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Apple blocked the FlickType Watch keyboard then announced a clone of it

inputmag.com

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Re: Apple blocked the FlickType Watch keyboard then announced a clone of it

#12

Wouldn’t it have been easier to have just acquired the keyboard app?

> In one blatant example, Eleftheriou said he was approached by Apple’s head of mobile keyboard technology, Randy Marsden. The latter (who created the Swype keyboard) wanted to buy FlickType to add a native QWERTY for the Apple Watch and improve typing on the device. When Eleftheriou rejected Apple, it refused to remove copycat and scam apps from the App Store.

I think he lost his chance.

https://hitechglitz.com/the-creator-of-the-previous-highest-...

Re: Apple blocked the FlickType Watch keyboard then announced a clone of it

#15
post #13
post #7

I believe "Sherlocked" is the term used.

In a lot of the cases (not necessarily this one) it's a welcome addition to build some useful app directly into the OS - the flashlight or flux are two examples I can think of.

Better integration has always been Apple's argument.

Re: Apple blocked the FlickType Watch keyboard then announced a clone of it

#16
Very typical of Apple, using opaque approval procedures. They're acting like bullies because they didn't get what they wanted and because they have the money/power to do so. Apple wanted to buy FlickType but they didn't agree on the price or Eleftheriou didn't want to sell (I doubt it), and so from then onwards started the downhill ride. I fully support Eleftheriou on this just for the principle, but if I were in his place I would have agreed at a very large sum from Apple (even lower from what I had in mind) just so that we could all be happy right now ;-)

Re: Apple blocked the FlickType Watch keyboard then announced a clone of it

#19

Alternatively, Apple prevented people from wasting their money on a feature that was about to be built into the OS.

That's interesting because in later iOS versions apple actually started to allow replacement keyboard apps, including paid for ones.

Remember, money "wasted" on apps is straight revenue for Apple. It's why they want to win the case against Epic (and by extension Netflix, Spotify, etc) so badly, because they get a sweet 15% on every purchase made at minimal cost.

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