Comments on: Macworld: This Be the C4 of iPhone Developers' Discontent

By: Richard Waszkiewicz

Richard Waszkiewicz — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 23:21:19 +0000

Good work with TropoVBX. One quick question how do you change the default Text-to-Speech voice from english to another language?

By: Shondra Rafidi

Shondra Rafidi — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 19:26:25 +0000

Hello there, - discovered your current blog due to pure luck while wandering round the web this evening, and delighted that i did! I do like the page structure and colors, but I ought to say that I'm having problems when it loads. I'm making use of Classilla 8 web browser for mac, and the header fails to line up fully. i am fairly certain I've applied an equivalent design on a customer's site, but the menu seems O.k on mine. I suspect the mistake is at my end and perhaps it's about time to switch!

By: mrfezzywig

mrfezzywig — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:42:39 +0000

The app store has become so convoluted that I don't go there any more looking for apps. I have over 900 apps. Many free, but I have bought about 80 apps. I used to look though the top 100, but now I either have most of the top 100 or see stupid apps like iFart.

Bottom line for developers. I am much more likely to buy an app that I stumble across a review for on a website. HINT HINT WINK WINK

By: Virtuous

Virtuous — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 04:19:15 +0000

Eventually app prices will rise. Once the hype is over and the number of new apps diminishes price will slowly go up. Right now there are far too many developers writing too many apps. Arbitrarily increasing prices hurts consumers. Let free market forces play out.

By: Fassy

Fassy — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:46:54 +0000

@Bill

The free demo version with in-app upgrade/unlock to a full version, as is common on many other platforms, is explicitly forbidden under Apple's "Free Apps Remain Free" policy.

By: icebike

icebike — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:12:40 +0000

@Dan:

However, I would expect a demo before making the actual purchase. With all the **** there is in the app store and with no possibility for a reimbursement if the app does not live to my expectation, I better be able to try it out first.

So...

Idea:

1) Build a web site that runs an iPhone emulation platform

2) Put it on the web.

3)Sell Demo services to Developers.

4) ?????

5) Profit.

By: frog

frog — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:42:27 +0000

Oh pffft. You make a good app for the iPhone/touch - and people will buy it.

Reality is most of those $0.99 apps, well there lucky people are even paying $0.99 for them - they are worth much less!

Look at Tomtom, and many of the Gameloft titles - there charging premium prices, and raking in great sales figures!

The developers can't charge $30/$40 for an iPhone game - because they haven't developed anything worth that much yet!

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:38:37 +0000

As an end user I would have no problem paying the right price for an app ( by that I mean more than 0.99). However, I would expect a demo before making the actual purchase. With all the crap there is in the app store and with no possibility for a reimbursement if the app does not live to my expectation, I better be able to try it out first. I'm sure people will still complain if an app is over 0.99. CNN app is a clear example. ( and even if it has adds 1.99 is dirt cheap)

By: Bill Taroli

Bill Taroli — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:13:00 +0000

I'm sorry. How is it Apple's responsibility for developers who choose to underprice their apps for free or $0.99?? I think that this has been so rampant had led to user expectations that no app shall cost more without a lot of whiny complaints. Maybe developers should grow a pair and start charging realistic amounts for their apps, remembering that we are not all te Yahoo or Google of the world and can magically charge nothing by rcouping our cost elsewhere.

I do agree that providing options for upgrade pricing and enabling the ability to demo an application are important features. One might argue that the latter already exists in the form of in-app purchases. The app posted might well br in "demo" form with the option to purhase full enablement from withi the app itself. Used to work that way a lot on older platforms like Treo (I dare not simply say Palm any more).

By: Rene Ritchie

Rene Ritchie — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:57:52 +0000

@Icebike: No, that was Apple's own WWDC 2009 show, where they intro'd the iPhone 3GS, and -- tellingly -- they only fled the Q&A for the App Store session.

This is an indie developer show.

By: icebike

icebike — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:44:22 +0000

Is this the same event as last year, at which Apple's presenters showed their stuff and rushed off the stage without taking a single question?

Would they dare do that again?

If so, C4 may be a very apt name for it.