[quote=Wired.com]It’s good to be king.
Apple deserves lots of credit for creating an entirely new market for mobile software in the iTunes app store, over which it justifiably reigns.
But the army of developers who have created over half a million Apple iOS apps to date perform another valuable function, in addition to making Apple’s hardware more attractive to users and contributing 30 percent of their revenue to the company’s bottom line: Sometimes, they act like a big, unpaid R&D lab for incubating features that Apple can eventually incorporate into its own products — even after banning those same products from its app store (or, rather, App Store).
Take Camera+, the camera app for the iPhone that has grossed $2.7 million in sales revenue for its creator Lisa Bettany (and her team). At the AdAge Creativity and Technology conference in New York City Thursday, Bettany discussed the odd history of her app, which has been downloaded more than 3 million times from iTunes leading to unexpected riches for its creator.
evolverfm
Last August, Apple pulled Camera+ from iTunes because its new “VolumeSnap” feature allegedly violated Apple’s iPhone Developer Program License Agreement by allowing users to shoot photos using the iPhone’s Up Volume button. In its rejection notice, Apple explained, “Your application cannot be added to the App Store because it uses iPhone volume buttons in a non-standard way, potentially resulting in user confusion.”
One reason the iPhone has been so successful is that Apple maintains tight control over its hardware. Bettany told those assembled yesterday that she doesn’t even consider it worthwhile to release an Android app because users on that platform refuse to pay for stuff that iPhone users gladly do. Apple was both her benefactor and her tormentor, until she pulled that feature, and her app was re-admitted to iTunes.
Earlier this week, Steve Jobs stood on a stage to announce a great new feature for the iPhone’s built-in camera app: the ability to take photos using the device’s Up Volume button, which Jobs heralded as a fantastic new way to take capture a moment with a photo quickly, without hunting around for the camera app and waiting for it to load. In other words, one of Apple’s big new ideas is precisely the one for which it banned Camera+ last year. ([url=http://evolver.fm/2011/06/06/watch-or-listen-to-apples-worldwide-developers-conference/]Watch Jobs’ address.[/url])
Another case of this curious behavior surfaced this week, as The Register reported the strikingly similar tale of Greg Hughes’ Wi-Fi Sync app, which Apple rejected outright for its ability to sync iTunes music wirelessly to an iPhone using a local wireless network.
On Monday, Apple unveiled, what else, a wireless syncing feature for moving music from iTunes to iOS devices — and, what’s more, it used a logo that’s practically the same as the one Hughes used for Wi-Fi Sync (available in the Cydia store for apps that can run on jailbroken iPhones).
[img]http://evolver.fm/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/wifi_sync_logos.jpg[/img]
On the left is Hughes' Wi-Fi Sync logo; on the right is Apple's Wi-Fi Sync logo. Image courtesy The Register
According to The Register, Apple asked Hughes for his resume while rejecting his app, but really, there was no need to hire him. They could incorporate his app — and even its name and, more or less, his logo — without paying him a cent.
Like I said, it’s good to be king.[/quote]
[url=http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/06/for-apple-yesterday%E2%80%99s-banned-apps-are-tomorrow%E2%80%99s-great-new-feature/][source][/url]
You know why I hate Apple? This is why. Not their products, but their actions. I actually quite like their products, but how they treat their customers and business partners is just evil.
This reminds me of one time when my friend's iPod had broken while still under warranty. He had about a week left on it, so when he called up Apple customer support they basically gave him the runaround for a week and then told him they couldn't help because his warranty expired. I was like :geno:
[quote=The OP]Steve Jobs stood on a stage to announce a great new feature for the iPhone’s built-in camera app: the ability to take photos using the device’s Up Volume button,[/quote]
REVOLUTIONARY
They should have given the developers credit and a bit of money for completely stealing their ideas and app.
Fuck you, Apple.
Fuck Apple.
Why I stick with android.
Looks like people are going to have to start taking out copyrights or patents or whatever.
[QUOTE=Novangel;30388773]Fuck Apple.[/QUOTE]
Lol Samuel is defending apple.
I have an iPod touch 4g, which I think is a great device. But Apple what the fuck, for real?!
Jobs is such a douchebag
Initiating self-loathing caused by purchase of their product....
Initiation complete. :suicide:
Restricting what people can run on their devices... limited ability to modify their computers... stealing ideas from their own fucking users.... apple. what the fuck. you used to be cool.
Nobody has sued them yet, why is this?
[QUOTE=Protection;30388987]Nobody has sued them yet, why is this?[/QUOTE]
These people for the apps probably didn't have copyrights on them.
[QUOTE=Protection;30388987]Nobody has sued them yet, why is this?[/QUOTE]
Most likely, the Apps were patented/copyrighted but not individual aspects of them. Those are entirely different things legally.
[img]http://i.imgur.com/KdC14.png[/img]
Why don't they just add a dedicated phone button to the next iPhone, seeing as everyone will just buy a new one to replace their old ones.
[QUOTE=Bryanrocks0;30388721]This reminds me of one time when my friend's iPod had broken while still under warranty. He had about a week left on it, so when he called up Apple customer support they basically gave him the runaround for a week and then told him they couldn't help because his warranty expired. I was like :geno:[/QUOTE]
That can't be legal. Your friend should've taken legal action.
They take apps like these down because they'll add them slowly in the next generations to continuosly generate money, it's a smart move but makes them dickheads for stealing someones app.
[editline]11th June 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=Novangel;30388773]Fuck Apple.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Squarebob;30388760]Fuck you, Apple.[/QUOTE]
:(
And this is why I jailbroke my iphone.
Apple does this all the time.
[QUOTE=mr apple;30389127]:([/QUOTE]
You can't escape from it :smile:
And why everyone else should too.
automerge breaker i hate you
I agree with OP, I like Apple's products a lot, but the way they act with stuff like this is what just brings more hatred towards them.
More people need to know about this, Apple shouldn't get away with this shit.
If only they could take legal action against apple..
Sue
That's quite nasty, but she should've gotten some kind of copyright on it before sending it to apple.
It's a general rule for sending your stuff to big companies.
[QUOTE=Angry Pineapple;30389301]If only they could take legal action against apple..[/QUOTE]
Apple is like McDonalds. You can't win against them
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