This kind of thing continually reinforces something I’ve thought about a lot since the App store was released, which sounds horrible to say but it might be true: Apple is creating an ecosystem of the kind of customers I don’t want. With the ridiculous approval process leaving bugfixes to take over a week to show up, with prices being driven down to nothing by farting apps… it just feels hostile to me. While I have plenty of great customers who have been raving about the app, all it takes is one little issue and it all comes crashing down.
I’m far more likely to get 15 one-star reviews when something goes wrong than I am to get 15 five-star reviews when everything goes right. Perhaps it’s just frustration speaking here, but when Apple ties my hands behind my back and lets users punch me publicly in the face without allowing me to at least respond back, it’s hard to get excited about building an app.
Garrett’s post below is one of many stories we’ve all read over the past year from frustrated developers. Reading these narratives has led me to wonder why a developer would choose to develop for this platform. Sure, the potential is sky high. But the current constraints make it hard to fly.
My work with Fusion certainly has not changed my opinion at all. With disclosure in mind, we’ve had a lot more success with vendors who are marketing desktop or web software. Their iPhone-developing counterparts have to see such a higher turn over of clicks-to-sales to justify spending the same amount of money on an ad that they hesitate to make the investment. The math is easy: if our ads cost $880 a month, a $40 app only has to sell 22 licenses to break even. A $1 iPhone app … you see what I’m saying.
It seems like the only decent place for iPhone developers to advertise _is_ the App Store, and it’s a poor option at best.
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thlom reblogged this from maniacalrage and added:
Utvikleren bak iPhone-applikasjonen...om Apples AppStore og problemene med...
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Your theory about intentional delay leads...model where equilibrium of
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benzado reblogged this from maniacalrage and added:
had a sort-of similar experience:...approve an update...few...
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montoya reblogged this from marco and added:
Facebook has recently implemented the review-on-delete form for applications, probably as
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Sorry to hear he’s having such a hard time. It’s a really great app, and it’s a disappointment that trolls are trash...
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chrisbowler reblogged this from maniacalrage and added:
Garrett’s post below is one...many stories we’ve...read over...
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App Store from day one. The artificial contraints...high value put into user reviews...
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Some interesting theory...Marco Arment, developer
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