Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

App Store doesn't accept “too simple” apps

notes.alinpanaitiu.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

131–140 of 364 posts

Re: App Store doesn't accept “too simple” apps

#131

Post by groffee »

mynameisvlad wrote: post #109
jaywalk wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have no love for Apple's walled-garden, and I absolutely appreciate 69 jokes, but this app is stupid.

If you’re not the target audience, then that’s fine but it’s pretty rude to insult someone’s work just because you’re too high brow for it. Not every app has to be a serious thing that revolutionizes the world. Sometimes, people want and appreciate “stupid” apps.

And somewhat sadly the dumb apps you shit out over a weekend make more money than the 'serious' apps you can spend months on, because the dumb apps are fun.

Re: App Store doesn't accept “too simple” apps

#132

Post by CharlesW »

detaro wrote: post #101
CharlesW wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Apple shouldn't be the one to tell me what kind of apps I can have on the device I've bought with my money. I'm confused. Did you buy an iPhone not knowing that it's not a general purpose computer?

How would that preclude the belief that Apple shouldn't do that?

Anyone can believe anything, but if one is buying products that don't do what they need or want, that seems like a poor use of funds.

Example: I can buy an Xbox and curse Microsoft that I can't play The Last of Us on it, but that's really on me.

Re: App Store doesn't accept “too simple” apps

#133

Post by otikik »

Bud wrote: post #113
smoldesu wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think Apple has every right to tighten up their first-party App Store, but they should also acknowledge the user's right to install what they want. Maybe some people do want a "too simple" app, and I don't think Apple has the right to tell the user what is-and-isn't appropriate. It's common sense. This would be a great time for them to add a Developer Mode a-la Android, and also start purging their own shopfronts.…

The user has no "right" to "install what they want". Words have meanings. Apple absolutely has the right to control what apps are available on its store, and what apps are not. This isn't about what is "appropriate"; you just made that up. This also has nothing to do with "common sense", or at least what you think is common sense.

> The user has no "right" to "install what they want". Words have meanings.

If I own a gadget, I own it. That means that I _have the right_ to do whatever I want with it, including jailbreaking it, disassembling it, or throwing it from a cliff.

Apple might not like it, and might take punitive action. Void the warranty, maybe even cancel your Apple account. But they can not send me to jail.

Re: App Store doesn't accept “too simple” apps

#134

Post by Goosey »

BitwiseFool wrote: post #73
fzfaa wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You already knew what you were getting into when you bought it, and Apple is far from having a monopoly.

I feel like this is a counter productive non-solution. The free market, in this case, isn't as free and full of competition as we would like. Smartphone OS's are basically a duopoly, and Android has serious challenges of its own. That being said, a choice has to be made because two different entities have mutually exclusive rights: Do you side with an individuals' right to install whatever they want on a device they…

Personally I side with an individuals' right to install whatever they want on a device they purchased. Without that "right to repair" individuals are only renting their devices from a duopoly. Very unsatisfying!

Re: App Store doesn't accept “too simple” apps

#135

Post by politician »

Bud wrote: post #116
smoldesu wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, the EU is starting to think the iPhone ecosystem is about anti competitive behavior and poor customer experience. The intentions of a multinational corporation are completely irrelevant when talking about the real-world impact on thousands of developers. The deal is the same as it ever was: Apple can continue selling their extremely safe applications with their extremely secure payment system and state-of-the-a…

Screw the impact on developers. As a user, I'm more concerned about the impact on users. The EU is dead wrong. EU commissioners have absolutely zero clue about what makes for good "customer experience". There's one party that has proven, for 15 years now, to have the most clue about that. It's Apple.

That's a fine perspective to have, but many people feel that a government of elected representatives is a better place for determining and adjusting impacts on people.

Re: App Store doesn't accept “too simple” apps

#136

Post by Marsymars »

mikeyouse wrote: post #96
DiggyJohnson wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t see how that wouldn’t make sense… It’s not that they decided to set an arbitrary threshold of 3.7M apps, but that they have become more stringent on app approvals in light of the growth and quantity of apps in their store. I don’t think GP’s comment requires an incredulous snarky response, despite me not doing a great job making this point…

FWIW, I completely got your point. The Android ecosystem is horrible for this kind of thing. There are roughly 200,000 varieties of calculator apps. Why? There should be some criteria to help consumers avoid poorly supported simplistic clones that are often just filled with adware.

Yeah… I’m a relatively sophisticated consumer, and the state of the Play Store means that if I’m looking for any app to “do a thing” (as opposed to an official app for a company), it’s effectively impossible for me to get that app only via my phone. I have to wait until I’m at a desktop with a big screen and mouse/keyboard where I can efficiently browse through reddit comments and GitHub repositories to figure out what’s worthwhile, what’s junk, and what’s spam.

Re: App Store doesn't accept “too simple” apps

#137

Post by jaywalk »

mynameisvlad wrote: post #109
jaywalk wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have no love for Apple's walled-garden, and I absolutely appreciate 69 jokes, but this app is stupid.

If you’re not the target audience, then that’s fine but it’s pretty rude to insult someone’s work just because you’re too high brow for it. Not every app has to be a serious thing that revolutionizes the world. Sometimes, people want and appreciate “stupid” apps.

To be clear, I am absolutely not "too high brow" for such an app. I, personally, wouldn't use it, but like I said I appreciate a 69 joke. But if Apple is going to insist on a curated App Store, then an app like this should not be allowed.

Re: App Store doesn't accept “too simple” apps

#139

Post by jaywalk »

guiambros wrote: post #127
skrtskrt wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

the first apps I remember on iOS were a beer glass that poured out beer when you tipped the phone, and a lightsaber app that made sheeewwwww sounds when you swung the phone around. We loved them It's ok to make stupid apps as long as you're not scamming. The oh-so-serious nature of the current online experience sucks

> ... a beer glass that poured out beer when you tipped the phone, and a lightsaber app... Oh I remember those two. I think they were installed via Cydia[1] no? Or maybe it was right after, when the official AppStore was launched. Silly, but great wow factor in those early days. [1] for the youngsters here: Cydia was the only way to install apps in your iPhone before the AppStore was created (circa 2008). You had to…

The beer glass app definitely didn't require a jailbreak, because I used it well before I even jailbroke my iPhone. It was a legit App Store app.

Re: App Store doesn't accept “too simple” apps

#140

Post by detaro »

CharlesW wrote: post #132
detaro wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How would that preclude the belief that Apple shouldn't do that?

Anyone can believe anything, but if one is buying products that don't do what they need or want, that seems like a poor use of funds. Example: I can buy an Xbox and curse Microsoft that I can't play The Last of Us on it, but that's really on me.

In plenty product categories its basically impossible to find a product by a company that doesn't do something that it "shouldn't" do, and nevertheless picking one of them is still better than not picking any.
Post reply on HN