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Thursday 09 September 2010

Apple App Store Rules: The Main points [ 09-09-2010 19:16 ]

Author: Irina Turina Source: Engadget, et al Translation by: Paul Smith

The big mobile news of the day is no doubt Apple's decision to revise and publish their formerly secret App Store guidelines. As expected various sites have been pouring through the new guidelines and highlighting what they think are the main points so here we have a list of the main ones for you.

Quality - Apple are looking to bolster the standard of apps in the store: "We have over 250,000 apps in the App Store. We don't need any more Fart apps." I wonder if their App Store head had anything to do with that decision? They also take a rather harsh tone towards amateur devs in general by saying "We have lots of serious developers who don't want their quality Apps to be surrounded by amateur hour." Nice to know what you think of the little guy Apple.

Smut - Apple admit that parental controls, whilst there for parents to use, aren't always activated and thus Apple have decided it is their duty to look after kids using the App Store. What that means, in short, is that they won't be taking a rosy view of adult content.

Apple are using Webster's dictionary to define porn and I actually had a chuckle at Apple's summation: "Apps containing pornographic material, defined by Webster's Dictionary as "explicit descriptions or displays of sexual organs or activities intended to stimulate erotic rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings." Basically no porn that a guy would like, but perhaps some emotional stuff that appeals to women might be allowed?

App Rejection - Apple don't want people going to the press if their app is rejected. Why? Well because they have a 'Review Board' that will settle the matter for you: "If your app is rejected, we have a Review Board that you can appeal to. If you run to the press and trash us, it never helps."

Control Feakery - "If it sounds like we're control freaks, well, maybe it's because we're so committed to our users and making sure they have a quality experience with our products." Didn't you just take a pop at your amateur devs? Not sure I would call that 'committed'.

Duplicate Apps - Apple say they reserve the right to reject apps based on duplication of existing apps. Hardly surprising, but what is interesting is when they say that this is made more likely when there are a number of similar apps. In other words they'll allow some choice in apps, but too many and you'll be stuck with the present options.

No Themes - "Apps that create alternate desktop/home screen environments or simulate multi-app widget experiences will be rejected." Well it wouldn't be an Apple product if everybody didn't look the same now would it?

Free Speech - "Professional political satirists and humorists are exempt from the ban on offensive or mean-spirited commentary." Good news, just a shame that this even has to be put into writing in the first place. Also, what constitutes a 'professional' humorist or satirist?

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Apple Backpedal On 3rd Party Dev Tools [ 09-09-2010 18:56 ]

Author: Irina Turina Source: Engadget Translation by: Paul Smith

Apple have been reviewing their App Store rules and arguably the biggest change to come from is the backpedal on allowing devs to use third party tools. Devs will essentially be allowed to use anything they like with one stipulation "... as long as the resulting apps do not download any code." In short what this means is that Flash is back in the fold.

Another very important change is the fact that Apple are actually publishing their App Store guidelines, which means devs won't have to grope in the dark when trying to decipher them. It's news in itself that Apple have decided to engage with a bit of transparency for a change, but it's still welcome.

So why the U-turn? Who knows? To be blunt what Apple does and why it does it could take up a thesis so at best we can hazard a guess. The most likely explanation is that Apple are perhaps starting to feel the heat from the competition and don't want to retard their own dev community. As I said, just a guess.

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Android Passes 80k App Mark [ 09-09-2010 18:43 ]

Author: Serge Novikov Source: Android Central Translation by: Paul Smith

Android shows no signs of slowing its breakneck pace of growth and the latest Market figures show that around 10,000 new apps have been added in the last month alone. That means the total is now around the 80,000 mark, a figure revealed by Andy Rubin in the press release for the T-Mobile G2. To put that figure in perspective Rubin mentioned that Android had gone from just 50 apps two years ago to now having some 80,000.

The 80,000 figure means Android is still behind the iPhone, which boasts more than 200,000 apps, however, given Android's pace of growth it probably won't be long before the tables are turned. Indeed Google are activating more than 200,000 Android devices a day, but that isn't the total since Google is only tracking those devices, which are Google branded i.e. many Android devices will not be included in that figure so it is likely to be much higher.

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Windows Phone 7 Launching On 11th October [ 09-09-2010 18:36 ]

Author: Irina Turina Source: Pocket-lint via IntoMobile Translation by: Paul Smith

It's been a long time coming, but finally Microsoft have announced when Wndows Phone is launching and it's not far off. Pocket-lint are quoting 'trusted sources' as saying that Microsoft will launch theirnew platform at an event in New York on the 11th October. That's just four and a half weeks away.

Further confirmation comes from derStandard.de, which reports that there will be an Microsoft event in Germany, also on 11th October. That suggests multiple global events so expect local events in other countries. derStandard also mentioned that the likes of 3, Orange and T-Mobile will have Win Phone 7 handsets on sale by the end of October so events should be moving pretty rapidly.

Of course this comes after various leaks and handsets have cropped up over the past few months so it's no surprise really that the announcement should be in around a month's time. By the sounds of things Microsoft are hopingto hit the ground running and to be frank they'll need to if they want to make up serious ground with other players.

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Samsung: iPad Weaker Than the Galaxy Tab [ 09-09-2010 10:00 ]

Author: Serge Novikov Source: TechRadar Translation by: Paul Smith

Samsung have been talking up the Galaxy Tab and taking some shots at the iPad in the process. Speaking at a media event WP Hong, Samsung's head of product planning, said that in his opinion there weren't "... any features [on the Tab] that were weaker than the Apple iPad.' He pointed out the Tab's strengths such as being able to make voice and video calls, something the iPad can't do.

He also mentioned the weight of the device saying "... consumer research tells us that a [lighter] weight is very critical to enjoy performance." To be faor some reviews of the iPad did mention that it was perhaps just a little too heavy for single handed usage for extended periods. The Tab on the hand is about half the weight of the iPad. As if to underline Mr Hong added "... the most important thing for the Galaxy Tab is portability."

Of course all of this talk about portability and ease of use is fine and dandy, but the real crunch will no doubt come in terms of the price. If the Tab, as some reports have suggested, retails for around £600 without contract then the iPad is going to have a very significant advantage in terms of appealing to people in tough economic times.

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