I come from the old-school Palm and Windows Mobile world, and let me just say how much nicer it is to have a one-stop, reliable shop for device software. Even though I could install any darn thing I wanted, it was a loosing battle for me. I had to worry about PC viruses, the app breaking my device, and a host of other problems. I had to hunt down certain things I wanted on the palm, and hope that Google took me to a good site, then navigate each site’s individual and sometimes confusing UI. Download, unzip, install, and hope the software is what it says it is. With the app store, I can search for the functionality I want on my device, download a free version of what comes up, and decide if I like it or not. I can even look at any one of several review apps available for the iPhone, if I want to spend money on something. After all is said and done, I’d have spent a few hours on palm/wm per app I end up using, when I spend a few minutes on the iPhone per kept app. Apple controls the software that goes into the App Store to keep it good (letting the fart apps into the store was, in my opinion, a mistake), so why not let them.

Despite the quality of the store and/or experience, though, what it boils down to is this- if you don’t like it, don’t buy the iPhone or it’s apps. Many people like the platform despite it’s shortcomings. Many people like many things despite their shortcomings. Developers will continue to develop programs for the iPhone, and people will continue to buy them. If you don’t want to be a part of it, nobody’s going to water-board you into assimilation.

(note about searching for software for Palm/WM- before anyone negatively comments on my description of how finding software for one of these devices goes down, note that I had nearly six hours daily in the afternoon to find the best stuff for my still very new Palm, and later my WM device. I now have very little time (an hour a day of free time, tops), and I have an easier time on the iPhone. My kid sister, who still couldn’t navigate her way around the Palm/WM world, can use the iPhone efficiently. My Dad, who is a very computer-literate person (it’s his job), doesn’t even mess with the Palm software ecosystem (it’s all he uses), but he found it quick and easy to get software for the iPhone. Other family, friends, ect are all the same way.)

The iPhone is so new that we have no idea what Apple has planned for it, nor how the ecosystem will develop and integrate with other devices.

It is pure and utter ARROGANCE for developers to demand that they become de facto owners of the platform. And thus the dictators of its future progression and direction.

If the quality of third party apps way exceeded those made by Apple they may have a case. But they don’t and likely won’t in the near future either.

Apple must have the flexibility to determine what goes into the App store.

Podcaster broke 3 of the SDK’s rules. It’s developer has no grounds to protest.

The App Store must be the only way to obtain Apps for the iPhone 3G. It is a proprietary system. It maintains stability and prevents malware. It obviously is fantastic.

If you want to install an app outside of the Apple ecosystem, you can jailbreak the iPhone. But that is your risk to take, not Apple’s.

The App Store is highly successful. One reason is the limitations on what developers can do.

If a developer does not want the limitations, then go ahead, develop for any other competitor – Windows Mobile, Palm, Nokia, Android, etc. The sky is the limit. And good riddance. There will be many other successful developers ahead of you developing for the App store.

My work is in an environment with lots of established and (worse!) state owned companies. I experience situations where citizens and consumers receive bad performance on a daily basis. When analysing this the main reason appear to be suppliers are simply in the position they can afford bad performance because consumers have no choice.

The whole iPhone revolution was possible because (apparently) existing suppliers were too much relying on easy revenue, while ignoring (hidden) consumer benefits. Then a visionary madman appeared who was able to leverage these hidden consumer benefits. He wasn’t stopped by Nokia or Samsung market protection.
I hope very much the current iPhone market protection won’t be strong enough to stop future technology revolutions either.

Not happening.

That would the same as a free-for-all zone. The iPhone is not, and has never been promoted as, a general purpose computing platform. It’s more like an appliance than a PC.

No, it isn’t. But it is an option for Apple to allow apps to be synced to the iPhone without passing through the App Store. That way, they could market the App Store as “the best of the best” or “apps that are certified by Apple to work on iPhone”, and then the ecosystem could have the openness that makes the iPhone a true “platform”.

Simple solution, and it would benefit everyone.