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Amazed at the amount of crap on the App Store

Fuchal

Fuchal

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Sep 30, 2003
2,616
1,150
I was really looking forward to the App Store as Apple was only accepting developers who they thought could really make some really great apps. At least, thats what it sounded like.

Now that the App Store is launched, I have to say I am completely overwhelmed at the amount of crap that launched with the App Store. Many have completely useless purposes (see how long you can hold down a button app???), hideous custom UIs when Apple provided you with all the tools to make a great UI, or repeat apps that are all basically identical (how many tip calculators are necessary to launch an app store? apparently about 12.)

It seems like some developers just threw whatever they could come up with into the App Store before launch so they would have something in there for July 11th.

That's not to say there aren't some amazing apps up there - Dizzy Bee, FileMagnet, Midomi, Things, Trism, Urbanspoon - are some incredible apps and make me very happy to see.

I was honestly just completely surprised to see that what I thought would be a repertoire of fantastic stamp-of-Apple-approval applications is, in reality, a list of 50-75 great apps mixed with 450 filler apps that could definitely have used another month or two of work.
 
Couldn't agree more. Granted, there are some cool ones already, the vast amount of crap on the store is really pathetic. The FLASHLIGHT apps are just ridiculous...

Someone please make an MMS App! Widescreen keyboard texting and emailing and AIM please!
 
Did you really think it would be 500+ grade A apps?

If there are 5 I want next week when I update my phone to 2.0 I will be very very pleased.
 
Fuchal said:
I was really looking forward to the App Store as Apple was only accepting developers who they thought could really make some really great apps. At least, thats what it sounded like.

Now that the App Store is launched, I have to say I am completely overwhelmed at the amount of crap that launched with the App Store. Many have completely useless purposes (see how long you can hold down a button app???), hideous custom UIs when Apple provided you with all the tools to make a great UI, or repeat apps that are all basically identical (how many tip calculators are necessary to launch an app store? apparently about 12.)

It seems like some developers just threw whatever they could come up with into the App Store before launch so they would have something in there for July 11th.

That's not to say there aren't some amazing apps up there - Dizzy Bee, FileMagnet, Midomi, Things, Trism, Urbanspoon - are some incredible apps and make me very happy to see.

I was honestly just completely surprised to see that what I thought would be a repertoire of fantastic stamp-of-Apple-approval applications is, in reality, a list of 50-75 great apps mixed with 450 filler apps that could definitely have used another month or two of work.
Click to expand...

One man's crap is another man's treasure :p
 
Fuchal said:
I was really looking forward to the App Store as Apple was only accepting developers who they thought could really make some really great apps. At least, thats what it sounded like.

Now that the App Store is launched, I have to say I am completely overwhelmed at the amount of crap that launched with the App Store. Many have completely useless purposes (see how long you can hold down a button app???), hideous custom UIs when Apple provided you with all the tools to make a great UI, or repeat apps that are all basically identical (how many tip calculators are necessary to launch an app store? apparently about 12.)

It seems like some developers just threw whatever they could come up with into the App Store before launch so they would have something in there for July 11th.

That's not to say there aren't some amazing apps up there - Dizzy Bee, FileMagnet, Midomi, Things, Trism, Urbanspoon - are some incredible apps and make me very happy to see.

I was honestly just completely surprised to see that what I thought would be a repertoire of fantastic stamp-of-Apple-approval applications is, in reality, a list of 50-75 great apps mixed with 450 filler apps that could definitely have used another month or two of work.
Click to expand...

the underlined is your problem, where did you get the idea that apple wanted to approve these apps for excellence? The only thing apple checks is to make sure its not an illegal app, and that it meets the rules of the SDK.
 
JustinEvil said:
Couldn't agree more. Granted, there are some cool ones already, the vast amount of crap on the store is really pathetic. The FLASHLIGHT apps are just ridiculous...
Click to expand...
I downloaded the Light app (free) with a bit of cynicism but I've actually used it twice in two days. I'm almost embarrassed it can come in handy....
 
NT1440 said:
the underlined is your problem, where did you get the idea that apple wanted to approve these apps for excellence? The only thing apple checks is to make sure its not an illegal app, and that it meets the rules of the SDK.
Click to expand...

Because the SDK was closed to most developers; I'd assume Apple would have 'hand picked' quality developers – Of course I assumed wrong. The App Store is full ****, almost literally.
 
.Andy said:
I downloaded the Light app (free) with a bit of cynicism but I've actually used it twice in two days. I'm almost embarrassed it can come in handy....
Click to expand...

Haha I use my phone as a light all of the time and I used to hate having to keep pressing a button every few seconds to get it to come back on. I love the iPhone! Such a simple app, but so useful.
 
I agree. Lots of crap. I think Apple should have filtered it, but then again, who determines what is crap and not? I hope we can find new apps easily so when better ones come out, we'll see them.
 
ryanerb said:
I agree. Lots of crap. I think Apple should have filtered it, but then again, who determines what is crap and not? I hope we can find new apps easily so when better ones come out, we'll see them.
Click to expand...

Well, if it's crap it probably won't sell too well. And if it doesn't sell well maybe the publisher will remove it from the store :rolleyes:
 
dolbinau said:
Because the SDK was closed to most developers; I'd assume Apple would have 'hand picked' quality developers – Of course I assumed wrong. The App Store is full ****, almost literally.
Click to expand...

Exactly - so many developers I know of who were not accepted that have much higher release standards than most of what we see on the App Store now. If you're going to pick and choose, one would think you would choose the best.
 
Fuchal said:
Exactly - so many developers I know of who were not accepted that have much higher release standards than most of what we see on the App Store now. If you're going to pick and choose, one would think you would choose the best.
Click to expand...

I assume you know the criteria for acceptance. Please share :)
 
[Sarcasm]
Amazing how this 'crap' has been downloaded +10-mn times over one weekend alone.
[/Sarcasm]

While I agree that there are many applications with little marginal utility; for a start, the App Store is phenomenal and will only continue to get better with time. To be realistic, we're only talking about ~500 applications (of which ~25% are free) on a platform that has been live for one full-weekend -- in short, it needs time to develop and attract developers alike.

Also, keep in mind that there's a lot of 'crap' in the iTunes Movie/Music Stores, yet those have been fairly successful, even despite their paltry catalogue of items at launch.
 
Fuchal said:
Many have completely useless purposes (see how long you can hold down a button app???), .
Click to expand...

OK, I was playing with my second cousin from over the hills and I held it down for 18 minutes and 42 seconds. Then my screen cracked. Will AppleCare cover this?
 
Agree.
Most of these apps are useless.

For WM there are tens of thousands of apps and many that are outstanding.
To hear ppl talk about the improved calculators??? give me a break.

I am completely disappointed in the offerings with one exception that I've never seen in WM, the ICE/In Case of Emergency Apps. These are really great.
 
I must admit i'm a bit annoyed with the fact that apps are seperate by country. Some of the apps that are expected to be good, such as the offerings from Google are US only.

Another thing that pisses me off is the quantity of apps directly aimed for the US only on the UK store, all the weather apps for example are entirely useless in the UK and many of the location aware apps on the UK site are pretty much US only too.
 
ryanerb said:
I agree. Lots of crap. I think Apple should have filtered it, but then again, who determines what is crap and not? I hope we can find new apps easily so when better ones come out, we'll see them.
Click to expand...

Right, let me tell you there is far more crap on itunes in the form of bad music.
 
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