Developers

App Store still more gamble than gold

Submitted by Anthony Casella on Thu, 11/03/2011 - 09:48

Chris Stevens at Fast Company has written about the harrowing ordeal of being a small time developer in the big time App Store. It's nothing new, but it's something that hasn't been in the headlines for a while.

It’s this label “gold rush” that has been most often applied to the App Store. The potential for success, and risk of failure, is so great that in many ways the App Store has provoked a gold rush among developers. Although the successes are spectacular, the failures are apocalyptic. The mainstream press focuses on the glorious few and gives very little attention to the money being lost on the App Store--a problem compounded by the embarrassed silence of those struggling to turn a profit on their work. In a climate where approximately 540 apps are submitted for review every day, it’s easy to see why the Appillionaires are an exclusive and rare breed.

Apple announces iOS 5 Tech Talk World Tour 2011

Submitted by Andrew Wray on Thu, 10/20/2011 - 13:25

Apple has announced they will be holding an iOS 5 Tech Talk World Tour for 2011, giving developers an opportunity learn more about iOS 5, iPhone and iPad UI design sessions, adopting iCloud storage and more.

We’re taking iOS 5 on a world tour and we want you to come along for the ride. Learn from Apple experts as you take your apps to the next level with the exciting new technologies in iOS. Space is limited, so register today.

Apple seeds iTunes 10.5.1 beta to developers

Submitted by Rene Ritchie on Tue, 10/11/2011 - 14:54

While the general public gets their first taste of iTunes 10.5 today, Apple isn't wasting any time moving developers up to iTunes 10.5.1 beta. Like other recent betas, it includes iTunes Match functionality for further testing.

If you're a registered dev, grab it via the link below:

Source: developer.apple.com

Apple posts iOS 5 GM seed for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch

Submitted by Chris Parsons on Tue, 10/04/2011 - 15:23

As announced at Apple's Let’s talk iPhone event, the Gold Master seed of iOS 5 for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch is now available for download. Developers can grab the download via developer.apple.com and start testing their apps out on it to ensure compatibility.

If you’re a registered developer go grab it now. If you notice any changes, drop us a line or let us know in comments!

One More Thing indie iOS app dev conference videos now online

Submitted by Rene Ritchie on Wed, 08/31/2011 - 23:33

Anthony Agius of MacTalk recently ran the One More Thing Conference down under and has just put up all the video for those of us who couldn't be there live.

Google asks for re-examination of 2 Lodsys patents

Submitted by Rene Ritchie on Sat, 08/13/2011 - 15:41

Google has filed a request with the United States Patent on Trademark Office (USPTO), asking that 2 of the patents Lodsys is using the troll iOS and Android developers be re-examined.

“We’ve asked the US Patent Office to reexamine two Lodsys patents that we believe should never have been issued,” Google senior vice president and general counsel Kent Walker told Wired.com in a statement. “Developers play a critical part in the Android ecosystem and Google will continue to support them.”

iCloud.com, iWork for iOS 5 beta apps go live

Submitted by Rene Ritchie on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 22:06

iCloud.com is now live... if you have an Apple ID that works with iCloud. Here's the thing -- it's meant for developers right now, and Apple IDs are still fragmented to the extent that for some people, iCloud might not be too useful yet.

For example, you may try to login with your MobileMe ID and be told it hasn't been migrated to iCloud yet. You might try to login with your iTunes ID and then, once you're in, be told you need a MobileMe address to access Mail. You can set up a new, free iCloud ID, but then all of the content you have connected to your existing Apple ID(s) won't be there.

So, yeah, meant for developers. Still, it's nice to see it up and running, and get a preview of the design (which we're guessing is a fairly straight front-end port of the SproutCore web app code from Me.com, now running on the all new iCloud backend.)

Current web apps available include Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Find my iPhone, and the new Documents, which currently offers Apple's iWork formats for Pages, Numbers, and Keynote. (The last three of which require the new iWork for iOS beta apps, downloadable via Apple's developer site.)

Gone are iDisk and Gallery. iCloud is no doubt an attempt to abstract away the file system-like behavior for the former, but will a web front end for PhotoStream be made available to replace the latter?

Meanwhile, on iPhone you just get a placeholder card, nicely rendered, and the ability to get more information and a link to the developer beta.

Gallery of screenshots after the break.

Will international app developers leave the US App Store over patent fears?

Submitted by Rene Ritchie on Fri, 07/15/2011 - 17:32

As expected Lodsys was but the first highly publicized patent troll to try its hand at getting licensing fees from small, independent iOS developers, and as more come creeping out of the woodwork, some international devs are considering leaving the US App Store to avoid the costs and potential legal nightmares.

Simon Maddox on Twitter:

Apple releases iOS 5 beta 3 for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Apple TV to developers

Submitted by Rene Ritchie on Mon, 07/11/2011 - 13:40

Apple has just released iOS 5 beta 3 (9A5259f) for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple TV, along with iTunes 10.5 beta 3 for Mac, and Xcode 4.3 Preview 3 for developers.

Apple files motion to intervene on Lodsys patent lawsuits

Submitted by Rene Ritchie on Fri, 06/10/2011 - 13:36

Apple has filed a motion to intervene in Lodsys' lawsuits against 7 iOS developers. These developers are reportedly under NDA as well, so it's unknown if Apple is also stepping in with legal and financial support for the individuals, but they are clearly taken the suit back to Lodsys: