Is Apple playing favorites?

Apple's rules for it's app approval staff are probably more vague than the guidelines they give to developers, I think they could get away with all kinds of crap if they wanted to.

 

Developers always struggle with this...

We submitted Lucky Me Lite to the store, but the release date was diplayed as the date when submitted

Horrible....

 

Developer Confessions Blog.

Hi,

I've been developing for over a year now. Close to calling it quits.

There's been numerous times when the store has been frozen and my app doesn't get shown as a new release or when there's huge delays and competitors come out first etc.

I'm writing all about it in my blog Confessions of an iPhone Developer

It's good therapy!

Travis
Webtopia iPhone Apps

 

Whether you quit or not is entirely up to you. Personally, I would prefer that you keep fighting. I am a different developer than you are, and I don't agree with some of your methods nor do I agree with some of your techniques.

However, I do respect your work, your effort, and if anything, the information contained within your blog. Your successes and your failures add up to a lot overall.

Yes, the App Store has changed in the last year. It has changed in the last two months I have been there. We need developers like you to keep trying new things and to push Apps that the big publishers can't and won't do.

 

hey man, just go to cydia, NO RULES!

 

hahahaah

 

What does that have to do with anything in this thread?

 

Well they're clearly playing favorites with big name developers. A lot of EA things are always featured. I don't know if you can break it down to individual apps though that would be malicious of those working for Apple.

Then again, what are the odds someone who knows someone that came out with an app similar to yours happened to get assigned to review your app?

 

Thanks for the great blog! As someone who just paid his $99 last weekend, I can only hope to attain 1/10th of your success.

 

Of course Apple is playing favorites. NGMOCO was going to remove rolando from the app store to promote the sequel and that's normally not allowed. I remember the creator of this app called asleep wanted to remove one of their apps but apple wouldn't allow them because it already had thousands of buyers.

The creator of tweetie seems to be close to Apple too. He was able to get the first tweetie removed in favor of encouraging everyone to upgrade and purchase tweetie 2.

 

I would agree that they are playing favorites, but you have to consider this: If you made a ton of money off of a game or app someone else made, wouldn't you give them special attention?

 

I haven't seen any indication Apple feature a game based on money. It always seems to be the games that are highly polished and most similar to more commercial games on other handheld consoles they want to promote. Which is understandable as they want their platform to look appealing.

I know a lot has been said about how much Apple are supposedly making from the App store, but I really don't believe they're doing it for money. I don't see it any different from the non-profit iTunes music store — both digital stores were created with the intention to sell iPods. If Apple were in it to make money they'd be taking a considerably higher % more in line with what other digital distribution portals take, which can be anywhere between 50-70% for Xbox live Arcade or Steam (yep, 50-70% they take, leaving you 30%.)

 

It's a business, and a public one at that, and of course its all about the money. I see nothing wrong with it either. Apple isn't a charity. I guarantee the shareholders want to see profit, quarter by quarter, by whatever means necessary as long as Apple is compliant with government regulations (SOX, SEC, etc.)