A few weeks ago, we wrote about Steven Frank, a well-known Mac developer who was giving up his iPhone over his disgust with the ways Apple is managing the App Store. (This was right before Mike also gave up his iPhone). Well, Frank is already considering coming back. Why? Because once again Apple Senior VP Phil Schiller has extended an olive branch to try and calm the waters.
This follows Schiller emailing Daring Fireball’s John Gruber last week, also about issues with the App Store. But unlike Schiller’s email to Gruber, which was about a specific instance, his email to Frank seems as if it was a more general one. It’s hard to know for sure because Frank didn’t ask Schiller for permission to republish it (which Gruber did), but he did summarize parts of it.
Basically, it sounds like Schiller and others at Apple read this post by Frank, laying out what would have to change in the App Store in order for him to go back to using an iPhone. Frank says that Schiller took exception to the rumor that Apple had begun widely banning e-books, saying there was only one specific example where that was the case over a copyright issue. But Schiller did apparently acknowledge many of the other problems that Frank had with the store. As Frank summarized it, Schiller said, “we’re listening to your feedback.”
Of course, the proof will be in the pudding, but it’s hard to take these two emails by Schiller as anything but a good sign. It’s still perplexing to me that one of Apple’s Senior VPs, basically the second or third best known guy at the company (it’s the same Phil Schiller than has run the past few keynotes in Jobs’ absence), is the one reaching out here after months of basically no communication from anyone else at Apple. Certainly, they have a PR team, I’m just not sure why Apple was forcing them to be silent, only to have an executive speak on the matter.
It’s great that Schiller is saying these things, so that he’ll be held accountable for them, but it’s kind of crazy that it has come to that. Clearly, Apple knows there are some very real problems with the App Store process. But the issue is now: How do they fix them?
Communication is the first step, but it will still be difficult to drastically overhaul the system that is already so massive and gaining size everyday. But I have to believe they’ll be able to do it. Too much money is on the line now with the iPhone for them not to.
To summarize what I wrote this weekend (so you don’t have to read all 3,500+ words — though, feel free to!), I think it’s foolish to think that Apple will just let these problems go on forever without fixing them. Some use the argument that they believe Apple has malicious intentions in trying to control the App Store. I have always believed that its screw-ups were simply a result of two things: 1) Its desire above all else to make a great product, which has lead to what many (including myself in a number of situations) consider to be perverse levels of controls. And 2) The fact that it had no idea the App Store would explode in popularity the way that it has. It wasn’t ready for it, and it has shown.
It’s time for Apple to step up and fix the App Store. And Schiller’s recent efforts seem to suggest that they’re ready to do just that. It’s when they’re not saying anything, that you really have to worry. Which they weren’t — for months.
[via Marco]
I’m just glad that Schiller has broken the silence and has been quick to tell us that someone’s listening. Sometimes it takes a loud outcry for a company to whip itself back into shape. The App Store was a critical component to the success of Apple’s attempt (or success, depending on how you look at it) to be a of any relevance in this market.
With the iProd (or whatever the hell they call it) in the horizon, I’m hoping that we see successful measures to fix the app store.
Now give me my Google Voice back.
I’d really like to see a response to @chockenberry’s anniversary post.
Ron Okamoto (Apple’s VP of Worldwide Developer relations) phoned me when I blogged an open letter to Tim Cook. This was during Mr. Job’s hiatus.
Apple is ABSOLUTELY listening. And, in my case I was made privvy to some plans that assuaged most of my grief. Those plans came to pass EXACTLY as Mr. Okamoto suggested.
Apple has a track record most of us would envy. Do they make mistakes? Sure. But, they’re several monstrously bad decisions away from the dead pool and not likely to spend time there any time soon.
Sorry, I’m still pissed. You wanna make me happy? Allow me to embed music rationally in applications. Confuse the user my behind…
Hey sitting on apps for less than several months would be nice too. Frankly, I listened to the rants around Mac development in the early days, and how Apple treated developers so poorly that they ran away to Windows, and thought “what a bunch of nuts.” I no longer think this, but have way to much invested to run away at the moment.
The behavior has not changed. An apology is worthless without that.
Frank left. Frank wants back. Frank left. Frank wants back. What a primadonna. Grow up dude! Life has problems. You are contributing to them too.
It’s not the App Store that needs fixing. It’s the horribly engineered bloatware throwback to 1990s Microsoft called “iTunes” that needs killing or fixing.
Dear Phil,
We know that you know. Now fix it.
people who are easily star struck shouldn’t make dramatic gestures around Apple products. It makes them look sort of sad when they throw their principles out the window just because a SVP sent them an email.
I’m loving my new phone. Life is very, very good away from the iPhone.
someone’s sore for not getting a mail from Apple’s SVP eh…even after two posts on giving up the iPhone
i’ll say.
hee hee
Take it to them with the crunchpad. But please, make it an open programable device. It just seems too limited as currently described. I want something that can support lightweight apps, not just web apps. For example, vnc, USB keyboard, file system access, sqlite, etc…
Even with the fond memories of that silky smooth iPhone, just remember – there’s no going back after you’ve done an Android.
I don’t think it’s so much “starstruck” as it is very unusual to ever be contacted directly by a senior executive at a very major corporation regarding a blog post you made. He didn’t say he was going back to the iPhone, just that it gave him a ray of hope. I agree with him that it’s promising – but we’ll see what happens.
The correct expression is “the proof of the pudding is in the eating”. Just sayin’…
OMG PHIL SCHILLER EMAILED ME! ok, everything is good now. Google Voice what?
+1, Mike. Actions speak louder than words. Especially Schiller’s words, which have been nothing but the usual corporate BS.
I’m wondering how the app store can retain credibility without firing this guy. Time for 2.0.
Where’s the friggin PR? Why is Schiller saying anything? Apple is one of the most innovative product companies with shmit for brains when it comes to PR.
Bottom line, Apple should have jumped on these issues right away, but instead they let them drag out for weeks/months. And why – hubris?
It’s pretty interesting that ONLY AFTER THE FCC ACTION has Phil been emailing people.
It’s pretty interesting that ONLY AFTER THE FCC ACTION has Phil been emailing people. Let’s see what they actually respond in this regard… I am hearing things that are going to shock and negatively impact most of the community. I know many people at AT&T that are eagerly willing to throw Apple under the bus. Note to Apple – AT&T is a “partner” like a wolf is to a hen house. Trust me.
Time has changed. Apple is forbidding iPhone users to install Google Voice app called “GV Mobile” on the device. They decided to take it off App Store. Why? Just because.
This smart phone is essentially a computer with operating system and an ability to install third party software like any other computer. When I called Apple, tech support representative informed me that Apple does not have to explain why they are forbidding me to install Google apps after I purchased device planning to use it with Google Voice. She also informed me that App Store is like any other store has right to choose what they put on their shelves.
Well, I respect their choice, but the last time I checked in my neighborhood mall none of their stores are FORBIDING me to use products from anywhere else but from their store. Does Apple respect my choice? Communist China government did not dare to make Lenovo give me a list of software I can install on my laptop. Lenovo respects my choice because they know what will happen with their laptops if they would try to deny this choice to people in free world.
Just imagine what would happen if Microsoft would make an agreement with Comcast and set up a list of software you are allowed to install. What if they allow you to connect to internet only through Comcast? What if Comcast decides they don’t like some software and a week later Microsoft would FORBID using it without any meaningful explanation? That would definitely be considered mafia-like behavior and nobody would tolerate it.
We are not tolerating this behavior neither from China, US government, Microsoft, nor from Comcast. For how long are we going to tolerate this behavior from Apple? I erased my iPhone, I smashed it with hammer and I sent it on Monday to Steve Jobs, c/o Apple 1 Infinite Loop Cupertino, CA 95014
Time has changed.
So, you’re listening Apple?
Listen to this: you can have whatever (legal) policies you like to decide what you put in your store, just like other people with stores choose the products from suppliers they choose to ship. BUT LET PEOPLE INSTALL SOFTWARE ON THEIR IPHONES FROM SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN YOUR APP STORE.
That’s the control and lock in that really matters. The discussion about whether the approval process is broken or not is a side issue.
I totally agree, this is the big problem. I think Apple having their own store with “official” “approved” apps is fine, so long as they allow other means to distribute and install software. But they don’t do that.
Sure that opens up the gates to “hackers” but the same can be said for normal computers too, if you download and install some software without taking reasonable precautions, you’re opening yourself up to being pwned. Why should the fact that it’s a phone be any different?
It would be nice if the App Store did not survive the scrutiny intact. It is one thing to set standards, and quite another to allow one source for applications and restrict on the grounds of competition.
Perhaps, waiting for Apple to change is the wrong thing to do. The correct thing would be to write your representatives. It can be argued that telecommunications and computing are too important now to allow either Verizon or Apple to restrict access to the devices. A worthless brick that is non-portable is also a questionable tactic.
Well said.
I always hear the, “Well, it’s Apple’s store, they can do what they want.” I would tend to agree–if someone could conceivably compete. But Apple has locked out that option.
It’s like back in the days before the AT&T break-up. If you wanted a phone, you rented it through AT&T. Wanted to actually buy a phone? Tough. Wanted to get a phone through someone other than AT&T? Tough. AT&T’s stance was, “Well, somebody could make equipment that would totally screw up the network!” But, somehow, the phone network in the US continued to work even after they were broken up.
From what I understand, Google’s Android has both options. And if you don’t use Google’s vetted App Store, you get a little warning saying, “Hey, you better know where this came from…” I’d be fine with that.
Good post. I think Apple’s stance right now will not end good for them. I think Apple is getting very big that its every move is getting scrutinized like Microsoft’s was. Apple should change and adapt and be dynamic or they will go down.
The echo chamber indeed amplifies. Not to say even regular geeks like myself aren’t wincing and know this collar is getting too tight.
What application has Steven Frank made for my iPhone that makes me think 99.999% of the other developers will leave too?
I built a beautiful PC yesterday for barely more than half the price of a entry-level mac pro, and with better specs. Looks better, works better, costs way less. Apple has never made sense to me, but I guess it’s just because Dell and others are so useless. Build your own, it’s so much better, and really easy. Apple would already be dead if people weren’t so lazy.
Hardware is the same, I think people like the OS and design more than the hardware…
Hardware is the same, the price is not. That’s the whole thing. If people realize they don’t necessarily want to pay twice the price for a pretty box in today’s economy, I think Apple will be relying on cheaper stuff like the iPhone more and more. Still I don’t think the app store issue is going to be a threat to iPhone sales no matter what big names in tech complain about it.
don’t people pay twice or more for “pretty” all the time? also for “design”, “brand”, “trendy”, etc. I mean, this is normal in other industries like clothing, home decoration, jewelry/watches, cosmetics, homes (think views), mobile phones, etc., so why not computers? the small minority of people who compare computers based on tech specs alone don’t seem to reflect the true reality of the free marketplace, as computers become truly mainstream and universal in society, we expect more than just faster processors, RAM, etc. Is this a bad trend?
I understand Google Voice could be a deal breaker for some (who know that there is such a thing which is not many outside of this circle), but really all these articles showing up on every tech blog about the app store process are getting silly. No matter what, the decision has to come down to a human being.. people are going to have to make judgment calls, and sometimes they will be wrong. Things are going to be approved, then pulled when they realize a mistake was made. Just because they can design a great phone doesn’t mean they can make everything absolutely perfect.
As far as Apple’s iron fist over what is allowed or on on their device, that is pretty ridiculous, but I don’t see why people are surprised by it after having dealt with Apple’s track record with the iPod, or even think that the many millions of people who bought the device because of the catchy synth pop commercials would walk away and put any significant amount of “money on the line” for Apple. I’m sure it’s an extremely small percentage of people that own an iPhone who even know that a controversy exists.. and if they did, I don’t really think they would care as long as their twitter and facebook apps work.
Is there a possible future, say 10-15 years from now, where people can only download and install apple-approved OS X apps onto Apple notebook computers, similar to the way the iPhone operates now?
Is there a possible future, say 10-15 years from now, where people can only download and install apple-approved OS X apps onto Apple notebook computers, similar to the way the iPhone operates now?
I’ll never understand why the words “too little, too late” never seem to get applied to Apple.
It almost seems like a strategy. Make some stupid move or deliberately hold back a trivial feature then have one of their talking heads stand on stage a year later to say “You asked for it, we listened!” and get everyone cheering for them again…