The First Rule Of Developing For The iPhone Is: You Do Not Talk About Developing For The iPhone
from the one-sided-user-agreements dept
We've certainly covered many different practices by Apple that harm its developers, from arbitrarily choosing what gets approved to arbitrarily shutting down apps with little or no explanation. Now, the EFF has used a Freedom of Information Act request to NASA (who recently released an iPhone app) to get a look at the amazingly one-sided agreement that Apple forces developers to sign. The reason that the EFF was forced to file an FOIA request to see and post the document is that part of the agreement itself is that you won't make any "public statements" about the agreement itself, a la fight club.As the EFF notes, this is an incredibly one-sided document, which isn't all that surprising, given Apple's standard operating procedures. And while Apple remains a giant player in the market, many developers will just suck it up and accept it. But Apple may find, over the long term, that this comes back to bite them in some pretty serious ways. Treating your developers -- the people who really make your platform valuable -- like crap means that they'll be ready to jump to other platforms as they become viable. Perhaps Steve Jobs believes that Apple can keep innovating ahead of the curve far enough that demand will remain ridiculously high for the iPhone and iPad, but it's definitely a high wire act for the company, who could face serious developer defections if an alternative platform becomes really viable.
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:)
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I second that!
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I bet Steve is fricken pissed about this being released.
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Apple is the pretty girl...
Eventually we wised up though and noticed their were other fish in the sea that would treat us better and offered the same (cough) functionality. Of course, if you are Apple, then you patent breasts so none of the other girls can be as fun to (again cough) ...
Freedom
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Re: Apple is the pretty girl...
Like being able to access all three of her USB ports, not just the one?
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Re: Re: Apple is the pretty girl...
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Re: Re: Re: Apple is the pretty girl...
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Re: Re: Apple is the pretty girl...
(This is going downhill fast)
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Re: Re: Re: Apple is the pretty girl...
(This is going downhill fast)"
Maybe spend a little money to upgrade her chassis?
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Apple is the pretty girl...
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Re: Re: Apple is the pretty girl...
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Re: Re: Apple is the pretty girl...
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Re: Re: Apple is the pretty girl...
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Re: Re: Re: Apple is the pretty girl...
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So the infamous 1984 advertisement was actually brilliant irony?
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It's beyond crazy
To create a clear separation, our legal team insists on 'parachuting in' a developer from a different department just for the iPhone version...
This is a bizarre way to function.
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Re: It's beyond crazy
the elite airborne programmer squad?
what would be the halo jump of programming? a working HURD kernel?
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It's about users
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Re: It's about users
At the end of the day, Apple wants to make a profitable business. If it can do so with closed platforms, then it will. If the developer audience somehow revolts against these NDAs, then Apple will probably change its terms. But until that happens, it doesn't seem likely -- especially given that the secrecy that Apple requires sometimes generates more interest in its upcoming features.
It's really about fashion. If Apple were forced to tell everyone what the "new black" would be this Fall, it's products wouldn't have the same heightened demand. Apple's developers should know this... and play along if they want to benefit from the same "reality distortion field" that gets created.
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Re: It's about users
Perhaps it does for you, but not for me. I took a good, hard look at the agreement and decided that iPhone development was not anywhere near profitable enough to warrant the cost and risk of entering into that agreement.
The iPhone is not the largest market in the space. It does have the most rabid (which means loyal and willing to put up with absurd pricing) user base, but that's not something I'm willing to base my business on. So this is one developer who bailed, sorta (can you "bail" if you were unwilling to develop that first app?)
Your mileage may vary, naturally, but I know first-hand that there are a large number of developers who did the cost/benefit analysis and determined that it was not favorable. I am not alone.
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Apple is 100% focused on consumer value. Anything that devalues the platform in consumers' eyes must go, even if it means hurting developers. Think about it: this is the exact opposite of what made Microsoft successful in the 90's. Microsoft focused on making the platforms attractive to developers, and trusting that customers would follow a thriving development ecosystem.
Apple is betting that other platforms, like Android, will become so full of junk apps, security threats, porn, and generally low quality development work that it will drive consumers to Apple's offerings, and therefore make the platforms attractive to "real" developers.
I'm a FOSS guy myself and I think it's probably a mistake on Apple's part. I expect Google to make efforts to separate wheat from chaff in the Android market, and for third parties to help. But it's not a foregone conclusion that that will work.
It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.
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One, 90s?
Two, Remember your history. Look where apple was as a PC and look where it is now. The same exact thing will happen with the iPhone.
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Tautology Club
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Re: Tautology Club
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Not many differences between Android and iPhone
"A ban on public statements, forbidding developers to speak about the agreement."
On Android, you can talk about Android all you want. They need the press.
"Apps made with the iPhone software development kit can only be distributed through the App Store, meaning rejected apps can’t be served through the underground app store Cydia, for instance."
Yup, distribute away, if you know how.
"Apple indemnifies itself against developer liability surpassing $50, meaning if developers get sued, Apple will be liable for no more than $50 in damages."
Now, Google pushes all liability to the developers. You screw someone with your app, and the individual can come after you the developer.
"No reverse engineering, or enabling others to reverse-engineer, the iPhone SDK."
Same with Android. (3.3 in License)
"No messing with Apple products. That means no apps that enable modifying or hacking Apple products are allowed."
Same with Android. You mess with their apps and they can revoke.
"Apple can “revoke digital certification of any of Your Applications at any time.” No surprise there: Your app can be pulled even if it’s already been approved, which we’ve already seen happen a number of times."
Same with Android, section 7.2 of their agreement means they can pull your app from the Android market.
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Re: Not many differences between Android and iPhone
To be clear, you don't know what you're talking about.
Score: Android=1, Apple=0
It's easier and quicker than distributing for iPhone. Even easier-er and even quicker-er if you just distribute it yourself off your Web site, which iPhone does not support. Score: Android=2, Apple=0
Apple is not indemnifying developers -- they, like Google, push liability to the developers. Apple is saying that if they are declared jointly liable, they owe $50 max. On the scale of your average lawsuit, $50 is nothing, so these are roughly net. Score remains: Android=2, Apple=0
Except that the code for the SDK is all open source, so you do not need to reverse engineer anything. Score: Android=3, Apple=0
There is no clause in the Developer Agreement to that effect. You mess with their online services, and they can revoke. Furthermore, you don't need to agree even to that to build apps, by rolling an SDK out of the open source repo. Score: Android=4, Apple=0
Except that you do not have to distribute through the Android Market. Unlike iPhone, you can distribute your app in other ways (Web site, other markets, install from SD card, etc.). Score: Android=5, Apple=0
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Re: Re: Not many differences between Android and iPhone
Except the last point. SD Cards are super important these days. After all, putting an app on a SD card which you take out, and borrow to a friend's is real important for instant gratification. Telling someone where to get an app is just too difficult anyway.
Besides, they are probably lazy, and it's your job as a friend to pick up their slack.
Just make sure you get your SD card back after they:
1.) Take your SD card, try the app in their phone and like it.
2.) Take your SD card out and look for the broken SD to USB adapter.
4.) Copy the app over to their computer.
5.) Sync their Android with the computer.
6.) Look for the app on the phone after the computer says it's synced.
7.) Swear a bit because the app didn't copy over.
8.) Try re-syncing again with the computer.
9.) It sync-ed this time but there's a missing dll system file.
10) Try re-syncing it again.
11) Realize the app won't work for some strange reason.
12) Look for THEIR SD card while yours falls on the floor.
13) Realize that they lost your SD card.
14) Buy you a replacement SD card.
15) Find the SD card 6 months later and they realize you had some interesting pictures on it.
16) Enjoy getting blackmailed.
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Re: Not many differences between Android and iPhone
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all of them can bugger off
technology is supposed ot make life cheaper not enslave you or restrict you or be more expensive. I wonder who well the economy of the world would be without these toys, YES TOYS.
you don't need one to live.
you dont need one to work.
but your soooo cool when you have one. LOL we're laughing at you now....
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Many of us won't make our decisions on what platform to use based on our own lofty ideals. Some will, more power to them.
In a perfect world I'd like to focus on android, for example, but the user base doesn't yet justify my effort in that area. I certainly don't care for the paranoid kung fu grip of old fart Jobs, but it is what it is...for now.
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WOW little mikee cannot even be original
Come on mikee, if your going to cry and pout maybe you could at least be original.
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Re: WOW little mikee cannot even be original
Er, how the hell would we know? Care to share a link?
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Apple computers have always done fine...
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You better be careful what you say around these parts. It's possible that Masnick still doesn't know you work for him. I just dug up this article he penned a few years ago, and maybe he's still feeling let down. "Apple Device Better Be Cool"
Oh well.
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I agree that it's important to have some strict app-development rules to protect the ecosystem they've built, but the whole agreement is so lop-sided it's ridiculous. It's kind of amazing what companies can get away with now ... I never thought it;'d be so ... bad!
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Hmm
I'm actually going to be taking a mobile app development course over the Fall. The college WAS going to use the iPhone, except Apple's rules and restrictions for doing such were... Draconian. (There needed to be a sealed computer lab that would need the prof in the lab whenever students were in it. Or something to that effect.)
So they'll use the Android instead.
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