11/20, 4:20pm
Coders must be careful to avoid tripping flags
A new automatic screening technique Apple is using for the App Store appears to be backfiring, claims developer Rogue Sheep. The screening is believed to be aimed at catching unauthorized APIs, blocked under Apple's submission rules. A number of the apps trapped so far are allegedly ones using Three20, an Objective-C library. Rogue Sheep's Postage has in the past relied on some Three20 code, and so private API calls were removed from the software before submitting a recent update.
more
11/17, 11:30pm
MS' Ozzie claims mobile apps secondary
Mobile apps aren't an important factor in the success of a smartphone platform, Microsoft chief software architect Ray Ozzie claimed today. Interviewed at the company's Professional Developer Conference, the veteran developer tried to downplay apps as a lure and insisted that "all the apps that count" will be available on every smartphone as the time to write and port code is much shorter than on the desktop. Ozzie instead implied that it was the OS itself and its built-in features that would make the difference.
more
11/17, 5:00pm
Piracy, device limitations hamper potential
The App Store is doing fairly well in China, in spite of obstacles to its adoption, says the Wall Street Journal. Over $1 million in sales are said to have been made so far, a significant amount given the short space of time in which the store has been open. Some popular apps include the instant messaging title QQ, and the real-time strategy game Command & Conquer: Red Alert.
more
11/16, 6:45pm
Apps rejected for using private APIs
Apple has allegedly expanded its iPhone app review process to include computerized filtering of submissions, according to Daring Fireball blogger John Gruber. The new "static analysis tools" are designed to catch developers trying to use Apple's private APIs, which the iPhone SDK terms explicitly prohibits.
more
11/13, 3:40pm
Store is 'broken,' says company
Software developer Rogue Amoeba has claimed plans to quit iPhone development, citing what it calls the "broken" nature of the App Store approval process. In July the company submitted a bugfix for Airfoil Speakers Touch (AST), an app streaming audio from computers running the Airfoil desktop client. Amoeba complains that the corrected version has only just become available, as a result of three rejections which ultimate forced it to remove existing functionality.
more
11/11, 5:55pm
Change comes after slew of complaints
Apple has unveiled a new system for disclosing the status of App Store submissions, according to Wired. The company's Dev Center website features a chart showing specific dates and times as the app waits for review, reaches the review process, and finally enters the App Store for general availability.
more
11/06, 3:50pm
Highlights discrepancy in standards
A Spanish translation of Mein Kampf has been launched at the App Store, observers note. Written in the 1920s by Adolf Hitler, the book is both an autobiography and a charter of the fascist, anti-Semitic policies that would come to guide the Third Reich. No other version of the book is available as a standalone app, and its icon is the Nazi Party emblem, complete with swastika.
more
11/06, 1:50pm
App torn apart by one reviewer, OK'd by another
Apple has been criticized once again for its App Store review policies, as Macworld.com complains of frustrating inconsistencies between different members of the review team. The company has worked to publish its first book, the "iPhone & iPod touch Superguide," as both a PDF version and an app available on Apple's portable devices.
more
11/02, 6:55pm
iPhone to be formidable opponent to the Kindle?
While the iPhone platform has proven attractive to game developers, e-books have begun to dominate the latest apps, according to data collected by Flurry. From August 2008 to August 2009, most of the new apps were released into the Games category. Starting in September, however, the Books category took the lead for the first time in the App Store's history.
more
10/29, 7:55pm
Compatibility extended to iTunes 9.0.2
Apple on Thursday released an update to its Remote app for the iPhone and iPod touch. Version 1.3.2 adds support for the Apple TV v3.0 firmware and corresponding iTunes 9.0.2 updates also announced on Thursday. Along with the Apple TV compatibility, the Remote download also offers several bug fixes.
more
10/27, 5:35pm
Songs can be streamed forever for 10 cents each
Lala is readying an iPhone app that will serve as a portal for the company's music services, according to the Associated Press. The app will allow users to purchase the right to stream songs for $0.10 each, which pays for an unlimited number of plays. The sound quality, however, is lower than standard iTunes MP3s.
more
10/21, 1:10pm
Figure goes unmentioned in Apple Q4 results
Apple has almost reached another important psychological milestone when it comes to the App Store, a tracking website claims. The store is said to be nearing over 100,000 active titles, scattered across a number of different categories. During its fourth-quarter results call, Apple cited only a figure of more than 85,000 apps; the current tally is already over 91,000, but Apple may be holding back in order to make a more dramatic announcement.
more
10/20, 5:30pm
Win Mobile team jokes about App Store
The Windows Mobile development team today indirectly criticized Apple with a video (available below) promoting Windows Marketplace for Mobile. The spoof makes fun of Apple's tendency to reject certain iPhone apps and allow novelties, and instead portrays imaginary apps that Microsoft would have rejected, such as ones that would provide a fake mustache or that regularly shock the owner. Apple isn't mentioned directly in the roughly two-minute spot.
more
10/13, 12:50pm
Policy allows broken apps to survive
Apple is facing new media criticism over the absence of a comprehensive App Store refund policy, most prominently from the New York Times. One writer notes that while people can get refunds if a download is delayed, or not properly executed, it is impossible to get money back based purely on quality complaints. The issue can become serious when dealing with more expensive iPhone apps, such as navigation software. It may also impact people buying less expensive titles which do not work, in spite of Apple's quality assurance.
more
10/08, 10:40am
Preventing maximum app exposure
Developer Cramzy claims that although its Celebrity Birthday Match app was approved for the App Store on October 4th, it never appeared in the list of recently-released apps. The program was more importantly submitted on September 24th, which is said to be around the same time a number of developers were reporting difficulty with iTunes Connect. Due to Connect being used for everything from app delivery to software management, developers experienced severe problems when submitting new apps or updates.
more
10/07, 10:55am
Initial success stories overhyped
Despite initial impressions given by Apple and the media, success stories at the App Store are actually rare, a new report suggests. Apple has enjoyed pointing to Trism developer Steve Demeter as an example of App Store profits, as well as a new egalitarian footing for independent developers. Demeter managed to accumulate $250,000 in two months through his iPhone app; while some observers believed he would be able to retire on future iPhone profits, Demeter now admits that he is only living a wealthy lifestyle because he invested in Palm stock, which jumped in value from $1.76 to $12.
more
10/05, 11:45pm
App promotes health care reform in US
Apple has reversed course and approved iSinglePayer, an iPhone app advocating health care reform in the US. The app had initially been rejected for being "politically charged," as it contains charts and information regarding single-payer health care systems. Users can even find the nearest congressperson and view campaign donations provided by companies in the health sector.
more
10/05, 11:25pm
Palm spurs open-source apps, web downloads
Palm at a special event tonight staked out its differences with Apple by making key changes to its developer program. The smartphone developer is one of the first after Google to foster open development and said it will dismiss its usual $99 app submission fee for any developer whose webOS apps are open-source. Back end data on app downloads and other sales info will also be available to all developers on request.
more
09/28, 9:20am
iPhone app downloads reach 2b
Apple this morning said that App Store downloads had reached the two billion mark. The news follows just 158 days after the company said it had reached one billion downloads and now has over 85,000 apps with over 125,000 registered developers. It proves that the rate of downloads "continues to accelerate," according to Apple chief Steve Jobs.
more
09/24, 4:55pm
May represent attempt to clear backlog
An unusually large number of iPhone apps were approved on the weekend of September 18th, one website observes. AppShopper remarks that in monitoring trends at the App Store, it noticed 1,394 titles premiering on the 18th alone, followed by another 928 on the 19th. By the 20th figures had dropped to a relatively normal level, just 298 apps.
more
09/24, 12:00pm
Service essential to submitting iPhone apps
Developers are experiencing severe problems using iTunes Connect, scattered reports say. The service is the conduit through which apps are submitted to the App Store, and during this week it has allegedly been stalling during uploads. The problem is said to be independent of browser or operating system choices, and to typically involve hangs midway through an upload, though some developers complain they cannot even begin the process.
more
09/22, 12:50pm
Number of apps per ad climbing
Apple has begun airing three new iPhone TV ads, once again highlighting apps available at the App Store. The first, Dine, targets eating and travel, and references apps such as TripCase, Zagat to Go and Quickoffice. Nature despite its name is actually based around learning, and hence shows off titles such as DailyFinance, GuitarToolkit and iBird Explorer Plus.
more
09/18, 4:35pm
Insists app has not been rejected
Apple has already issued a response to today's release of an uncensored Google submission to the FCC, according to Silicon Alley Insider. "We do not agree with all of the statements made by Google in their FCC letter," reads a statement from an Apple representative. Reiterating an earlier point of view, the representative adds that "Apple has not rejected the Google Voice application and we continue to discuss it with Google."
more
09/18, 10:15am
Sony PSP Minis hobbled
Sony is purposely limiting PSP minis in a way that could hobble them compared to their rivals on the iPhone, the company revealed in a Game Developers Conference presentation on Thursday. The small games will have a sped-up approval process compared to regular PSP games but are banned from using any networking features and can't have downloadable content. They also won't be allowed to support third-party peripherals, according to the company.
more
09/17, 3:55pm
Case raises fairness issues
Apple is giving special support treatment to at least one iPhone developer, according to the latter party. CEO Mike Simon of LogMeIn has revealed that he now has a private phone number he can call regarding Ignition, the company's remote access app. The software has an unusually high price of $30, and is said to have generated at least $1 million for LogMeIn since its December introduction.
more
09/16, 11:25am
Win Mobile Marketplace can remote delete
The upcoming Windows Marketplace for Mobile will let Microsoft remotely delete apps from Windows Mobile phones without the user's consent, the company said in a presentation as part of its Tech·Ed New Zealand conference. In the event an app is approved but later pulled, Microsoft will automatically wipe the app from every phone that had previously downloaded the app. It's not clear if Microsoft will also automatically refund paid downloads.
more
09/15, 9:45am
Jump linked exclusively to iPhone
Needham & Co. is raising its price target for Apple stock from $200 to $235, says one of the research firm's analysts, Charlie Wolf. The bump is based entirely on the performance of the iPhone, Wolf notes, and in particular the effects of the App Store. The store is said to have had "explosive" growth since January, and it is thought that a "virtuous circle" involving app developers and smartphone buyers could soon push iPhone sales higher.
more
09/10, 12:35pm
iPhone users download more apps
iPhone owners are much more likely to download apps and get involved with social networking than their BlackBerry-owning counterparts, Compete revealed today in a new study. About 72 percent of Apple smartphone users are likely to have downloaded at least 10 third-party apps, but 73 percent of BlackBerry users have picked up five apps or less. The researchers add that iPhone owners are more willing to buy their apps than BlackBerry owners.
more
09/10, 9:45am
Helped by iTunes 9, App Store figures
Apple's 2009 iPod update event was generally a positive, says Needham & Co. analyst Charlie Wolf. It did for instance mark Steve Jobs' first public appearance after his six-month medical leave, during which he had a liver transplant. Jobs also announced several important statistics, such as the existence of over 75,000 iPhone apps, and over 1.8 billion app downloads. The last official figures included 65,000 apps and 1.5 billion downloads.
more
09/09, 4:50pm
ESPN and Madden apps ship for iPhone, iPod touch
Several new football-themed apps have been added to the app store, ESPN Fantasy Football and Madden NFL 10. The Fantasy Football title allows players to control and manage their ESPN teams and leagues directly from the mobile device. Users can access live scores and stats, configure personalized alerts, or post on a league message board.
more
09/09, 1:50pm
Apple intros firmware v3.1 for iPhone, iPod touch
Along with several new iPod introductions, Apple on Wednesday also announced a firmware update, v3.1, for the iPhone and iPod touch. The latest firmware brings the company's Genius technology to App Store content. The new functionality works in a similar way to the music feature, allowing users to view app suggestions based on their list of downloads and popular content from other users.
more
09/08, 5:40pm
Sony attacks iPhone game development
Apple's approach to the App Store is ultimately hurting game development on its platform, Sony Europe developer relations head Zeno Colaco claimed this week. In comparing the process behind iPhone and iPod touch games to the recently introduced concept of PSP Minis, the executive argued to Develop that letting App Store game creators have a low-cost development kit actually hurts their chances of success as it encourages too much development. While their games go online quickly, they reportedly get lost in the sheer volume of titles where the smaller PSP catalog will provide better exposure.
more
09/04, 4:35pm
Streamlines game development
GameSalad has announced it will soon launch an iPhone publishing system for titles produced with its game creation utility. The tool is free, and meant for non-programmers, as it is capable of implementing AI and other gameplay components using drag-and-drop construction. The software features project, scene and actor editors, and can uproot asset formats like Ogg Vorbis, PNG and JPG.
more
09/03, 12:50pm
Publisher expects dozens of new titles in 2009
Entertainment publisher Gameloft has announced sales surpassing the 6 million mark for titles sold at the App Store. The iPhone OS is said to be the company’s leading sales platform, with over 35 games, 18 of which have made the worldwide Top 10 Paid Games list at some point in time. A few of the top-selling titles from Gameloft in 2009 include Terminator Salvation, UNO, Real Tennis 2009 and NFL 2010. The publisher plans to launch an additional 15 to 30 iPhone games throughout the year.
more
09/02, 12:05pm
Chat bubble app rejection
A recent update for an iPhone game has been rejected for purely cosmetic reasons, according to the title's developer. Joe Stump observes that although he was merely submitting bug corrections for Chess Wars, he was called on Tuesday by an Apple representative, who said that after a six-week wait his update was being rejected for having "shiny" chat bubbles. That look is trademarked by Apple, the representative is said to have claimed.
more
09/01, 6:05pm
Mr. Driller, Handy Convert
FotoMuse ($3) is a photo editing utility which can be used to add different effects to images. Photos can be imported from a users library and then modified. The application includes tools for adjusting contrast, layering images, adding borders, and more. Finished images are saved in the full resolution of the original image.
more
08/31, 7:55pm
Android App Sales Low
A look at one Android app's performance today suggests Google may be unintentionally stifling its smartphone OS. While a recent AdMob study estimates Android Market's paid app market is only worth $5 million, Larva Labs' Matt Hall notes that even high-profile, highly rated Android titles generate "much lower" revenue than iPhone equivalents. Despite having one sustained top-selling $5 game (Retro Defense), a consistent fifth place seller (Battle for Mars) and being highlighted by Google, the company's daily average revenue was just $62.39 for all its apps combined.
more
08/31, 2:40pm
Shadow Camera, Parking
Seedonk (free) can be used to wirelessly monitor a video feed from a webcam. The software can be used to turn most Windows webcams into remote monitoring devices. Users can view and control the camera, manage multiple settings, and share the feed with other people. Seedonk also can be used to control the pan and tilt functionality of the Mister Robot-o and Logitech QuickCam Orbit AF webcams.
more
08/28, 5:30pm
iGift4u, Aqua Globs
Wisen Up (free) contains a database of different personality quizzes, ancient cures, body language, medical quotes, tell me why, myths, weird and incurable diseases, body facts, types of doctors, phobias and first aid mistakes. The application also includes a n interactive category where users can test their ability to identify different sicknesses.
more
08/27, 5:50pm
FaceMixer, Pro Football
Flick Fishing ($1) is a fishing game for the iPhone and iPod touch in which players flick their wrist to cast a fishing line and reel it in. The game features seven different locations in which to fish, from streams to oceans, and 14 tournaments for competition. Also includes is a multiplayer game, Fish Jack, where players try to catch fish up to a given target weight without exceeding it. A recent update has added two new fish, iPod integration, and integration with Plus+'s set of social and competitive achievements.
more
08/27, 1:05pm
AdMob July 2009
Although just over a year old, Apple's market for third-party apps is 40 times larger than that for Android, researchers at AdMob found today. Based on the percentages of the 26.4 million iPhone owners and 18.6 million iPod touch owners who have paid for apps, as well as the $9.49 average spent per person each month, the online ad firm estimates that Apple should generate about $198 million in August and almost $2.4 billion if that rate was constant for a full year.
more
08/26, 6:40pm
iFeltThat, Meteorology
NotifyMe 1.3 ($4) allows users to create personal reminders, notifications and alerts that take advantage of some of the new features in iPhone 3.0. After launching the application users are presented with a keyboard for entering the reminder and scroll wheels for setting the time for the reminder to display. Push notification is then used to send the user a message and/or sound alert. A recent update has added web access support, a new snooze option, the ability to import birthdays from iPhone contacts, and a few small graphic tweaks.
more
08/24, 6:15pm
iSing, PhotoFame
pzizz relax ($3) is a relaxation tool that builds a musical playlist based on a definable amount of time. The software uses a structured random algorithm that can create a different soundtrack every time it is used. The algorithm pulls from different inspiring quotes, sound effects, music, and binaural beats to create each soundtrack.
more
08/24, 6:00pm
Nokia on N97 vs iPhone
Nokia chief Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo was put on the defensive late yesterday in an interview regarding the poor performance of the N97 versus Apple's iPhone. When asked by the FT about the critical reaction to his own smartphone, which has been criticized for being too expensive, too slow and lacking a modern touch interface, the executive claimed the N97 was still viable but admitted he wanted to do better, particularly highlighting the increasing emphasis on Ovi services like the music store and navigation.
more
08/24, 7:25am
Real Rhapsody for iPhone
Real this morning branched out to Apple devices in earnest by revealing a port of its Rhapsody service to the iPhone and iPod touch. Normally only offered through rival players like those from SanDisk, the service gives subscribers access to the full song catalog and lets them queue up any of the 8 million songs from Rhapsody on request. It also provides access to playlists, Rhapsody Radio and every other service normally available through the full-function website, Real claims.
more
08/21, 6:25pm
Apple Denies GV Rejection
Apple on Friday took an unusual approach in its official response to the FCC's inquiries over the rejection of Google Voice for the App Store and denied that it had rejected the app at all. The company instead claims that it "continues to study" the software and now says its primary issues are with the integration of the app, which Apple insists duplicate too many iPhone features.
more
08/20, 5:55pm
Balcassa, Star6
iDonutGP ($1) is a puzzle game where the players goal is to create groups of donuts. Donuts will disappear when they are grouped together horizontally or vertically in pairs or trios. iDonutGP includes 45 different challenges that have been broken down into three different difficulties. Players can also compare their best scores on a global score board and compete in three different online challenges.
more
08/20, 5:30pm
MS Avoiding 99 Cent Apps
Microsoft at its first WinMoDevCamp in Seattle made clear it wants a different philosophy towards mobile app pricing than Apple. The Windows Mobile developer's Loke Uei urged those third parties writing apps for the soon-to-launch Windows Marketplace for Mobile to charge significantly more than 99 cents per download when possible and noted that Microsoft would look at revenue, not popularity, to gauge the winner of a developer contest. Letting prices slip to the 99-cent mark devalues apps that are "worth more than that," Uei said, adding a belief that a developer could sell half as many apps but, at $10 per copy, make much more money.
more
08/20, 3:05pm
Apple pulls DS app
Nintendo on Thursday acknowledged its role in the removal of a DS simulator app, DS DoubleSys, from the App Store. The app was not licensed or approved by Nintendo, although it simulates the DS interface with similar sounds and menus. Nintendo spokesman Charlie Scibetta told CNET News the company notified Apple that the app was violating intellectual property rights.
more
08/20, 11:55am
C64 Emulator for iPhone
Apple could be reconsidering allowing the C64 Emulator app onto the App Store, following its rejection in June. The developer, Manomio, recently claimed in a tweet that it was contacted by a senior director at Apple and there is "BIG news coming," although further details have not yet been announced.
more
