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| The Rise (And Fall?) of Application Stores |
| By special contributor Kostis Kapelonis on 2011-05-14 15:43:16 |
| Application stores are growing everywhere like mushrooms. While users have initially embraced application stores because of the ease they offer with application installation, developers have several complaints. Division of profits from paid application and ineffectiveness of the screening process are among the major issues. Are application stores the best distribution channel possible? Can they satisfy both developers and users? |
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| App stores vs distros |
| By WorknMan on 2011-05-14 16:54:18 |
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> Users will be able to install illegally applications outside the application store with the same ease (i.e without any technical know-how, think Aunt Tillie) with no external help for the "jailbreaking" process. Users can already do this now with Android. You simply tick an option in settings and you can side-load the APK files. Of course, some apps still require root access for installation, but even most of those are available in the Android marketplace, so that's not exactly the same thing. > Installing applications outside of the application store will be completely legal and most users will have a mixture of applications (official and non-official). As stated before, you can already do this on Android. You have to jailbreak to do this on iOS, but it is no longer illegal to do so in the US (thanks to the Library of Congress). > Basically users will select application stores as Linux users choose deb/rpm repositories (ability to use other ones apart from the "official" one). You can already choose between multiple app stores on Android and iOS (though iOS still requires jailbreaking). On Android, there's the Amazon app store and on iOS, there's is Cydia (and probably a few more I don't know about). As for the Linux distro repositories, they are not without their problems either. For example, if Android worked like most Linux distros do, each individual phone would have its own app store, and when a new app/version of an old app was released, you'd have volunteers for each phone to package up that app and make it available on the phone's app store. If you are an end user of the phone, you may find that the app you want is not on your app store, or is several versions behind what's current, so you've either got to try and figure out how to side-load it, or you just have to beg and plead to the distro gods to update your app.. On the other hand, I haven't messed with the whole Linux distro thing in years, so maybe it has gotten better over time than how I remember it. *shrug* My point is that each of these two models has its pros and cons, and maybe we can find the right balance over time. One last thing to note is how the author talks about apps being removed from these app stores, but I have a hard time believing that if some big company was threatening a lawsuit because of some app that was on a Linux distro was infringing on their copyright (or whatever), those overseeing the repository wouldn't take it down in a heartbeat. Edited 2011-05-14 16:56 UTC |
 - Score: 5 |
| repos and appstores are different in one major imo |
| By patrix on 2011-05-14 17:24:27 |
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Repository: - the OS/packaging group assembles the apps, compiles them, tests them, etc, and distributes them App Store: - the app developers submit their own apps to the app store #1 is good for consistency (most of the times), while #2 is good for availability (users don't have to wait/hope/pray for the OS/repo people to package an app they want but isn't available). |
| - Score: 3 |
| … as expected from a true software engineer |
| By v.alexeev on 2011-05-14 17:26:44 |
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Platform owners could not care less for outraged software engineers as longs as 20% of the apps brought in by major names bring in 80% profit. On the cut — do the math, you're an engineer. Imagine you take the same cut off your app's selling price and do the shop and marketing on your own. Good luck with business development budget of 2% out of $0.99! Do not forget why you are creating the app. It is not to show off, right? It is to serve a certain purpose for the end user, I assume. Do not forget you aren't the only brilliant mind who can think of that particular app's idea. You really are not. Awesome app ideas and code hackers are dime a dozen now, look at all the app conferences. Do not forget that in 99.(9)% of cases end users do not remember the name of the company or individual writing the app. Do not forget that end users rarely, if ever, will give a praise to the author. But they will take every chance they have to vent their frustration with bad service. When was the last time you've sent a "thank you" letter to police chief for fantastic traffic cops' service? When did you rant last time over a beer when you got the ticket for speeding? You will dictate the new app world order when you invent another platform that instantly catches 50M — 100M — 150M end users. Get over it. You weren't at the top of the hill when it happened. You may, next time. Edited 2011-05-14 17:27 UTC |
| - Score: 6 |
| App Store are one form of DRM |
| By dvhh on 2011-05-14 18:02:01 |
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Although less obtrusive, they are one form of controlling the installation on one device by one user. They mostly include every attribute of a DRM: - deeply entrenched in the host system - link a user to a licence (you buy a licence to use the app not the app itself) And because they appear as transparent DRM, user accept them easily. However if the appstore retire from the market (that will eventually happen one day or another, because the onwer went down or the device is considered obsolete to run its evolution), the device user is on its own. |
| - Score: 3 |
| "0install: the antidote to app-stores" |
| By Tom5 on 2011-05-14 18:27:37 |
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Interesting. 0install recently switched to the tag-line "the antidote to app-stores": http://0install.net Still trying to work out whether users still see "app store" in a positive light or not. Edited 2011-05-14 18:27 UTC |
| - Score: 2 |
| Limitations are what make the platform |
| By RichterKuato on 2011-05-14 19:09:27 |
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I don't think most users have problems with App Stores. Just like most gamers don't have a problem with developers having to get licenses from console manufacturers. The problem is mostly from the developer's side. |
| - Score: 2 |
| RE: repos and appstores are different in one major imo |
| By Vanders on 2011-05-14 20:28:37 |
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> Repository: - the OS/packaging group assembles the apps, compiles them, tests them, etc, and distributes them For your distribution upstream repository, sure. There are lots of non-distribution repositories, though, and users can easily add those third party repositories. It's easy to build your own repository, too. |
| - Score: 3 |
| RE: Limitations are what make the platform |
| By Alfman on 2011-05-14 20:55:50 |
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RichterKuato, "I don't think most users have problems with App Stores." First, I agree with you that (monopolistic) app stores are certainly irritating to developers, particularly when they force users into a single store via DRM. As for users, it can also be an irritation when other party dictates what you can and can't do with your own device. Using apple as an example: it is one think to accept apple's terms for oneself, it is another to buy the line that apple's walled garden is in user's interests. There is no denying that apple is using DRM to eliminate competition and functionality. Why can't we install our own apps? Why shouldn't we have java? Why shouldn't users be allowed to use open source apps? Why can't we run emulators? The answer, which is plain to anyone not under the RDF, is that apple is afraid that its customers would embrace other sources if they weren't blocked via DRM. The jailbroken iphones, in spite of apple's disapproval, are evidence that demand does exist for software outside of apple's grasp. Edited 2011-05-14 20:58 UTC |
| - Score: 2 |
| App stores... |
| By bert64 on 2011-05-14 22:09:33 |
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> Finally another problem that gets serious over time is the amount of available applications. All the top spots are taken. Even if you have a great application, your marketing options on the application store are fairly limited. Well established applications will keep on selling even though better alternatives might exist. This happens already, even without app stores... People already look for the popular apps and don't even consider looking for anything else. At least with a well designed app store model, the system could recommend similar apps. So you search for the popular one, see it costs $50 but there are some similar apps for $5 or free with decent reviews... The interesting part about the app store, is that it proves at least one of the "linux is not ready" arguments wrong. Search for any such argument written more than a couple of years ago, and one of the points given against linux will invariably be that users cannot buy boxed software in physical stores for linux. I have long held that the linux repository model is far superior, and that users would love it if only it was promoted properly... Now Apple have come along with a slightly cut down version of that model, promoted it heavily and it's been a huge success. Now think what *could* have been if the early linux netbooks had come with better linux distros, linked to decent software repositories and sufficient marketing to show people the benefits of them. |
| - Score: 2 |
| RE: repos and appstores are different in one major imo |
| By emilsedgh on 2011-05-14 22:32:15 |
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In FOSS repository model, app developers could also 'become' a part of upstream. Many software developers, also maintain packages of their own software on their distro of choice. |
| - Score: 2 |
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