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Apple Pulls 500px’s Mobile Apps From The App Store

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Re: Apple Pulls 500px’s Mobile Apps From The App Store

#171

Post by jpxxx »

3pt14159 wrote: post #34
roc wrote: post #27

A quick look shows any number 500px browsing apps still on the store. But they're all rated 12+ or 17+. Which makes me wonder if 500px didn't mark their app accordingly? Or perhaps they used to, but then switched it to a lower rating thinking their 'safe search' toggle was sufficient?

We were called by Apple to let us know; they specifically told us to completely block even artistic nudes. Although I'm not sure of their stance on photos of Michaelangelo's David (see: http://500px.com/photo/765271 ). I'll have to get someone on the phone over there. (NSFA warning: Nipples)

You submitted an ad with tits in it to an -American- broadcast network and asked them to run it during kids cartoons. They said no. Enjoy your free press.

(Seeiously though: love your service)

Re: Apple Pulls 500px’s Mobile Apps From The App Store

#172

Post by mtgx »

neya wrote: post #30

This is good in my opinion. The more the rejection, the more the developers will tend to flee away from arrogant Marketplaces like that of Apple's. It will also, in a way, probably force developers to try out other marketplaces like the Windows Phone Marketplace and the Google Play store. Now, I do understand 500px is trying to create a uni-platform experience for its users, but now that 500px isn't allowed to publis…

At the very least developers should make the Android app first, which would still have the potential for about as much userbase, and then make the iOS first, perhaps using this:

https://code.google.com/p/j2objc/

At least they wouldn't waste so much time just to get rejected from the beginning.

Re: Apple Pulls 500px’s Mobile Apps From The App Store

#173

Post by potatolicious »

gbog wrote: post #148
ry0ohki wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Developers go where the users go (and pay). Until the Windows and Android stores start bringing devs the same type of money, it's still always worth it to "take the risk" of Apple's store. The only way I see this changing is if users themselves cared about an app being pulled, and this app doesn't seem big enough for people to care (maybe if Instagram was taken down).

> Developers go where the users go You are aware that, except in a tiny fraction of the world, users are going massively android, right?

How is this at all relevant? Publishing in one app store does not prevent you from publishing in the opposing one.

Services like 500px no doubt have both Android and iOS apps, and they will continue to do so as long as their customers (and potential customers) carry these devices in their pockets.

So long as hundreds of millions of people carry iOS devices, people will publish apps in the App Store in droves, regardless of how draconian Apple's rules are. This is entirely independent of how many other people use Android.

Previous poster is entirely correct, the power to enact change here is entirely at the hands of customers who buy Apple products. Developers have no leverage here, because everyone knows that so long as Apple keeps shipping tens of millions of tablets and phones every quarter, to wealthy people with high disposable income, devs will stay.

Re: Apple Pulls 500px’s Mobile Apps From The App Store

#174

Post by ghshephard »

interpol_p wrote: post #130
w1ntermute wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> More and more developers will start (slowly, but surely) to neglect Apple's Appstore by default due to the fear of the ridiculous approval process and the uncertainty that their development efforts for the iOS platform may go a waste, because they have seen the history of popular apps like 500px and others. I really hope this happens, but it seems so far that people are more than happy to put up with Apple's dracon…

I like Apple's draconian policy. Not all of their policy, but sometimes it's just appropriate for them to keep developers in line. For example, about two years ago we released an app for a running event in our state. It used background GPS events to record the runners' locations on a map. Gave them stats and all that. Apple rejected it because we didn't prominently warn users that background GPS could affect their ba…

I disagree with you here rgarding Apple Policy and GPS - one area that Apple has absolutely been failing for the last couple years is in their horrible policy regarding background GPS draining of the battery. Almost every time my battery goes to zero (in fact, I actually think it IS every time) - it is because of background GPS lighting up the radio and draining my battery. Lots of apps do this, and it is a blight on the iOS platform.

If windows mobile/blackberry come up with better policies regarding developers that would increase the quality of the applications, and reduce the amount of crap that the iOS developer engage in, then I suspect those platforms will start to pick up users.

Android = Ultimate Freedom, but you need to manage it. Apple IOS = Some Freedom to shoot yourself in the foot.

Re: Apple Pulls 500px’s Mobile Apps From The App Store

#175

Post by gbog »

potatolicious wrote: post #173
gbog wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Developers go where the users go You are aware that, except in a tiny fraction of the world, users are going massively android, right?

How is this at all relevant? Publishing in one app store does not prevent you from publishing in the opposing one. Services like 500px no doubt have both Android and iOS apps, and they will continue to do so as long as their customers (and potential customers) carry these devices in their pockets. So long as hundreds of millions of people carry iOS devices, people will publish apps in the App Store in droves, regardl…

1. 500px ditched from Apple store

2. "Nice, more people will go away from Apple store"

3. "Developpers go where user go (and pay)" (ie iOS)

4. me: "user go Android".

5. you: "How is this at all relevant? do both"

Well, sure you can do both, but I was replying to the "user go Apple" claim above, so it is relevant, or?

There is a reality mismatch with Apple: they do nice tools, but the fact we hear about them a lot and almost all movies, screenshot, etc. seem to show only Apple products, do not mean that most users actually use Apple systems or products (except if "most users" means "most startup entrepreneurs and wealthy folks in SV")

The reality is, to be clear, that all but a tiny not representative fraction of laptops and desktops are running a version of Windows, and almost all but a small fraction of smartphones run a variant of Android.

I avoid Windows and I am not particularly found of Android, but I think not going Android is suicidal for devs, except if they do special elite or niche apps. I did not invent this myself, Fred Wilson said the same many time.

Re: Apple Pulls 500px’s Mobile Apps From The App Store

#176

Post by jmspring »

clarky07 wrote: post #141
ry0ohki wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Developers go where the users go (and pay). Until the Windows and Android stores start bringing devs the same type of money, it's still always worth it to "take the risk" of Apple's store. The only way I see this changing is if users themselves cared about an app being pulled, and this app doesn't seem big enough for people to care (maybe if Instagram was taken down).

I recently decided to port some apps to Android and Windows 8 to lower my Apple only risk. Diversification is good right? It's been a really mixed bag so far. 1 of my apps is doing better than it's iPhone counterpart, the rest might as well not exist. [1] [1] - http://www.entrelife.com/2013/01/case-study-of-android-vs-ip...

Thanks.

The interesting math is the intersection of "what app" and "what platform". Popularity of platform is played off with discoverability of the app on said platform.

Re: Apple Pulls 500px’s Mobile Apps From The App Store

#177

Post by gbog »

DeepDuh wrote: post #156
gbog wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Developers go where the users go You are aware that, except in a tiny fraction of the world, users are going massively android, right?

Either your parent edited after your post or you conveniently skipped the '(and pay)' in your argument. I'd like to see some solid comparison of revenue numbers between Play store and Appstore. I'm pretty sure iOS would still come out ahead in that regard, until I get disproven on this. Of course I'm not saying that one should ignore Android, since this will quite possibly change in the (near) future, but still, from…

When something is conveniently enclosed in parenthesis, it means it is an extension or addition, right?

Anyway, yes I replied to the "where users go", and not to the "where users pay" thing, because I think it is two problems.

So apparently, by the numbers, users go Android, but iOS users are currently more willing to purchase apps, right? Maybe. But not sure. I don't think Android users would be that reluctant to pay a small amount of dollars for an app they really want, if it were convenient.

I paid happily for Minecraft, Machinarium, GTA and 4/5 utilities. The problem is probably that the main source of data, the Google play market, is currently not open to transactions in China and maybe other big countries. So, for me, to buy an app I need: a rooted device, the "fake US location" app (market enabler), a working VPN installed on the phone, and a credit card.

I would like to know the numbers for local Chinese markets, but given that they try very hard to attract user it should probably be juicy, or at least very promising.

Re: Apple Pulls 500px’s Mobile Apps From The App Store

#178

Post by chii »

jarek wrote: post #169
blindhippo wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everything I've read to date suggests the Android user base is very different to the iOS user base. From a developer perspective, despite the enormous market share Android offers, it's users are reluctant to spend any money on software. The iOS user base on the other hand seems to attract users willing to spend money. I seriously doubt Android will be a viable platform for developers until this culture changes.

An important category is apps which are not sold in the app store, and whose provider makes money in other ways, for example account subscriptions. 500px's is an example of such an app. I'm more than willing to believe Android users on average buy less apps than iOS users. But that just means different business models will succeed there.

i m just backseat driving here, but the fact that paid apps sell less on android is damning evidence for devs to not migrate across (or target it as the primary platform).

A subscription based model is more demanding to maintain, vs a pay-once-app. You at least don't need a server to maintain subscriptions. Ditto with In app purchases (which also require you to maintain a server to keep track of who has paid for what).

Re: Apple Pulls 500px’s Mobile Apps From The App Store

#179

Post by chii »

taligent wrote: post #113
neya wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Like I said, I predict it will be a very slow change. You know how MySpace was once THE Social Network to be on, and when you weren't there, you would be looked down upon? Now, despite an epic re-design, nobody even talks about it, except for examples like these, perhaps. It could be the same case for Apple's Appstore, assuming they continue this painful trend of pissing off developers.

Why do people keep bring up with this stupid Myspace argument ? There are plenty of examples of market leading companies that have remained on top despite additional competition e.g. Windows, Office, Google Search.

of the examples you supplied, only windows fits, and it barely. MS Office beat the entrenched lotus 123, google beat yahoo. I can only think of one more that fits - Amazon - which hasn't been replaced.

It seems its more common for a first mover to be displaced than to remain...

Re: Apple Pulls 500px’s Mobile Apps From The App Store

#180

Post by FireBeyond »

burningion wrote: post #142
FireBeyond wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wouldn't be - such apps are not regulated medical devices. Why should Apple be giving such things the okay? It adds an air of at least implied reliability for such tools, and that's probably not a good place for anyone to be in. (Not to mention, at least for me, such tools have proven horribly inaccurate.)

I want to address your last comment, about heart rate monitors being horribly inaccurate for you. According to a large body of research ( http://www.polar.com/en/about_polar/who_we_are/research_inde... ), the Polar brand heart rate monitors provide basically medical quality data. Have you really tried one of the new Bluetooth LE monitors, and what sort of problems did you have? It's vitally important to me, because m…

Certainly, and it may actually be a red herring. I have a Polar and I believe it to be fairly accurate. My initial impression of a HRM-style app was the more gimmicky pseudo-pulseox LED flashlight and camera style. Apologies for the misleading!
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