Are We Pushing Developers Too Far?
by Staff Writer
September 10, 2010
Do we demand too much of app developers? The "we" is a combination of consumers and Apple, and the expectations consumers have from what Apple does. It seems we are always asking more, but never wanting to give anything up to get the more.
First it was the iPad where Apple called to developers to redo their apps for the bigger display, and of course consumers demanded it as well. Creating the new iPad version has gone into two distinct sections of iPad unique apps, and universal apps. Of course we don't want to buy the whole app again, so developers you should just make it universal so we don't have to pay you anything more for the additional content.
Next Apple introduces the iPhone 4 with the brand new retina display, and again calls to developers to redo their apps to look gorgeous on the new display. Now we expect an app to have retina graphics, and of course as a free update to an app we already paid for. Apps are now reviewed lower without the retina graphics even for older apps.
Then this week the third new addition just in the past six months, Game Center. Now Apple tells developers to use our brand new social system for your games. All the work of putting in OpenFeint, Plus, Crystal, AGON, or creating your own servers, well just abandon that, and incorporate Game Center.
Of course we want all these things, and how could you possibly want to pay for new features that are the new standards. Is it just me or are we pushing developers too much, and when are they finally going to say enough is enough. Apple doesn't seem to appreciate developers simply by the way they treat them despite any idevice feeling practically useless without access to the App Store.
This stance by Apple no doubt impacts consumers, but consumers in their own right want the newest things. The main problem is that we want developers to give us more for nothing. There seems to be less and less incentive to do so on the part of developers.
To complicate matters, most apps range from $0.99 to $2.99, and yet we’re still calling for free upgrades, and balk at the sight of an in app purchase. This doesn't even include all their effort that goes to people who use cracked apps with no intention of ever paying for the developers work. The App Store is a tough place for developers, especially when you’re not in the glorious top selling spots.
When will developers push back, or will they continued to be pushed around by "us"?