iTunes App Store Turns 1-CrazyMike expounds…
July 8, 2009 by CM
Filed under iPhone News&Rumor's
Not many people (Apple included) thought the app store would have over 1 billion downloads and 56,000+ apps in a less than a year let alone 1 year. I have been a smartphone groupie for several years, pretty much since my first palm treo 5 years ago. Now I am completely sold out to the iPhone platform. I envision some awesome technological adds that will continue to propel the iPhone and other smartphones into powerful mobile computers. The apps are going to continue to fill up the iTunes App Store and I don’t think we have even scratched the app surface.
Who is Involved?
The 40,000+ registered iPhone developers will continue to pull out the stops to develop apps that improve the hardware. Now not all developers are created equal. It is apparent some just want a quick buck, lets be honest, most want to strike it rich. Nothing wrong with that, why I am on board with this as well. I think Apple has to do something better in design and process with the iTunes App Store.
iTunes App Store Flaws
The iTunes App Store by design currently is a developers nightmare. The developer turns in an app for approval (who the hell knows what that process entails) and once approved, bam front page of their app’s category. Now this is as much press or and attention most apps get. The apps presence is quickly shuffled to the back of the category as new apps are released. It is unfortunate that Apple has not developed a more progressive system to focus on the talent hitting the iTunes App Store. Unfortunately, there is a ton of developer talent that is going unnoticed due to virtually no marketing of apps by Apple who has the key to the app city. There are apps that get special attention in the “new and noteworthy” section or the “What’s hot” section or the “staff favorites” section. But, getting your app into one of these categories is either through a large sum of money or dumb luck. Come on Apple, revamp the iTunes App Store so there is at least the appearance of an even playing field.
App Approval Process
Apple has had several embarrassing moments over the last 1 year the app store has been open. I wonder what the process entails for approving apps, hmm. Maybe, they take the apps up for approval put blindfolds on and play pin the tail on the app. Or maybe they just toss the apps of for approval into the air and which ever one hits the ground first gets the nod. Obviously, I am being a bit sarcastic, but it seems to me (not the smartest guy in the world) that Apple could have prevented a great deal of their PR problems by doing a better job. Yes, it is that simple. I work for a company if I made the embarrassing mistakes in my department that someone has made at Apples app approval department I would have been fired (for good reason, incompetence). The approval process also goes overboard the other way and disapproves an app for the simplest off color remark or raciness. But, if you have a “baby shaker” app or a naked 15 year old girl as in ‘BeautyMeter” then the Apple app approvers find that content to be way cool. Apple needs to focus on a better process for approving apps, hopefully one that increases their reputation instead of decreasing it.
All in All
Besides the obvious there are more positives with the iTunes App Store than negatives. I am glad to be an end user of the App Store and getting a chance to play or use the awesome programs continuously available in the App Store. There is a ton of developer talent out there and I think we are just getting started. There are apps that not even I or anyone else could imagine that have not even been developed yet and I look forward to those apps. Congratulations Apple and all here at CrazyMikesapps wish you continued success.
CrazyMikesapps has two links that are updated everyday through the iTunes App Store. They are the Top 150 paid apps and the Top 500 FREE apps. These apps are ranked by Apple and are updated in these pages everyday, usually after midnight.
happy birthday appstore!!!!
WOOH!! Happy birthday app store! Hopefully I’ll get to use it one day =p