The AppAdvice Week In Review

Was this the week Apple lost it? It could be as App Store glitches and crazy iDevice rumors ruled during the week that was.

The Week The App Store's Innocence Died

We always knew we'd have fireworks this week, what with Independence Day on Wednesday. Unfortunately, we didn't know many of these fireworks would explode in the App Store. First, Apple's iOS store experienced its first Trojan horse, which came courtesy of the Russian-based Find and Call app. The worm in question uploaded a user's phonebook to a remote service, which was then used to send spam messages around the world.

Luckily, Apple soon removed the damaging app.

Of course, we had to ask: Why did Apple let the app get past their screening process in the first place. Then, a far more serious bug invaded the App Store. The so-called “mystery glitch” caused some apps that were downloaded to crash upon launch. Among these were popular titles such as Instapaper and GoodReader for iPad, among many others. In announcing that this glitch was no more, Apple stated:

We had a temporary issue that began yesterday with a server that generated DRM code for some apps being downloaded. The issue has been rectified and we don’t expect it to occur again.

What's With All These Crazy Rumors, Apple?

The iPad "mini" Meanwhile, we heard a number of Apple iDevice rumors this week -- some which are on the crazy side. First, the iPad "mini" rumor mill spun out of control with The Wall Street Journal confirming the smaller iDevice would be unveiled this fall. As Brent Dirks reported:

While the reports have pegged the new iPad’s screen to be somewhere between 7 and 8 inches, look for it to measure in at the exact 7.85 inches that my colleague A.T. Faust III speculated on earlier this year. The Wall Street Journal said that LG Display Co. and AU Optronics Co. will be supplying the smaller screen. With mass production in September, the new tablet could be launched right along with the new iPhone in October.

Meanwhile, I suggested that the July launch of Google's Nexus 7 tablet made the launch of an iPad "mini" a near certainty for Apple. The reason being is that Apple does not want to cede even a small piece of the overall tablet market to anyone else – especially not to Amazon, Google, or Microsoft. Check out A.T. Faust III's previous piece, which remains timely: Apple Has 163 Reasons To Release Fabled 'iPad mini.' The newer new iPad Finally, numerous reports suggested that Apple is prepping a new iPad that will launch later this fall. This new tablet, which may or may not be considered the fourth-generation iPad, could include a better camera, better performing battery, an enlarged camera lens, IGZO display, thinner case, and a new backlight. On this news, current new iPad owners were less than thrilled. As reader Resreq stated:

I know that if they did this, then I will be sure to never buy another apple product again. Simple as that.

Bardowl opined:

Apple may be between a rock and a hard place. If Apple switches to a smaller connector for the iPhone, but does not refresh the iPad as well, then the iPad 3 will immediately become an odd stepchild product.

Recommended Reading

• Led By iPad, Tablets To Outsell Laptops By 2017 by A.T. Faust III looks at how the laptop's glory days are almost over.
• Former Apple Employee Gives A Tiny Look Into App Store Review Process by Brent Dirks examines the increasingly different app review process.
• Apple-Snubbed Google Street View Comes To Navigon 2.1 by Aldrin Calimlim shows us that Google's Street View is still available on iOS.

Finally,

Apple's awkward week wouldn't be complete without a look at the latest exploding iPhone, which many of our readers quickly suggested was a fake. You decide: The AppAdvice Week In Review is published each week.

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