Does the app store say anything for the demographic of the iphone?

[Evev12]

Browsing through the app store yesterday, I realized that 70% of the apps in the app store aren't even really "apps" at all, they're little gimmics. With all of the thousands and thousands of apps that were submitted and declined, you'd think we'd have some programs with more substance! Don't get me wrong, with the exception of Shazam, Teleprt (or Mocha), Pandora, Labrynth and the other select few, what else do we have? We have an app that makes your phone Moo! We're also lucky enough to have an app that turns your phone into "wood" so you can knock on it - thank god for that one, I just walked under a ladder earlier today, THAT could have been disasterous. We also have an amazing "self esteem" aid! That's what I want to do, look at a phone that tells me how "Awesome" I am, after that I can open up my lighter app and waive it in the air to show everyone that I have a wind proof lighter and have real people tell me I'm really awesome. At least I'd find it the slightest bit comical there was a simulation of Steve's Jobs' hand opening and closing, trying to steal my wallet while repeatedly saying "give me your money!". Actually no, I got a good one, an app that repeats everything you say - you know, like a possessed parrot that you constantly think's mocking you, we'll call it iMock!

Common though, seriously, all jokes and technical jurgen aside, these aren't apps, I'm sorry! And they're flooding the app store. I have to imagine that Apple has a nice selection to choose from when picking and choosing the ones to release, why these? Is Apple catering to their core demographic? If that's the case, I'd say it's 12-18 years of age. In their defense though, and I don't know if it's true or not, but I did hear something about programmers developing apps based on the future firmware; 2.1, and there's some sort of backward compatibility issue, where they can't even get the apps to run on the current version. If someone could clarify, that would be great. I also realize that the phone's still only 3 weeks new so we still have plenty of time. I just think a lot of what's out there for download now is completely and UTTERly ridiculous! Each time I leave the app store I feel like a few brain cells committed suicide. Moo!

 

[megatronbomb]

Waiting on apps that have been submitted for approval, only to see more sudoku, drunk calculators, and tip calculators pop up is frustrating. Obviously this is totally subjective, but this is starting to sour the app store for me.

 

[Jeremy1026]

I have to imagine that Apple has a nice selection to choose from when picking and choosing the ones to release, why these?

That's your problem right there, your view is distorted. Apple isn't "choosing" which apps to release at all. Apple is releasing every app that conforms to three things.

1. Conforms the the EULA of the SDK.
2. Doesn't contain malicious code.
3. Does what it claims it does.

If an app doesn't meet any of these three requirements they will not be placed in the app store. If they do meet all three, they will be added. They do not say, "Haha, a cow mooing, that HAS to be in." Just like they don't say, "No one would really want to use an SSH client, so we won't accept that."

The reason you see so many more "gimmic" apps is because they are easier to make. To link a sound file to a touch is much easier then creating a word processor. The majority independent developers looking to make a quick buck don't care if their apps aren't useful or well done, they just care if they can get a sale. My apps both have many hours (probably 100 hours between them) of development time put into them, so that I know I am creating quality applications.

You need to redirect your anger from Apple, to the developers who are creating these apps if you disagree with them. You will need to get the developers to make more useful stuff, because Apple is doing their best to stay unbiased as possible.

 

[lindsayanng]

you should spend more time inthe productivity and ultities section.. There are a bunch of good ones there. Pageonce is really awesome for keeping you up todate on ANY account changes, tracking packages, bill reminders - everything.. and then there are the wallet/password apps which is pretty handy.. Ihave a really AWESOME and robust animation app (which is more for fun that anything but it doesnt just MOO)

I do agree though, those apps are just ANNOYING and stupid. but they meet the standards and should be put through because of that. I think the better apps as just stuck in limbo because they take longer to test and make sure everything meets the requirements, AND they take longer to produce. If it is a new company who is making an app from scratch (and not from an existing PDA) then they have a LOT to do.. I know that there are DEFINITELY a bunch of apps that are waiting for PUSH to be available, and some that are just still tweeking to make sure that when they DO put it out, it will work (which has been lacking too)

So yea, theres a TON of crap, but lots of little kids have iphones now, so i am SURE Peopel are downloading the Mooo app.. but there are also people like me who use it for work as well, and there ARE some good apps out there.

 

[dejo]

With all of the thousands and thousands of apps that were submitted and declined...

Really?

 

[Dimwhit]

First, I'd say there are many, many more quality apps than you give credit for. Just because you think something is worthless or a gimick, doesn't mean someone else doesn't really enjoy it.

Second, I'm glad they are all up there. I don't want Apple deciding what is and what isn't a 'good enough' app for the app store. As long as the store remains easy to search and browse, I'd rather be the one to filter the crap, not Apple. It guarantees more selection for all of us.

 

[Evev12]

you should spend more time inthe productivity and ultities section.. There are a bunch of good ones there. Pageonce is really awesome for keeping you up todate on ANY account changes, tracking packages, bill reminders - everything.. and then there are the wallet/password apps which is pretty handy.. Ihave a really AWESOME and robust animation app (which is more for fun that anything but it doesnt just MOO)

I do agree though, those apps are just ANNOYING and stupid. but they meet the standards and should be put through because of that. I think the better apps as just stuck in limbo because they take longer to test and make sure everything meets the requirements, AND they take longer to produce. If it is a new company who is making an app from scratch (and not from an existing PDA) then they have a LOT to do.. I know that there are DEFINITELY a bunch of apps that are waiting for PUSH to be available, and some that are just still tweeking to make sure that when they DO put it out, it will work (which has been lacking too)

So yea, theres a TON of crap, but lots of little kids have iphones now, so i am SURE Peopel are downloading the Mooo app.. but there are also people like me who use it for work as well, and there ARE some good apps out there.

You hit the nail on the head - the utilities and productivity sections are really the only ones I check (with the occasional reference and entertainment section when I become hopeful of a mobile TV app). And yes, there are SOME useful apps and there are also some apps that just amaze me (like Shazam...I still can't believe the brain on that little thing). It's just that the bulk of them are absolute garbage. If the problem is that Apple's not filtering the apps at all, as much as I'd like to filter them myself, I think it's about time they put a stupidity cap on the scarily pointless apps. It's just that we're all now having to scroll through 70 peices of junk to find something usable. Either that or start creating subsections within the categories, if for nothing else, for the sake if saving my brain cells. And to the other poster....you REALLY can't tell me that anyone likes to play the Hold On game, you know, the one where you hold the red button for as long as you can and try and get the highest score (thus oficially becomming the most useless, time wasting person who owns an iphone) yeah that one....they SHOULD rename it Darwin.

 

[iLeoMarc]

To OP,
You should really just wait it out. Considering that this is a new platform, you will get those applications that fills functions which may or may-not seem useful. Over time I would think that more complex and useful apps come out of the App Store. Especially once all those easy ideas get taken up, the only way to reach the customer would be to create something useful and hard to develop. Overall I think that iPhone Apps got a good start and I'm hoping for even more in the near future.