorrow if I could get a web browser or keyboard that weren't effectively skins of the default/included one.

Re: Apple rejects developer's horoscope app, says App Store has enough

#66

I have been using the Samsung store for a little while and am shocked by the overwhelming number of low quality apps that are stuffed in there. Long live the walled garden for Apple.

Pardon me, but why were you using Samsung's garbage app store and not the Google Play store?

More like long live F-droid as there's no way in hell I'm voluntarily locking myself into Apple's high-quality, nice and shiny walled garden where basically they fully control the device and what I'm allowed to install on it, while renting it out to me for a fee and can scan it for whenever content they want (CP pics today, Tank Man pics tomorrow).

The level of quality apps on F-Droid is ironically much higher than anywhere else, and they're all ad-free, privacy focused and most of the time open source as well.

Re: Apple rejects developer's horoscope app, says App Store has enough

#67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Creates a race to get in first, even if a mediocre effort. Unless one can get in solely by being somehow higher quality than the other offerings. Unless I'm missing something it feels heavy handed and less likely to produce a competitive market.

There’s an old fable that the abstract painter Jackson Pollock would sit in art museums and watch people view his art. One day a man sat staring for a long time. After a while Jackson was curious what the man was thinking so he got up and approached the man and asked his thoughts. The man replied, “I don’t know why this is hanging in a museum, I could have made that.” Jackson replied, “yes, your right, you could have…

Or maybe Pollock wasn't first at all at painting drips, but was first to realize people would pay money for it if he marketed it right.

Re: Apple rejects developer's horoscope app, says App Store has enough

#68
post #44

I published an app on the App Store, which did quite well in its niche. Soon, a bunch of very similar apps popped up. One app cloned everything about my app -- even the icon. But Apple didn't care. They don't give a shit when people clone apps and try to mislead customers by making apps that have almost the same name as another app. Apple should focus on getting rid of scam apps and blatant rip-offs. Who cares if the…

Not to undermine your effort, but isn't this the same outside of Apple? Kickstarter projects get cloned and ask a legitimate Amazon seller how their products got overrun by Chinese clones. That said, I would expect Apple to be a little better for 30% cut.

Re: Apple rejects developer's horoscope app, says App Store has enough

#69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I face the same problem every time I buy mustard at the supermarket. Dozens of flavors to choose from and only so much money. The tyranny of choice is a small price to pay.

But the supermarket is a walled garden too. They choose what to put on the shelf based on quality and shelf space. Buying mustard on Amazon is closer to the issue, or products where many imitators compete like meal prep Tupperware or water bottles.

>But the supermarket is a walled garden too. They choose what to put on the shelf based on quality and shelf space.

Big supermarket chains are the ultimate walled gardens our modern society and it's crazy they've been allowed to go through with their practices for so long.

Unless you're some 400 pound gorilla like Unilever or Nestle, trying to get your product on a supermarket's shelves resembles a mob shakedown. The margins they'll try to squeeze out of you are insane.

Re: Apple rejects developer's horoscope app, says App Store has enough

#70
post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In many cases it would make sense, but flashlight apps? They're literally an on-off switch for a single system resource. There's nothing that you can add to them to improve the experience.

How about a timer that switches the "flashlight" off after a configurable period of time? :-)

Or an app that switches on flashlight based on ambient light sensor or phone movement gestures using gyroscope
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