I’m a stickler for privacy, so the recent furor over Pinch Media‘s analytics is really interesting to me. The debate (in a nutshell) is whether information gathered by companies like Pinch Media through iPhone applications, for the purpose of developer marketing, is spyware. I thought I’d take a second to toss in my own 2 cents on this issue.
So, for my take on the subject, read on after the jump!
I’d been thinking about how much Apple is able to do – when they want to – with iPhone App distribution, because of how they set it up.
And I’d been thinking about how much I’d like – both as a user and a developer – trial versions of iPhone apps. But I know what a can of worms is opened by giving developers the ability make and unlock trials.
And then I thought – could Apple handle trials themselves, completely, by making all apps in the iTunes App Store free for the first few days, and then processing the payments if the apps were still installed after that?
The answer, of course, is that I don’t know. I have no idea if this would work or even be possible. I’m sure there are a ton of issues and implications to be thought through. It may be technically impossible, financially unfeasible, or just a lot more trouble than simply letting developers handle trials on their own.
But I can’t help thinking how cool it would be if Apple pulled it off.
It’s clear that no one else could do this with their app stores – no one else has that kind of control. Or – let’s face it – the guts. And it seems to me that it would be very much Apple’s style: here’s a better way to do something, we can do it, let’s do it. And if it turns the existing software distribution model upside-down, that’s just a bonus.
Any thoughts? I can’t tell if this is a good idea, a terrible idea, or something in-between. And it’s probably just wishful thinking on my part. But it would – in my opinion – be a huge benefit to both iPhone developers and users.
(Here’s the short URL for this article, if you want to share it. We’re working on the better “share it” thing; apparently it’s incompatible with something else we do.)
Haven’t tried Apples2Oranges? Well now is your chance! We’ve just reduced the price to 99 cents!
Now I know this is unlikely, but there just might be some folks who don’t know what Apples2Oranges is. Let me explain it this way…it’s frustrating to figure out different conversions in your head – impossible if you’re looking at units you aren’t familiar with. You can waste lots of time standing in the store with two different packages in your hands, trying to do the math on which is a better deal, or which has fewer calories per serving.
Now you don’t have to waste time or worry about getting the math wrong. Just pull out your iPhone and get the answer in a few taps with Apples2Oranges™ – a quick and easy price comparison and unit conversion app from Ilium Software, available for your iPhone™ or iPod® touch.
(Added note by Ellen: Anyone who buys or has bought Apples2Oranges – please consider adding a review of it to iTunes. We’re fairly sure that reviews help our search ranking, which in turn helps sales. We know a lot of people find Apples2Oranges useful, but more reviews would help even more people find it. Thanks!)
We added a new feature to eWallet on the iPhone! The update is submitted and as soon as the approval goes through, I’ll let everyone know the details. In the meantime, here is a “subtle” hint about what the new feature is! 🙂
It’s time again to pick a new winner in our monthly blog contest! I’m sure you’re all anxious to find out who the lucky person will be, so let’s get right to it….
This time around, the winner is Boon Chye for commenting on the Great AppStore Article post. Congratulations! I’ve just sent you an email explaining how to get your prize. If you don’t receive it, reply to this post and let me know.
To everyone else, thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. Be sure to stay tuned and keep the comments coming!
I have to share a great article about the iTunes AppStore over at AppleInsider. I don’t have much to say that isn’t already covered in the article, but I will share a quote that I think highlights a very real danger:
“In some respects, the App Store has taken its place alongside YouTube, where poor taste is the defining metric,” Wolf wrote. “More ominously, it has led to a deterioration of the entire pricing structure for iPhone applications. The risk is that developers who hope to build quality applications that have a long shelf life may be discouraged from doing so because prospective development costs exceed the revenues they expect to earn on the applications. In short, this race to the bottom has the potential to degrade the overall equality of the applications sold at the App Store.”
Not only is this something Apple needs to think about, but all the other device and OS manufacturers out there should keep this in mind as they launch their own on device stores.
You can find the entire article over at AppleInsider!
