State of the Apps: Frank on App Store Love/Hate

Steve Jobs and App Store icon (Image credit: iMore)

Panic makes killer Mac apps. I use Coda daily, and Cabal Sasser designs UI the way they're meant to be designed. Likewise, Steven Frank's recent blog post on the double-edged sword that is Apple's App Store is one of the best descriptions I've seen on the subject from a developers point of view:

I've been trying to reconcile the App Store with my beliefs on "how things should be" ever since the SDK was announced. After all this time, I still can't make it all line up. I can't question that it's probably the best mobile application distribution method yet created, but every time I use it, a little piece of my soul dies. And we don't even have anything for sale on there yet.

The App Store is definitely a Hobson's choice when it comes to virtue and compromise. Sorta like being let loose in the fields of plenty after being bound and gagged and given a swift kick in the tenders.

If you're a developer, how's your soul holding up?

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.