Apple HAS to do this, or else the ratings feature doesn't even work. Because Apple made a big mistake.
The mistake they made is not adding one more parental control: "allow 3rd-party apps to access network." They need to do that, so that paranoid parents can keep their kids offline and yet still buy apps. Then apps can be rated on their OWN INTERNAL content (or on the content they are specifically MEANT to download), rather than on the possibility that "anything" might be out there.
Apps already fail gracefully of the network can't be reached, so games with online high scores etc. should be basically OK even with that function removed.
(What about games with chat? I assume those are all mature, since a fellow gamer could swear? Once again, adding that additional parental control switch would solve the problem.)
Apple could even add a new rating: something like "Open-Ended Content, May Include Any Age Level of Material." Something that goes on any app that accesses the network, without the stigma of "mature."
I mostly like your idea, but even apps like WeatherBug would be stunted if that were enabled. I think a better solution would be, “Allow 3rd-party apps to access network via Safari (WebKit) browser”. But that still wouldn’t change the fact that the age limit would be still be set to 17+ since it would still be possible for “adult content” to be accessed from the app.
Perhaps what is needed is a new addition to iPhone OS X and the SDK that would allow developers to release their apps without the browser working, but would then require a password for the WebKit browser to be accessed within the app if an age rating has been set on the phone. This way, it can be determined on an app-by-app basis. A popup could appear that stated that this feature is blocked due to restrictions and you can go to Settings or hit Okay and go back to what you were doing previously in the app.
Regardless, this is just Apple protecting themselves from lawsuits. Having an app with a G-rating that can access porn via the built-in browser is not a good thing for Apple, and we all know that some parents like to blame everyone but themselves for their children’s behaviour.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lepton
The app I'm finishing up right now is completely G rated. But because it uses a browser view to show its online help, it is going to be mature only? And I can't give promo codes to reviewers? I worked over six months coding this app!
the fact that apple disallows adult content (even if it isn't so "adult") is also a non-issue. it's apple's store and they can put whatever they want in it. if you don't like it, jailbreak it. the iphone is a much more free and open platform than anything you can get from just about any wireless carrier, at least in the US.
Well said.
It may be different in other countries, but as a general rule in America, major retail stores do not carry porn and other objectionable material. Blockbuster doesn't, nor Wal-Mart, nor Sam's, nor Costco, etc. iTunes is one of the biggest retail stores in the world. People are naive to believe that Apple would treat it differently from any other storefront.
Apple is no longer a small, irresponsible, anti-establishment company with a "Stick it to the man!" mentality. Do not expect them to stick it to the man anytime soon. They are the man. If you are looking for a scrappy little company that will fight dirty and try anything to survive and thumb their nose at the rules of polite society, try Palm. I here they are looking for a few good app developers. Perhaps some of those rejected porn coders can spare a few moments to crank out a good music syncing program.
The app I'm finishing up right now is completely G rated. But because it uses a browser view to show its online help, it is going to be mature only? And I can't give promo codes to reviewers? I worked over six months coding this app!
Quote:
Originally Posted by solipsism
...
Put the Help into the app itself.
The issue is that you would have to create an app update to dot an i in the help file.
The issue is that you would have to create an app update to dot an i in the help file.
1) If his font doesn’t have dotted ‘i’s then he should get a new font.
2) While any spelling errors would require a point update, that isn’t a big deal and I’d hope that he’d have other code that needed updating too. Personally, I hate any app, for mobile or desktop, that pulls up the web browser when trying to access a help file. If you are not on the internet you are screwed, and unless the help file contains video tutorials they are usually quite small.
1) If his font doesn?t have dotted ?i?s then he should get a new font.
2) While any spelling errors would require a point update, that isn?t a big deal and I?d hope that he?d have other code that needed updating too. Personally, I hate any app, for mobile or desktop, that pulls up the web browser when trying to access a help file. If you are not on the internet you are screwed, and unless the help file contains video tutorials they are usually quite small.
Point taken
But it is just a figure of speech. My point is Apps need access to the internet on an iPhone for a number of reasons but most importantly because so much stuff is mutable. Yesterday's news is pretty much useless. Free access open browsers inside the App is a different issue altogether.
The issue is that you would have to create an app update to dot an i in the help file.
If web isnt a critical component, could you not just close the app and launch safari to the help file? sure is is really frackin annoying, but untill Apple streightend the current situation out, it would get around the adult rating for family safe apps as the link you are opening is subject to any parental control settings in safari.app.
I don't understand people who think Apple is in any way justified or obligated to do this.
There are some who think Apple is justified in anything they do. Remember that Apple is both a maker of computers/devices/software and a quazi-religion.
Quote:
They do not restrict what can be ran on their Macbooks or iMacs. So, why should they be playing morality police on the iPhones and iPod Touches. They shouldn't!
They control all distribution on with OSX mobile through the App Store. Who says they wouldn't if they controlled Mac program distribution in a similar way? They just don't have the opportunity. However, once the optical drive goes and computer apps go digital, we'll see one way or another.
Also, anyone find it interesting that now that Steve is back in the house, Apple's getting erratic again?
I suspect this policy was enacted because of the Hot Girls app (or whatever it was called), which got approved with clothed women in the online content and then the developer switched in topless women after the app was approved.
If you'll forgive the punny adage, I think this is a case of one bad apple spoiling the whole bunch.
I understand why devs are pissed and they have the right to be, but I ask again, does anyone USE these rating and parental control tech?
this is a not rhetorical question: does anyone use VCHIP, the movie ratings when picking movies for the kiddies, the advisory label on CDs and digital tracks or any other digital parental controls?
The only places I know of that use them are schools/churches/community centers to reduce the odds of erking a few parents.
Also, anyone find it interesting that now that Steve is back in the house, Apple's getting erratic again?
Nothing erratic. They aren't doing what they haven't warned they were going to do when it came out of Cook's mouth earlier.
This was expected by everyone, including most of Palms's supporters. As far as the apps go, thats pretty much expected as well. The surprise was that it appeared at all. Nothing new here either.
I not very adept at math, but I think 30 cents times 1.5 billion is $450 million. On the other hand, his assertion is flawed. He implies that Apple has sold 1.5 billion of the top twenty-five 99 cent game apps, but I think that number is for the total of all apps, free and charged is it not? I am sure one of you can check my math.
I not very adept at math, but I think 30 cents times 1.5 billion is $450 million. On the other hand, his assertion is flawed. He implies that Apple has sold 1.5 billion of the top twenty-five 99 cent game apps, but I think that number is for the total of all apps, free and charged is it not? I am sure one of you can check my math.
The number does include free apps.They also only include the first sale, not re-downloads or updates.
Here are some nearly up to date stats to digest...
They only tell us what's in the store, not what's being downloaded.
The metrics of downloads could be vastly different.
In the beginning, Jobs had said that free apps and sold apps were about 1:1.
But I read recently that free, or possibly free plus free updates, are now running from 20 to 30 to one over paid.
This is why we're seeing numbers sited that are much smaller than what some may think. It's now thought that Apple may have made between $20 and $40 million on this. Not too much, considering.
Comments
Apple HAS to do this, or else the ratings feature doesn't even work. Because Apple made a big mistake.
The mistake they made is not adding one more parental control: "allow 3rd-party apps to access network." They need to do that, so that paranoid parents can keep their kids offline and yet still buy apps. Then apps can be rated on their OWN INTERNAL content (or on the content they are specifically MEANT to download), rather than on the possibility that "anything" might be out there.
Apps already fail gracefully of the network can't be reached, so games with online high scores etc. should be basically OK even with that function removed.
(What about games with chat? I assume those are all mature, since a fellow gamer could swear? Once again, adding that additional parental control switch would solve the problem.)
Apple could even add a new rating: something like "Open-Ended Content, May Include Any Age Level of Material." Something that goes on any app that accesses the network, without the stigma of "mature."
I mostly like your idea, but even apps like WeatherBug would be stunted if that were enabled. I think a better solution would be, “Allow 3rd-party apps to access network via Safari (WebKit) browser”. But that still wouldn’t change the fact that the age limit would be still be set to 17+ since it would still be possible for “adult content” to be accessed from the app.
Perhaps what is needed is a new addition to iPhone OS X and the SDK that would allow developers to release their apps without the browser working, but would then require a password for the WebKit browser to be accessed within the app if an age rating has been set on the phone. This way, it can be determined on an app-by-app basis. A popup could appear that stated that this feature is blocked due to restrictions and you can go to Settings or hit Okay and go back to what you were doing previously in the app.
Regardless, this is just Apple protecting themselves from lawsuits. Having an app with a G-rating that can access porn via the built-in browser is not a good thing for Apple, and we all know that some parents like to blame everyone but themselves for their children’s behaviour.
The app I'm finishing up right now is completely G rated. But because it uses a browser view to show its online help, it is going to be mature only? And I can't give promo codes to reviewers? I worked over six months coding this app!
Put the Help into the app itself.
the fact that apple disallows adult content (even if it isn't so "adult") is also a non-issue. it's apple's store and they can put whatever they want in it. if you don't like it, jailbreak it. the iphone is a much more free and open platform than anything you can get from just about any wireless carrier, at least in the US.
Well said.
It may be different in other countries, but as a general rule in America, major retail stores do not carry porn and other objectionable material. Blockbuster doesn't, nor Wal-Mart, nor Sam's, nor Costco, etc. iTunes is one of the biggest retail stores in the world. People are naive to believe that Apple would treat it differently from any other storefront.
Apple is no longer a small, irresponsible, anti-establishment company with a "Stick it to the man!" mentality. Do not expect them to stick it to the man anytime soon. They are the man. If you are looking for a scrappy little company that will fight dirty and try anything to survive and thumb their nose at the rules of polite society, try Palm. I here they are looking for a few good app developers. Perhaps some of those rejected porn coders can spare a few moments to crank out a good music syncing program.
The app I'm finishing up right now is completely G rated. But because it uses a browser view to show its online help, it is going to be mature only? And I can't give promo codes to reviewers? I worked over six months coding this app!
...
Put the Help into the app itself.
The issue is that you would have to create an app update to dot an i in the help file.
The issue is that you would have to create an app update to dot an i in the help file.
1) If his font doesn’t have dotted ‘i’s then he should get a new font.
2) While any spelling errors would require a point update, that isn’t a big deal and I’d hope that he’d have other code that needed updating too. Personally, I hate any app, for mobile or desktop, that pulls up the web browser when trying to access a help file. If you are not on the internet you are screwed, and unless the help file contains video tutorials they are usually quite small.
1) If his font doesn?t have dotted ?i?s then he should get a new font.
2) While any spelling errors would require a point update, that isn?t a big deal and I?d hope that he?d have other code that needed updating too. Personally, I hate any app, for mobile or desktop, that pulls up the web browser when trying to access a help file. If you are not on the internet you are screwed, and unless the help file contains video tutorials they are usually quite small.
Point taken
But it is just a figure of speech. My point is Apps need access to the internet on an iPhone for a number of reasons but most importantly because so much stuff is mutable. Yesterday's news is pretty much useless. Free access open browsers inside the App is a different issue altogether.
The issue is that you would have to create an app update to dot an i in the help file.
If web isnt a critical component, could you not just close the app and launch safari to the help file? sure is is really frackin annoying, but untill Apple streightend the current situation out, it would get around the adult rating for family safe apps as the link you are opening is subject to any parental control settings in safari.app.
They’re making a killing taking their 30% commission on the 1.5 billion copies of $0.99 top-25 games that they’ve sold.
Developers are making a killing with the 70% without worrying about distribution and running a store front.
Now, Arment claims that Apple takes 8 to 30 days for review
So Apple is taking extra care to retain the quality and brand image of it's App Store. A few rotten tomatoes can ruin the basket.
A whole lot of whine and no cheese.
I don't understand people who think Apple is in any way justified or obligated to do this.
There are some who think Apple is justified in anything they do. Remember that Apple is both a maker of computers/devices/software and a quazi-religion.
They do not restrict what can be ran on their Macbooks or iMacs. So, why should they be playing morality police on the iPhones and iPod Touches. They shouldn't!
They control all distribution on with OSX mobile through the App Store. Who says they wouldn't if they controlled Mac program distribution in a similar way? They just don't have the opportunity. However, once the optical drive goes and computer apps go digital, we'll see one way or another.
Also, anyone find it interesting that now that Steve is back in the house, Apple's getting erratic again?
If you'll forgive the punny adage, I think this is a case of one bad apple spoiling the whole bunch.
this is a not rhetorical question: does anyone use VCHIP, the movie ratings when picking movies for the kiddies, the advisory label on CDs and digital tracks or any other digital parental controls?
The only places I know of that use them are schools/churches/community centers to reduce the odds of erking a few parents.
Also, anyone find it interesting that now that Steve is back in the house, Apple's getting erratic again?
Nothing erratic. They aren't doing what they haven't warned they were going to do when it came out of Cook's mouth earlier.
This was expected by everyone, including most of Palms's supporters. As far as the apps go, thats pretty much expected as well. The surprise was that it appeared at all. Nothing new here either.
You're looking for things that aren't there.
I not very adept at math, but I think 30 cents times 1.5 billion is $450 million. On the other hand, his assertion is flawed. He implies that Apple has sold 1.5 billion of the top twenty-five 99 cent game apps, but I think that number is for the total of all apps, free and charged is it not? I am sure one of you can check my math.
The number does include free apps.They also only include the first sale, not re-downloads or updates.
Here are some nearly up to date stats to digest...
The number does include free apps.They also only include the first sale, not re-downloads or updates.
Here are some nearly up to date stats to digest...
There's a problem with the info from those sites.
They only tell us what's in the store, not what's being downloaded.
The metrics of downloads could be vastly different.
In the beginning, Jobs had said that free apps and sold apps were about 1:1.
But I read recently that free, or possibly free plus free updates, are now running from 20 to 30 to one over paid.
This is why we're seeing numbers sited that are much smaller than what some may think. It's now thought that Apple may have made between $20 and $40 million on this. Not too much, considering.
I just had an update release today that has a webview in it. They left my rating at 4+.
Mind you, the webview only links to a dashcode created blog with no external links....but a webview none the less.
Just thought I'd add that I'm an AI junkie.