I’m not Renewing Membership in the iPhone Developer Program

I think the title is pretty clear.  The annual renewal to the Apple iPhone Developer Program is due and I have decided not to renew.  Why do you ask?  Well for a few reasons:

  1. Apple gets enough of my money and I don’t think I want to give them another $99 for the privilege.  If I create an application for the store and it gets approved I am adding value to the iPhone as a platform and I don’t think I should have to pay for it.  What does the $99 actually go towards?  It’s not like there is any overhead for me being a member and downloading the iPhone SDK.  Seems like another way to make a buck for Apple.  No thanks.
  2. It’s not open.  I can’t just create an application and give it to my friends.  I am forced through the Apple Store just to have something available for my friends to use.
  3. The biggest reason is the noose of control Apple has over the process.  I can take the time and effort to create an application, submit it to the store and under the whim of Apple, it can be rejected, just ask Google.  It is a bad business decision, especially for small companies with limited resources, to take the time to create a piece of software and have Apple reject it.  You have no leg to stand on, you just wasted all that time.

I think Apple needs to change the process they go through to accept or reject applications.  MacRumors reported that Apple was being investigated by the FCC over the rejection of the Google Voice app.  I hope it does some good, maybe there should be no rejection at all and the apps should just get added.  I am behind Google here and hope their rejection brings some changes to Apple and the iPhone Developer Program.  Apple may have made a mistake here picking on an 800-pound Gorilla.  If you or I complain we get the door slammed in our faces from Apple.

Looking at other platforms including Google Android, Palm Pre and Windows Mobile, all of these platforms are open and anyone can create applications an put them on their phones with no begging to do so.  Time to change Apple for the better or I hope other developers move away from them as well.

Update: Interesting case of a developer getting banned from the app store - Apple bans App Store’s 3rd-most prolific developer.

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Posted on August 05, 2009

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avatar
#1
Cyril Gupta
08.05.2009 @ 10:20 PM

I've been wanting to start developing for the smartphone market since the last couple months. Based on what I've heard about Apple's policies I don't want to make an iPhone app any longer... The trouble is Android and Win mobile platforms are not as popular as Apple.

I hope they can catch up because Apple is behaving like a nasty piece of turd.

rbazinet avatar
#2
Rob Bazinet
08.05.2009 @ 10:30 PM

@Cyril - I think Apple will need to fix some things or will face some competition as the other markets grow. Android is just starting out as is the Palm Pre, which looks very good. If you can find an application you can charge for on these other platforms it won't take a million sales to carve out a nice niche and earn a living.

I am going to seriously consider Android and possibly Palm at this point. Windows Mobile has never really hit a stride, maybe they will as the platform matures.

avatar
#3
Greg
08.06.2009 @ 12:57 PM

I'm pondering the same question. The thing is, I like the platform (as I think do most developers) and most apps I make are for my own use first and selling them is a secondary consideration. Still, I'm not sure it's worth the $99/year just for the privilege of being able to create and install apps on my own device. OTOH I'm hesitant to switch to Android or another platform mainly because I don't want another device. I know other developers are hesitant to switch because of a smaller potential market, but remember that developers are the lifeblood of any platform so it will only gain traction if more developers adopt it.

rbazinet avatar
#4
Rob Bazinet
08.06.2009 @ 1:15 PM

@greg - I agree, I like the platform but the terms and conditions have just gone over the top. Imagine taking 3 months to develop and app and have Apple reject it for little reason and you have no recourse. It is just very risky.

The other platforms have less customers but if they are good, they will increase. You are also right, more developers will attract more users because there are more apps.

I would also be happier with a smaller market for my apps and maintain control over them and know that I can get them to people that want them. It just seems like smart business sense to me.

avatar
#5
William B Swift
08.06.2009 @ 1:15 PM

Interesting that someone linked to this from Hacker News and the link was killed in less than 2 hours.

rbazinet avatar
#6
Rob Bazinet
08.06.2009 @ 1:18 PM

@william - interesting for sure. I am getting a ton of visitors to this little post even now. I figured someone must have linked to it from somewhere. I wondered why it would have been killed on Hacker News? I guess someone didn't like my opinion.

avatar
#7
Zak Ziggurat
08.06.2009 @ 4:22 PM

I suspect the main purpose of the $99 fee is to weed out people who are actually serious about developing good apps for the platform. I would think if there were no fee, the testers would be swamped with tons of free flashlight apps and other garbage, and the amount of useless cruft on the store would increase ten fold.

I do think that they should offer some other type of program for developers who just want to experiment with the platform and put something on their own phones. Maybe a "hobbiest" type license which would only allow you do deploy to own phone, but not to the app store.

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#8
Shawn
08.06.2009 @ 4:27 PM

Last I checked you don't need any special tools or permission to write blackberry applications either. Way to fail Apple!

avatar
#9
Ugly Betty
08.23.2009 @ 12:09 AM

Wait, you have to pay to make apple richer? is that right? Gosh that's why open source rocks, you can design an app to it without having to pay to do that..

avatar
#10
iphone fix
01.05.2010 @ 12:44 AM

I think Apple will have to do some things, or will face some competition in growing markets. Android is his debut as a Palm before, which seems very good. If you find a program that you can charge for these platforms other, it will not take one million of sales to create a niche in Nice and earn a living.

I will seriously consider and possibly Android Palm at this point. Windows Mobile has never really hit a big step, perhaps they will as the platform matures.

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