[ale] [OT] Are iPhone apps $$$ why Android apps are free?

[Chris Fowler]

On Fri, 2011-06-10 at 10:45 -0400, Richard Bronosky wrote:
> The key reason for this is that you can't even install YOUR OWN app on
> YOUR OWN device without paying Apple for a developer account. That is
> wrong. I am diametrically opposed to Apple's policy on this. As a
> former Apple employee, I have reserved public criticism of the company
> until it became clear that this policy was not probational. This is
> not a practice Apple is doing as they introduce something new, with
> the intention of changing it later. They are steadfast in their
> position that people should not have the freedom to personalize their
> iOS devices without Apple's oversight. One of my fears is that MacOS
> will move in this direction. With the introduction of a Mac App Store
> and the new Lion OS being much more iOS like, I am really hoping that
> desktop Linux gets more suitable for daily use. I expect that in 3
> years (roughly 2 OS release cycles) the Apple desktop will come with
> the same enslavement as the iPad.
> 

I don't think the App Store for these small devices are all that bad.

I provided an example a couple years ago.  I bought a Windows phone off
eBay a few years ago.  My intention was to not use it as a phone but as
a PDA with apps.  I gave up and gave it to an employee.  I got
frustrated at trying to find applications for it.  There were no
"stores".  Most web sites that cataloged free or paid programs were
spammy.

I also got these messages:

"This app not designed to run on this processor"
"This app not designed for this screens size".
"This app not designed for this version of Windows CE"

First, it was hard finding an app I wanted.  Once found I had to verify
that it would run on my device.  Only to be disappointed that I could
not run it.

This is my only fear of the Android world.  The fear that it becomes so
fragmented with processors, screen size and resolution, and software all
over that finding stuff for it becomes a real chore.  Maybe my
fragmentation scares are unfounded.


Currently with Apple there is only two possible screen sizes.  They even
have examples. "You design a GUI for iPhone this way and for iPad this
way".  There is no need to do screen size detection.

I'm very interested in Android development since Linux is more of my
style so I hope to learn about how I can prevent these types of issues.

The one thing I don't like about Apple is how Jobs "deprecates" my
device to motivate me to purchase a new one.  I have an 8GB iTouch 2nd
Gen.  I can't run the latest iOS.  I can't do multi-tasking.  There are
some apps I can't download.   I know this is inevitable with any device
but I have to wonder if Apple does the prematurely.  They are constantly
putting out new product and the only way to motivate folks to buy it is
to obsolete the old.  

I would love to see an Android device like the iTouch.  All I see now is
either a phone or a pad.