All Articles Tagged app store

Should Apple improve the iPhone App Store, eliminate it as a single point of access to iPhone apps, or both? Given that Apple’s response to the FCC indicated there were only 40+ full-time, trained reviewers for the App Store, and 8500 apps a week for them the review, simple math makes it appear a challenge (as does casual observation of review times). Since the App Store is the only way, outside of enterprise or beta provisioning, to get native apps on the iPhone and iPod touch, depending on your point of view this is either not a problem, an untenable bottleneck, or only half of a better, more workable solution. So what can be done?

First, Apple could try to continue to improve the App Store as is. They could hire more reviewers, improve and make more transparent the review criteria, and otherwise create an environment that’s more predictable and sane for developers.

Second, as Facebook developer Joe Hewitt suggests, they could get rid of the App Store and simply allow developers to release whatever they want. Hewitt claims this works well enough for the Web and WebApps, and it’s currently similar to the model Google is using for the Android Marketplace where, after a series of automated bug tests, the app is simply released. If, post-release, the community flags the app as inappropriate (i.e. copyright violation) or malicious, Google will investigate and potentially remove it.

Third, Engadget suggests Apple create a hybrid model where the App Store remains for those users who want an uber-safe, Apple controlled single point of access, but Apple also allows for “side-loading” applications from other sources. Similar to the (currently restricted to 100 users) Ad Hoc distro method, or Enterprise provisioning method already in place, this means applications not approved for the App Store could still be downloaded and installed via iTunes.

Check out the poll up top and let us know what you think!

RealNetworks recently submitted their on-demand music streaming application for the iPhone and iPod Touch to Apple for review. Yes, this is the moment all of you Rhapsody subscribers have been waiting for.

Rhapsody is a subscription based service, $12.99/Month, that allows you the ability to listen to any single song or album on-demand. Current subscribers to Rhapsody can simply log into the app with their existing user name and password and can be streaming music in no time. If you are not a subscriber you will have the opportunity to take the app for a free limited time test drive.

The big question is whether or not Apple will approve this app but given the amount of negative press Apple’s app approval process is currently getting, we are leaning towards this one being approved.

Subscription based music streaming is in high demand on devices such as iPhone so it makes us wonder – when will Apple make it’s move into the music streaming business? Not that this would be likely to actually happen but Apple could even offer the service as an extra perk to all of us who subscribe to their MobileMe service.

Would you be willing to pay Apple for a service such as Rhapsody or are you perfectly content with current iTunes setup?

[Real Networks Blog via Daring Fireball]

Feeling a bit retro lately? Well look no further than these two great games from the 1980’s that are currently on sale in the App Store – Konami’s 1981 arcade hit Frogger and Namco’s 1982 arcade racer Pole Position.

Frogger is now on sale for $1.99. [iTunes Link]

The arcade hit is back and on your iPhone/iPod touch. Help Frogger cross the busy obstacles guiding him home. Jump past cars on the road and hitch a ride on logs and turtles while crossing the river. Perils await a careless frog and not all turtles are helpful. Guide 5 frogs to safety and move to the next level.

Pole Position is available for a limited time for $2.99. [iTunes Link]

Race to the finish line in this enhanced and upgraded version of Namco’s classic arcade racer, Pole Position: Remix, specially tuned for the iPhone! Take to the road with three different intuitive control setups for drivers of all types! Tilt the iPhone to maneuver your car through challenging high speed race tracks in Tilt Steering Mode. Take control of the on-screen steering wheel and spin it to fly through harrowing hairpin turns. Or touch the slider mechanism to avoid hitting cars, billboards and obstacles! Points are awarded for the distance you travel and for each enemy car you pass. Blow by the competition to unlock additional tracks, cars, billboards and graphical themes based on Namco hit games.

Two great retro classics at low prices that you can take advantage of. If you happen to have an application in the App Store that is on sale and want everyone to know about it, feel free to contact us and let us know!

Yesterday Popcap announced that it will be porting its fastest-selling Mac/PC game in the company’s history, Plants vs Zombies, over to iPhone before the year is over.

Not familiar with this game? You should be, it’s highly addicting gameplay not only caters to hardcore tower defense fans but to casual gamers alike.

• Play five game modes: Adventure, Mini-Games, Puzzle, Survival, plus the stress-free Zen Garden
• Conquer all 50 levels of Adventure mode — through day, night and fog, in a swimming pool and on the rooftop
• Battle 26 types of zombies including pole-vaulters, snorkelers and “Zomboni” drivers
• Earn 49 powerful perennials and collect coins to buy a pet snail, power-ups and more!

Sadly, no exact release date or pricing has been announced but Zombie lovers rejoice. It will be here soon enough.

What are the top 5, must-have board games currently available on the iPhone? Many of you have taken a liking to our Top 5 Must-Have Jailbreak Apps features, so TiPb figured why not expand the series and cover some of the better apps directly from Apple’s own iTunes App Store as well? So that is exactly what we did. Today we have compiled what we feel are the current top 5 must-have board game apps available. For the full run down, follow us after the break! Read the rest of this entry »

With news of TomTom hitting Apple’s App Store it’s time to start looking out for great deals from the other GPS apps currently available. Today we were notified that one of the most feature-filled GPS apps, Sygic Mobile Maps for the US is on sale for a limited time and it’s priced to sell – $39.99. [iTunes Link]

We’ve used Sygic Mobile Maps and it is well worth $39.99 if you are within the United States. The sale ends at the end of this month so be sure to act fast! It contains some very nice features with some of the highlights as followed:

• Voice guided turn-by-turn GPS navigation
• Rotation sensor for automatic switching between landscape/portrait operation in real-time
• Automatic return to the app and the route after a phone call
• All important safety features, including lane assistance, speed limit indication, safety cameras, information about railway crossings and dangerous areas
• Thousands of POIs; among others also a list of parking options nearby for you to select and be guided to selection between car and bicycle modes for optimum route calculation
• All the maps will be stored on the device, there will be no need to download data on the go, which otherwise costs unnecessary waiting time and money

Screen shots after the break! Read the rest of this entry »

The much-discussed SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone application is once again back in the news again. The Boy Genius is reporting Sling Media has submitted a fairly significant SlingPlayer update to Apple. Version 1.1 will Include the following:

• True 16×9 wide-screen support
• Improved remote control interface
• Faster speeds all around including channel changing, initial connection, and remote control response

Sling Media also let BGR know that a completely separate application has been submitted for outside of the USA that contains all of the above along with 3G support. Your guess is as good as ours as to whether or not Apple will let this update into the App Store. Without AT&T pulling Apple’s strings it is a possibility everyone outside of the good old USA will enjoy 3G Sling streaming.

So what do you think, will the 3G version make it through to any non-AT&T customers?

Let’s just ask it: is it time for an open letter from Steve Jobs concerning the state of the iTunes App Store? Apple’s CEO has written several of these over the course of the last few years — rare public statements typically addressing wide-spread perceptions of critical problems or situations facing Apple. He’s taken on DRM in music (but not video) to prevent the EU from forcing Apple to license FairPlay DRM, offered $100 to early iPhone 2G buyers incensed by a rapid post-launch price drop, addressed the lack of native apps on the iPhone amid massive developer dissatisfaction, espoused Apple’s commitment to the environment given Greenpeace’s constant PR pressure, and spoken about the uncertainty surrounding his health prior to Macworld to help assuage investor panic. There was even a “leaked” internal letter regarding the troubled MobileMe launch, one of the worst customer relations situations Apple has faced in recent years.

While the App Store is not yet a large-scale consumer facing problem like the iPhone 2G price cut or MobileMe were (some consumers don’t even use the App Store, many others don’t follow any backstage news about), nor a regulatory issue like DRM-music threatened to be (Apple is hardly a monopoly in the smartphone space) or Jobs’ health might have been to investors, it is and will continue to cause Apple pain in one very important area: tech savvy, power users (and media) who typically influence friends (and readers) and generally presage public perception.

Jason Calacanis, who’s frustration at this point clearly overcame his reason (see Marco Arment’s retort), and Mike Arrington, who might again garner Leo Laporte-esque responses himself, are easy to dismiss given their bombastic personalities, passion, and self-interests. Others aren’t so easily dismissed. Long time Mac developer Steven Frank is one example. Daring Fireball’s John Gruber is another. Dieter’s ranted about it on iPhone Live! and Jeremy and I have even written a word or two. Heck, even Apple’s highly operational COO Tim Cook and perennially affable Senior VP of Marketing, Phil Schiller, have mentioned it.

But Steve Jobs hasn’t.

Granted, Jobs is just getting back to work after an extended leave of absence and has been letting his team do their share of heavy lifting, but despite Apple’s highly innovative, world class executive team, Steve Jobs is still the voice of Apple, and there’s likely very little else — aside from carefully watching and tracking tiny improvements over an extended period of time — that will help ease the growing concerns about the App Store and grant Apple a little renewed faith along the way.

An open letter from Steve Jobs in Apple’s news feed, symbolic though it may be, stating a clear “we want a delightful App Store experience for developers” manifesto, reflecting an understanding of the current concerns, offering a “Mobile Me News” olive branch of openness — doing what he did for DRM, the $100 credits, the green initiative, the native apps SDK — would not only address the immediate perception problem, but could start fixing the root cause. Even a “leaked” letter like the one that followed MobileMe’s launch would be a start.

Apple’s often effective, often decried, culture of secrecy is widely thought to emanate from Steve Jobs. He’s shattered it before for Apple’s benefit. Is it time for him to shatter it again?

Blue Skies [iTunes Link] is one of the first notable iPhone 3GS-specific applications to hit Apple’s App Store, and at a great low introductory price of $0.99.

A helicopter shooter that was orginally introduced one year ago by RockingPocketGames, this version of Blue Skies is identical to the original version in terms of gameplay, but as would be expected with the beefier processing power in the iPhone 3GS, the graphics have gotten a nice overhaul.

The 3GS enhanced version makes use of the pixel shaders that are ONLY found in the new iPhone 3GS. It has per pixel bump mapping and amazing dynamic animated water that demonstrates the true power of the new iPhone 3GS!

If you currently have the original version along with an iPhone 3GS, is it worth your $0.99 to update? Depends on much you value better graphics in your games. Now if you have never played this shooter and have a 3GS, for $0.99 you are getting a good deal for your money. To see the graphical improvements firsthand, be sure to download Blue Skies Lite [iTunes link].

The big question remains, do you appreciate an iPhone 3GS specific version, or do you think it’s finally breaking the platform compatibility?

Sound off in the comments!

[Via Touch Arcade]

Apple Insider is reporting that iPhone developers have been contacted by Apple and asked:

enter up to 255 characters worth of keywords, separated by commas, which will be used for search in the App Store on the iPhone and iPod touch.

They’re told this must be completed via iTunes Connect “as soon as possible so your application can continue to be successfully located on the App Store”. What, if any measures are in place to prevent more ethically challenged developers from misappropriating key words (i.e. using names of competing products or unrelated yet popular terms) remains to be revealed.

Additionally, Apple Insider says search results have improved in general, a query for “EA” now returning 18 results for Electronic Arts games rather than previous results that included unrelated games using an abbreviation for “each”.

Baby. Steps.