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Why does Apple habitually mistreat developers?

5 points by infinitivium ↗ HN
Writing iOS apps is hard - I've been there. Every other day we see a story about an app being pulled from the store arbitrarily by Apple - yet again. Sometimes we see Apple pull entire groups of apps (apps using the dropbox SDK?) without any notice, warning, or chance to make things right before the app is pulled.

People work LONG hours on these apps, and each great app makes Apple's mobile devices more valuable.

Apple's behavior toward app developers is simply RUDE. There is no other word that describes their attitude. It loses people both money and time. Often Apple seems to remove apps because it plans to introduce a competing app at some later date... HOW IS THIS OKAY? That is literally forced monopoly.

I realize this is Apple's private playground because they make the devices but this is NOT a way to treat any human being - much less humans who write code night and day for the devices that support that playground.

We need to wake up to this ridiculous treatment, and tell Apple that this has to change.

TLDR; I love building iOS apps, but Apple is treating developers like pawns on an unacceptable level.

10 comments

[ 3.0 ms ] story [ 34.0 ms ] thread
njharman
> tell Apple that this has to change.

They've already ignored everyone else who has said this. What are you going to use to force them? Threaten to take your apps to the other iOS appstore? There isn't one. Threaten to not write apps at all? There's a pile of devs a little more starving than you, waiting in line to replace you.

infinitivium
I completely agree - a boycott would never work here. It would have to generate bad PR for Apple - a lot of it. That's when they would look at making changes.
ssebro
I'm also an iOS dev, and I also love developing iOS apps, but you have to realize - you are a pawn in their game, where they stand between you and potential income.
userulluipeste
"a pawn" is an overestimation here! In chess a pawn has a chance to become something more and with a much greater role. In Apple's enclosure there are no pawns, just cattle. They pull the yoke and maybe grazing something until Apple decides otherwise.
[dead] userulluipeste
"a pawn" is an overestimation here! In chess a pawn has a chance to become something more and with a much greater role. In Apple's enclosure there are no pawns, just cattle. They pull the yoke and maybe grazing something until Apple decides otherwise.
brudgers
Apple's developer model for iOS is sharecropping. Wanting to develop for iOS is like wanting to farm in Mississippi in 1913. You can't buy title to the land, only rent it for whatever cut of the profits the landlord thinks the market will bear.

Historically, Apple has never pursued a B2B model for relationships and this translates into the current iOS environment. Apple treats iOS developers like any other consumers - it provides a small range of products, a single set of terms, and customer service commensurate with the price. It's a sound business model and leverages their core competencies.

Developers are a necessary evil in the pursuit of selling more hardware, not something about which top management is passionate - Cook is focused on logistics not making happy hackers.

andrewroycarter
Apple isn't forcing anyone to develop for iOS. People have a large sense of entitlement these days-- if you're not happy with it make android or windows mobile apps! The thing is, developing for iOS is generally more profitable, and more fun due to the controlled and tight environment. That's why we're seeing reports of the Amazon app store being more profitable then Google play. The rules, guidelines, and even the pulling of apps is all for a reason. It generates the experience Apple wants it's consumers to have (and they're willing to pay for), and if your app isn't part of that experience then to bad! It sucks when situations like this happen, but you shouldn't feel like Apple owes you anything.
userulluipeste
I think that it serves you right. We all know Apple and it's values/philosophy/principles. You, like all Apple clients are asking for it and you should be grateful when you're getting it!
joezydeco
So has this unfair treatment happened to you, Infinitivium? Anything that you can share to help clarify what went wrong?