I see no reason why the government should get involved. It's an free market, if people don't like Apple's practices regarding the App store, they are free to go elsewhere or buy a phone from a different manufacturer.
I think you are missing the point regarding the acceptance of applications, it's not an end-user issue.
It's mostly the app store developers that are setting themselves up for trouble because of this.
So that should read 'if developers don't like Apples practices regarding the App store they are free to go elsewhere', only there is no 'elsewhere', the only way to the Iphone leads through the app store.
This might come as a shock to you: There actually is an 'elsewhere' beyond the iPhone. Last time I checked apple didn't go around forcing people to become app developers.
Ok, point taken but equally, nobody is forced to develop for the iPhone. Develop for Android or Symbian. Ultimately, so many developers have succumbed to Apples practices and they are responsible for giving Apple the power they have.
This is still no reason for government involvement.
I'm not necessarily agreeing or disagreeing with you but I'm curious about one thing: Are you against anti-discrimination laws like those that forbid people from not hiring a person based on skin color?
I ask because those laws set a precedent of using Government intervention to make sure private industries treat people fairly. So if you are in favor of those laws you have to ask yourself if it's fair for some developers to be forced to develop on platforms with 30 million fewer customers.
laws like those that forbid people from not hiring a person based on skin color?
ask yourself if it's fair for some developers to be forced to develop on platforms with 30 million fewer customers
You didn't just seriously draw a line between those two statements, did you?
Moreover please show me a developer who is forced to develop anything for any platform.
Yes, I did. I assume your objection is that racism isn't in the same league as what Apple is doing. I agree with you on that. But the government doesn't take a stance on racism. If Government was taking a stance on racism then they wouldn't allow racist literature to be distributed (as just one example). But they do allow that meaning racism isn't the issue.
So the question at hand is fairness not racism. Which brings me back to my original point of "Should the government legislate whether private industries treat people fairly?"
First off, please stop mixing labor law and human rights into this. That's so idiotic, it's not funny. Especially since there isn't even an employment relationship involved here.
The app-store is a digital retail store. You are free to develop an iPhone app and offer it to them. They are free to reject it.
Just like you are free to develop a better mousetrap and offer it to WalMart - and they are free to reject it.
If you don't like their rules then don't develop an iPhone app. It's really as simple as that.
And in case you are wondering what their rules are: They are explained in this big blob of text presented to you when you sign up. The one with the checkbox labeled "I understand and I agree" at the end.
So an employment relationship that would cost an individual money is completely different from a company devoting resources to an application only to have it arbitrarily rejected which costs a whole company worth of people money?
In truth it's exactly the same thing you just refuse to see it because you're so set in your opinion.
You can not understand and agree to that which is not published, such as the official rulebook on which apps will make it through approval and those that do not.
A transparent approval process would solve this instantly.
You can not understand and agree to that which is not published, such as the official rulebook on which apps will make it through approval and those that do not.
You are mistaken, the official rulebook is published and it's right there in the blurb that you agree to during sign up.
It's really short, too, as there is only one rule: Apple decides whether an app is accepted and they will neither tell you the criteria nor the reasons for a rejection.
If you don't agree with that then you should not tick that checkbox. Easy, huh?
So, you're arguing that there exists no other Apple internal rulebook than the arbitrary one that says 'apple decides' ?
I find that hard to believe. I think a rulebook does exist, but that they avoid publishing it because they want to have the 'final say' even if somebody would play within the rules as specified in the book.
And that makes sense, because it would open apple up to being sued for breach of contract, and that is exactly what this whole thing is about. A one-sided contract is no contract, consideration is to be given to both parties. Developing an application is an investment and you should be allowed to inspect the full terms of the contract under which you make your investment.
So, you're arguing that there exists no other Apple internal rulebook than the arbitrary one that says 'apple decides'?
Excuse me? I said nothing like that.
Yes, they probably have an internal rulebook but that's completely irrelevant because they chose to not disclose it. They are free to make that choice, just like you are free to not do business with them on these terms. It's called "Free Market", wikipedia can tell you more.
A one-sided contract is no contract, consideration is to be given to both parties
I'm starting to think you have serious reading comprehension problems.
The contract is not one-sided. You get to read it and you must agree to it.
Developing an application is an investment and you should be allowed to inspect the full terms of the contract under which you make your investment.
You are not only allowed to inspect the full terms, you are required to inspect and agree to the full terms.
The full terms are: Apple may or may not accept your application and they are not obliged to tell you any reasons for their decision.
If you think apple "should" be operating differently then don't do business with them.
You seem to think there is some sort of godgiven right to get into the App store. There is not. It is Apple's personal playground. If they choose to accept apps only on mondays then they are free to do so. If they choose to reject apps because they would compete with their own products then they are free to do so. If they choose to reject apps without even telling you the reason then they are free to do so.
They have this freedom because you, the developer, checked that little "I agree"-checkbox, remember?
