Big brother Apple is in control
In 1984, Apple released the following compelling advertisement - implying how open and free their platform was going to be:
Since then we have seen many versions of the mac platform and mac ideals, that for all intense purposes, have lived up to the moniker of freeing people from their platforms. OS X was the biggest step Apple Computer ever took toward that goal. OSX not only embraced the idea of open source - it was built using many open source standards, and offered direct support of almost any open source software that one could imagine. The concept of this was embraced by developers everywhere. The concept that the mac plaform could now accept many types of standard apps and open source apps opened up worlds of possibilities for developers and users alike…. that is until - the iphone. Apple is reverting back into greedy, big brother-like corporate monstrosity with its iphone platform. We think the type of limitations that Apple is placing on its platform is not only discouraging - but Microsoft would even think better of it. Apple has gone too far, and now we have the results to prove it:
Apple has recently started rejecting perfectly valid software from its Itunes app store simply because it is in conflict with other software that they support. Now we don’t mean a technical conflict - more along the lines of a fiscal conflict. Apple doesn’t want anyone competing with them and thats the story.
A prominent case of this practice was noted by a developer who created an application called Podcaster. Podcaster offers simplicity in subscribing, managing, streaming and downloading podcasts directly to your iPhone and iPod Touch. Podcaster was rejected for very strange reasons in our opinion, Apple told the developer, “Since Podcaster assists in the distribution of podcasts, it duplicates the functionality of the Podcast section of iTunes.”
Developers all over the web began to post their maddening rejection letters until most recently Apple began slapping a big fat NDA on the cover of all rejections.
This, in our humble opinions(IMHO), is completely unacceptable. Imagine if they did this on their own macintosh computers? Imagine if they told Microsoft, sorry we are rejecting “Word”, because we have “AppleWorks”?
Come on Steve! Take the lead pipe out of your ass - and loosen up. If Google can develop a completely open software platform - then so can APPLE! Forget this whole iphone Nazi thing and make something that everyone can embrace. Otherwise - we predict, that the iphone will have its day, but will have to make way for the next great thing that comes. The iphone can’t truly be great - without the assistance of its user community. In other words… “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you Steve”.
Tags: control, iphone, NDA, rejection letters
September 25th, 2008 at 4:35 am
I like the lead pipe thank you very much… it keeps my aging back straight too!
September 25th, 2008 at 5:15 am
Well, i been reading your firsts posts after i found this site, and been commenting, but i need to tell you that in this one, i kind of agree in some aspects. I know Mac OSX market been acting different, and its SDK is more open to developers. Also agreed that they been a little over restricting the iPhone applications… But i thin i understand why that’s happening. Think you are a company, where your main hardware/OS market are, 3 or 4 countries around the world, and you have a big competitor; in this case Microsoft, that gives every one really easy to use development environments, plus a big variety of programming languages; plus, big documentation access, for free? I think i would try to reach the market being very open talking about the restrictions, because i hit a very small market, etc… But, with the iPhone, its been kind of different; they got a revolutionary product, that have lots of possibilities that no other phone has, with a good price, plus; and then, this becomes a big big worldwide market with the new product, wich means lots of partners around the world, so, Apple needs to rethink the strategy, and be very very different on the iphone sdk and store, because, the same fact there is a big bunch of worldwide partners, so they need to be more carefully of their moves, and they need to make this big wallet of partners believe they, and specially, their money, are secure, and after there is some good revenue, then they can start releasing the power but still giving partners the feeling that they are secure. You do remember the DRM thing right? Every one blame on Steve, but the real was that Steve never wanted this, but this was needed because, again, the Partners needs to feel secure, and thats to this, iTunes was an explossion, even with the restrictions; but Steve, never stop thinking about what he likes “freedom” and continued thinking and working on ways to convince partners that if people wants to cut off DRM and copy the music they bought, the will all ways find a way to do this, and also, make them understand that this DRW thing makes lots of clients and potential clients leave the iTunes Store; until some day, He got it! And now we can get DRM free music on the same iTunes Store. So i think this is the same, people pay for the phone, and they want to do what they want with it, so they simply open it and remove the “DRM” if we can call it that way, so, they need to work out the same way to get investors, partners, etc, to digest this reality, that this is not the right way to confront a worldwide market. But well, i need to say again that i agree in something, and its that Apple need to do this fast, because its a big market, and they can lost clients and potential clients, faster as they think, and not only that; they are losing developers here too… So Apple, hurry up and put the words on the partners conference table!
February 14th, 2009 at 6:54 am
I believe Apple is going too far in how they are trying to control the sale of the iPhone. To keep a long story short, I switched from my existing provider in Singapore to Singtel in January 2009, lost the iphone(16 GB) two weeks later and Singtel offers me a replacement for US$1000 bucks and I tell them they are insane and practicing predatory pricing. Shame on Apple to allow this.
You can buy an unlocked iPhone in Hong Kong for US$800 from an Apple shop. Optus in Australia sells it with a pre-paid line for US$600 + US$80 prepaid card top up.
Today I was reading about Apples International Warranty on the iPhone and guess what I see
. Can I get my iPhone serviced outside the country of purchase?
No, service for eligible repairs is only available in the country where your iPhone was purchased.
I cannot remember the last time I bought a laptop or phone that did not have a truly international warranty where it can be repaired anywhere. Apple really SHAME on you for setting the telecommunications industry back so many years. What has a product warranty got to do with the carrier.
I have a operational line with Singtel, I bought the iPhone in another country but it is unlocked by the carrier also according to policy, now I suspect if anything goes wrong Apple and Singtel will try to screw me over again. By the way am not an Apple Basher, I have gone through two iMacs, this is written on a Macbook Pro and I “used to be” to be telling everyone I know that they should buy an iPhone. After what I have discovered over the last 4 weeks, I tell my friend to run for their lifes and not to touch an iPhone with a ten foot pole unless Apple changes it policies. I guess the two iPods I was planning to buy for my kids will have to wait, just on a matter of principle.
I have been loyal to the Apple Brand for over 20 years and it looks like Apple is starting to repeat its mistakes of the past and getting way to arrogant in how it treats its customers. By the way e-mails to Apple received no acknowledgement, so I guess my a customers opinion doesn’t matter anymore.