This isn’t a “big bad Apple” story.
Just one review of the app from the article:
“I bought this to get what looks like a Rolex watch face … it’s not a face it’s just a picture … hands don’t even move,” wrote one customer. “Does this company have permission from Rolex to do this? I took it they did but I doubt it. Pure scam to get money from people. I want a refund it’s not acceptable. I will also report to Rolex and see if they do anything.”
It also sounds like they may have been faking reviews and other shenanigans.
App Store guidelines are too strict for developers, I think it will be better for mobile developer to develop their app for android ecosystem, not ios
The problem with doing android dev work is that android users simply refuse to pay for useful apps. iOS users on the other hand are more open to it.
As a developer it makes sense to prioritize iOS if you like money.
That sounds like anecdotal evidence. Android is more popular in more than half of the world and a lot of apps are successful and generate income on both platforms.
If you look at developer experience it’s absolutely is true. Android users just prefer free/ad supported/pirated software. If you’re an android user look at your own habits. What android applications have you purchased?
You can search for statistics from any source online and you’ll get the same results. But in the end if you code for iOS you need to test and debug for fewer devices and you will make more money overall. There are wayyyy more android users but 70% of all mobile app spend is on iOS. Deving for iOS just makes sense if you like money.
https://backlinko.com/iphone-vs-android-statistics#iphone-vs-android-app-spending
It’s not, iOS has something like almost 70% of the mobile apps income despite having 1/3 or users compared to Android.
Also Android has this annoying problem where there pirate versions of an app will show up when it has in-app purchases or scammers will rip-off your app, rebrand it and place an overwhelming amount of ads to make a quick buck before the app is flagged and taken down. That’s not accounting for the stories of accounts simply being taken down without warning.
Why pay for apps when you can just sideload pirated version from dubious origin and pay with your privacy and crypto mine for the pirate distributing it?
Oh, wait, I just said the quiet part alt store advocates doesn’t want to say out loud.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
“Don’t be a scam” is the guideline being broken here.
And the consistent quality and UX expectations are a part of why iOS developers make a lot more money.
App Store is full of scams and predatory apps. And holy shit rofl at the “consistent quality.” Steve’s been dead for over a decade and his vision of iOS has been dead for longer.
Not compared to android it isn’t.
The floor is far, far higher on iOS than android and the experience is much more consistent, and that’s why I and many others buy iPhones.
I’ll put 100 on “this user needs their account to do things which in principle need not require an account”, please.
Normally I’d say that’s fine (the store hoster should decide what’s there) but it’s my understanding Apple actively opposite the existence of alternative app stores. Can they host it elsewhere now?
Anecdotally Apple make it very hard to even post an app but that’s neither here nor there.
They can put it on another App Store in the EU, but only if it’s approved by apple and they pay apple 50 cents per download
