Kasper, I want to reward hard work by paying for it. One time, at a fair price. What I won't do is saddle myself with another subscription. I would happily pay $10 for the iPad app rather than be nickel and dimed by hundreds of tiny subscriptions for everything I access on the net. I like the free iPhone version of the free app fine, but I deleted the original version of the iPad one as soon as the free offer ran out.
I know from the comments on iTunes that ditching the subscription model is one of the top feature requests. If you really want to give us "much-requested" features, how about that one?
Kasper, I want to reward hard work by paying for it. One time, at a fair price. What I won't do is saddle myself with another subscription. I would happily pay $10 for the iPad app rather than be nickel and dimed by hundreds of tiny subscriptions for everything I access on the net. I like the free iPhone version of the free app fine, but I deleted the original version of the iPad one as soon as the free offer ran out.
I know from the comments on iTunes that ditching the subscription model is one of the top feature requests. If you really want to give us "much-requested" features, how about that one?
Robin,
Per App Store guidelines, we'd then be placed in a scenario where we'd need to charge readers an additional $10 each time there is a major point release and we didn't want to take that route either. The fact of the matter is, the costs to develop and maintain an iOS app on multiple mobile devices of varying size is fairly astronomical compared to what it takes to support a website offering the same information and UI on those devices. We value your input and will be making changes to the way we deliver our apps as a result of everyones comments.
And I love how you think we're supposed to just magically know that you have it in progress and that Apple sat on your update for a month.
How about a simple, calm statement to your customers indicating that it's on its way. Or is that stooping too low for a superior iOS developer to describe to the unwashed masses?
It's a fair point. Naturally, we will support all devices as soon as we possibly can. But there's a disproportionate amount of lemon juice being tossed around in these threads. It's borderline unfair to the various individuals who commit their time to delivering these apps. Going forward, we'll be more diligent in conveying our future plans to our readers when we feel it is appropriate to do so. We just wish individuals had a little more respect for all the facets of the app that came out great, rather than focusing all their comments on tearing the app and its developers apart for the few short comings we're still working on.
AI, why don't you just fire your IT staff and hire competent people to build a better website. What an embarrassment it is from a technology standpoint- painfully slow loading! For God sake, you're a technology focused website, act like it!
Guys. It's free, with no ads for one month. After the month, you can choose to continue WITHOUT a subscription (ads will simply appear as they regularly would). Or you can purchase a subscription to use some added features and continue without ads. What on earth are you all complaining about?
We are simply giving you a completely ads-free experience for 30 days. After 30 days, if you do not want to continue with AI plus, you do absolutely nothing. Ads will appear in some places and the Favorite syncing and Push Notification customization will be inaccessible, but YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED for anything unless you specifically elect to subscribe. You will NOT be rolled into a paid subscription. I simply cannot believe the level of adversity in this thread to a free 30 day trial with no strings attached.
I have a better idea! Fix your gd website! Of all the websites I use on a regular basis, yours is the absolute slowest to load! We don't need yet another app! You're a technology website! Try using some!
Could you take all the in-depth articles (not the purely newsy ones) and compile them in to an Apple iBook once a year and sell that?
It would enable people like Robin Huber (above) to pay something once a year without having to purchase a subscription. And for a staff of writers, maybe compiling a book would be more natural/fun than app stuff.
Per App Store guidelines, we'd then be placed in a scenario where we'd need to charge readers an additional $10 each time there is a major point release and we didn't want to take that route either. The fact of the matter is, the costs to develop and maintain an iOS app on multiple mobile devices of varying size is fairly astronomical compared to what it takes to support a website offering the same information and UI on those devices. We value your input and will be making changes to the way we deliver our apps as a result of everyones comments.
K
I understand that App Store guidelines are both a blessing and a curse for developers and I get your dilemma. Since major point releases are relatively infrequent, I'd be okay with paying for them every couple of years. More frequently if the price were less. Even though in the end I might be paying about the same as a subscription, there's just something about that growing list of little charges on my card each month that makes me resist adding to it. I may be a minority, and your model may be the wave of the future, but I really prefer to "own" my content, not "rent" it as Steve used to say. (Yeah, I know, he changed.)
How about a simple, calm statement to your customers indicating that it's on its way. Or is that stooping too low for a superior iOS developer to describe to the unwashed masses?
Frankly, I've been surprised at some of the mean-spirited complaints by some of the people on here. Kasper may have been unduly harsh with his reply, but I can't say I blame him for being peeved. We're guests here....if someone came into my house and complained the same way some here are, I'd have kicked them out.
AppleInsder isn't perfect, but its still one of my favorite sites, particularly for the commentary by the contributers and many of the people who post here....less so for the news stories, which you can find duplicated at a dozen other sites.
Frankly, I've been surprised at some of the mean-spirited complaints by some of the people on here. Kasper may have been unduly harsh with his reply, but I can't say I blame him for being peeved. We're guests here....if someone came into my house and complained the same way some here are, I'd have kicked them out.
AppleInsder isn't perfect, but its still one of my favorite sites, particularly for the commentary by the contributers and many of the people who post here....less so for the news stories, which you can find duplicated at a dozen other sites.
Guests perhaps, but also customers. AI doesn't run itself for its own pleasure. There's advertizing on the site of which we are the target customer. While I don't agree with mean-spirited comments (and mine wasn't exactly vitriolic as you can see), I also think the people who run the site have some responsibility to temper their responses as well.
Frankly, I've been surprised at some of the mean-spirited complaints by some of the people on here. Kasper may have been unduly harsh with his reply, but I can't say I blame him for being peeved. We're guests here....if someone came into my house and complained the same way some here are, I'd have kicked them out.
AppleInsder isn't perfect, but its still one of my favorite sites, particularly for the commentary by the contributers and many of the people who post here....less so for the news stories, which you can find duplicated at a dozen other sites.
I disagree. We are not guests, we are customers. Any business that gets uppity with their customers whether fair or not does not grasp how to deal with the public. You suck it up and swallow your pride instead of whining that the public is being unfair.
Frankly, I've been surprised at some of the mean-spirited complaints by some of the people on here. Kasper may have been unduly harsh with his reply, but I can't say I blame him for being peeved. We're guests here....if someone came into my house and complained the same way some here are, I'd have kicked them out.
AppleInsder isn't perfect, but its still one of my favorite sites, particularly for the commentary by the contributers and many of the people who post here....less so for the news stories, which you can find duplicated at a dozen other sites.
The above bolded text is the one and only reason I personally come to AI.... and also contribute once in a while.
[@]Kasper[/@] - don't get upset that your foray into Apps is not being accepted and/or appreciated. IMHO, you don't have enough original content, or a specific angle on Apple news for a stand-alone app in the first place. I agree with Robin Huber.... just not his tone of saying it. My suggestion is first to step down and be objective about this website and it's forums (which are very well read and contributed to), before spending any more time lashing out at the crude critiques.
If your goal is to be the best Apple news app... I'm going to be brutally honest and state with almost certainty that you will fail that quest no matter how much you grind to Apple's App Store beat and burn the midnight oil (and your limited resources). Because an App is unnecessary, plain and simple.
Design a better mouse trap with this site, and the mice will come and stay awhile and possibly click some of your ads, which if I'm not mistaken is what advertising on the website OR AN App is all about, or?
I disagree. We are not guests, we are customers. Any business that gets uppity with their customers whether fair or not does not grasp how to deal with the public. You suck it up and swallow your pride instead of whining that the public is being unfair.
I authored my response proportionally to some of the naive -- and frankly rude -- comments made here. Lets agree to disagree. There are certain readers or "customers" who we can choose not to cater to in the same fashion that Apple doesn't cater to the junk phone market. If there are a handful of customers who come here to unjustly influence other readers by spewing unsubstantiated trash talk for which they have no grounds to speak on, then those are precisely the readers/customers we're willing to do without and you will see some changes on the forums this year to this end.
The above bolded text is the one and only reason I personally come to AI.... and also contribute once in a while.
@Kasper - don't get upset that your foray into Apps is not being accepted and/or appreciated. IMHO, you don't have enough original content, or a specific angle on Apple news for a stand-alone app in the first place. I agree with Robin Huber.... just not his tone of saying it. My suggestion is first to step down and be objective about this website and it's forums (which are very well read and contributed to), before spending any more time lashing out at the crude critiques.
If your goal is to be the best Apple news app... I'm going to be brutally honest and state with almost certainty that you will fail that quest no matter how much you grind to Apple's App Store beat and burn the midnight oil (and your limited resources). Because an App is unnecessary, plain and simple.
Design a better mouse trap with this site, and the mice will come and stay awhile and possibly click some of your ads, which if I'm not mistaken is what advertising on the website OR AN App is all about, or?
I agree that an App for AppleInsider is a largely unnecessary burden. But we are doing our best to cater to everyones needs and that's why we recently revamped our mobile website for iPhone for those readers who prefer to forgo the app. We are trying to provide as many alternatives as possible and never have we taken anything away from readers that they once had. We've only built on our offerings.
I value all of your feedback and it will be taken into consideration going forward. Thanks for presenting it in a civilized and sensitive manner.
Hopefully we can appease more readers with our forthcoming app update.
Guys. It's free, with no ads for one month. After the month, you can choose to continue WITHOUT a subscription (ads will simply appear as they regularly would). Or you can purchase a subscription to use some added features and continue without ads. What on earth are you all complaining about?
We are simply giving you a completely ads-free experience for 30 days. After 30 days, if you do not want to continue with AI plus, you do absolutely nothing. Ads will appear in some places and the Favorite syncing and Push Notification customization will be inaccessible, but YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED for anything unless you specifically elect to subscribe. You will NOT be rolled into a paid subscription. I simply cannot believe the level of adversity in this thread to a free 30 day trial with no strings attached.
I understand your point. But I am simply not happy being forced by the app into this. If there were a 'Skip' button, as many other apps have it – fine. But for the moment, your App is off from my phone.
I also have to say I agree with many here, that I am mainly here for the comments and discussion, which are great. AI content is often not very much from 'inside Apple'. For me, there are too many app reviews or pointless news about historic barns on the new Apple campus that are not torn down. Some of core Apple (software) products such as iWork or particular features of iOS/OS X (e.g. Continuity) make comparatively rare appearances. Even some Apple hardware is almost off AI's radar, such as new displays. Of course, it is hard to get news about these things, but that would be really inside Apple news. At least, such articles might ignite good discussions and wish lists for new Apple products and features.
Guys. It's free, with no ads for one month. After the month, you can choose to continue WITHOUT a subscription (ads will simply appear as they regularly would). Or you can purchase a subscription to use some added features and continue without ads. What on earth are you all complaining about?
We are simply giving you a completely ads-free experience for 30 days. After 30 days, if you do not want to continue with AI plus, you do absolutely nothing. Ads will appear in some places and the Favorite syncing and Push Notification customization will be inaccessible, but YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED for anything unless you specifically elect to subscribe. You will NOT be rolled into a paid subscription. I simply cannot believe the level of adversity in this thread to a free 30 day trial with no strings attached.
Thanks for the clear explanation. As I am a subscriber I haven't seen any pop-overs, hence why I was asking.
... and never have we taken anything away from readers that they once had...
I value all of your feedback and it will be taken into consideration going forward.
Nitpicking here, but there used to be a link in the article when displayed it in the forum, reading: "Click here to read this article on AppleInsider.com". I presume this was when you guys were with Bulletin but moved over to Huddler. Personally I think the layout and inner workings of the forum have gotten downhill since, but since the site is free to access I'm not complaining.
I still can't seem to sync my Appleinsider subscription on my iPad with my iPhone. I have them both signed in on the same iCloud account too. I can't access any subscription benefits on my iPhone and I still have the iAds. Any suggestions?
The app is good and is certainly getting better with the update.
I have only one complaint:
Somehow, when I click "comments" on the main story, it gets too slow to to load because it then reloads the entire story this time along with comments. Moreover, the comments-view seems suddenly out of place. It looks like the old web app. It gets counter-intuitive with buttons all over the place.
Could you make the app a little less web-ish and a little more app-like?
Comments
I know from the comments on iTunes that ditching the subscription model is one of the top feature requests. If you really want to give us "much-requested" features, how about that one?
Kasper, I want to reward hard work by paying for it. One time, at a fair price. What I won't do is saddle myself with another subscription. I would happily pay $10 for the iPad app rather than be nickel and dimed by hundreds of tiny subscriptions for everything I access on the net. I like the free iPhone version of the free app fine, but I deleted the original version of the iPad one as soon as the free offer ran out.
I know from the comments on iTunes that ditching the subscription model is one of the top feature requests. If you really want to give us "much-requested" features, how about that one?
Robin,
Per App Store guidelines, we'd then be placed in a scenario where we'd need to charge readers an additional $10 each time there is a major point release and we didn't want to take that route either. The fact of the matter is, the costs to develop and maintain an iOS app on multiple mobile devices of varying size is fairly astronomical compared to what it takes to support a website offering the same information and UI on those devices. We value your input and will be making changes to the way we deliver our apps as a result of everyones comments.
K
And I love how you think we're supposed to just magically know that you have it in progress and that Apple sat on your update for a month.
How about a simple, calm statement to your customers indicating that it's on its way. Or is that stooping too low for a superior iOS developer to describe to the unwashed masses?
It's a fair point. Naturally, we will support all devices as soon as we possibly can. But there's a disproportionate amount of lemon juice being tossed around in these threads. It's borderline unfair to the various individuals who commit their time to delivering these apps. Going forward, we'll be more diligent in conveying our future plans to our readers when we feel it is appropriate to do so. We just wish individuals had a little more respect for all the facets of the app that came out great, rather than focusing all their comments on tearing the app and its developers apart for the few short comings we're still working on.
iPhone Plus support will come in the next update.
K
I have a better idea! Fix your gd website! Of all the websites I use on a regular basis, yours is the absolute slowest to load! We don't need yet another app! You're a technology website! Try using some!
Could you take all the in-depth articles (not the purely newsy ones) and compile them in to an Apple iBook once a year and sell that?
It would enable people like Robin Huber (above) to pay something once a year without having to purchase a subscription. And for a staff of writers, maybe compiling a book would be more natural/fun than app stuff.
I understand that App Store guidelines are both a blessing and a curse for developers and I get your dilemma. Since major point releases are relatively infrequent, I'd be okay with paying for them every couple of years. More frequently if the price were less. Even though in the end I might be paying about the same as a subscription, there's just something about that growing list of little charges on my card each month that makes me resist adding to it. I may be a minority, and your model may be the wave of the future, but I really prefer to "own" my content, not "rent" it as Steve used to say. (Yeah, I know, he changed.)
How about a simple, calm statement to your customers indicating that it's on its way. Or is that stooping too low for a superior iOS developer to describe to the unwashed masses?
Frankly, I've been surprised at some of the mean-spirited complaints by some of the people on here. Kasper may have been unduly harsh with his reply, but I can't say I blame him for being peeved. We're guests here....if someone came into my house and complained the same way some here are, I'd have kicked them out.
AppleInsder isn't perfect, but its still one of my favorite sites, particularly for the commentary by the contributers and many of the people who post here....less so for the news stories, which you can find duplicated at a dozen other sites.
I disagree. We are not guests, we are customers. Any business that gets uppity with their customers whether fair or not does not grasp how to deal with the public. You suck it up and swallow your pride instead of whining that the public is being unfair.
The above bolded text is the one and only reason I personally come to AI.... and also contribute once in a while.
[@]Kasper[/@] - don't get upset that your foray into Apps is not being accepted and/or appreciated. IMHO, you don't have enough original content, or a specific angle on Apple news for a stand-alone app in the first place. I agree with Robin Huber.... just not his tone of saying it. My suggestion is first to step down and be objective about this website and it's forums (which are very well read and contributed to), before spending any more time lashing out at the crude critiques.
If your goal is to be the best Apple news app... I'm going to be brutally honest and state with almost certainty that you will fail that quest no matter how much you grind to Apple's App Store beat and burn the midnight oil (and your limited resources). Because an App is unnecessary, plain and simple.
Design a better mouse trap with this site, and the mice will come and stay awhile and possibly click some of your ads, which if I'm not mistaken is what advertising on the website OR AN App is all about, or?
I disagree. We are not guests, we are customers. Any business that gets uppity with their customers whether fair or not does not grasp how to deal with the public. You suck it up and swallow your pride instead of whining that the public is being unfair.
I authored my response proportionally to some of the naive -- and frankly rude -- comments made here. Lets agree to disagree. There are certain readers or "customers" who we can choose not to cater to in the same fashion that Apple doesn't cater to the junk phone market. If there are a handful of customers who come here to unjustly influence other readers by spewing unsubstantiated trash talk for which they have no grounds to speak on, then those are precisely the readers/customers we're willing to do without and you will see some changes on the forums this year to this end.
K
The above bolded text is the one and only reason I personally come to AI.... and also contribute once in a while.
@Kasper - don't get upset that your foray into Apps is not being accepted and/or appreciated. IMHO, you don't have enough original content, or a specific angle on Apple news for a stand-alone app in the first place. I agree with Robin Huber.... just not his tone of saying it. My suggestion is first to step down and be objective about this website and it's forums (which are very well read and contributed to), before spending any more time lashing out at the crude critiques.
If your goal is to be the best Apple news app... I'm going to be brutally honest and state with almost certainty that you will fail that quest no matter how much you grind to Apple's App Store beat and burn the midnight oil (and your limited resources). Because an App is unnecessary, plain and simple.
Design a better mouse trap with this site, and the mice will come and stay awhile and possibly click some of your ads, which if I'm not mistaken is what advertising on the website OR AN App is all about, or?
I agree that an App for AppleInsider is a largely unnecessary burden. But we are doing our best to cater to everyones needs and that's why we recently revamped our mobile website for iPhone for those readers who prefer to forgo the app. We are trying to provide as many alternatives as possible and never have we taken anything away from readers that they once had. We've only built on our offerings.
I value all of your feedback and it will be taken into consideration going forward. Thanks for presenting it in a civilized and sensitive manner.
Hopefully we can appease more readers with our forthcoming app update.
K
Guys. It's free, with no ads for one month. After the month, you can choose to continue WITHOUT a subscription (ads will simply appear as they regularly would). Or you can purchase a subscription to use some added features and continue without ads. What on earth are you all complaining about?
We are simply giving you a completely ads-free experience for 30 days. After 30 days, if you do not want to continue with AI plus, you do absolutely nothing. Ads will appear in some places and the Favorite syncing and Push Notification customization will be inaccessible, but YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED for anything unless you specifically elect to subscribe. You will NOT be rolled into a paid subscription. I simply cannot believe the level of adversity in this thread to a free 30 day trial with no strings attached.
I understand your point. But I am simply not happy being forced by the app into this. If there were a 'Skip' button, as many other apps have it – fine. But for the moment, your App is off from my phone.
I also have to say I agree with many here, that I am mainly here for the comments and discussion, which are great. AI content is often not very much from 'inside Apple'. For me, there are too many app reviews or pointless news about historic barns on the new Apple campus that are not torn down. Some of core Apple (software) products such as iWork or particular features of iOS/OS X (e.g. Continuity) make comparatively rare appearances. Even some Apple hardware is almost off AI's radar, such as new displays. Of course, it is hard to get news about these things, but that would be really inside Apple news. At least, such articles might ignite good discussions and wish lists for new Apple products and features.
Thanks for the clear explanation. As I am a subscriber I haven't seen any pop-overs, hence why I was asking.
Nitpicking here, but there used to be a link in the article when displayed it in the forum, reading: "Click here to read this article on AppleInsider.com". I presume this was when you guys were with Bulletin but moved over to Huddler. Personally I think the layout and inner workings of the forum have gotten downhill since, but since the site is free to access I'm not complaining.
What an annoyance. I don't get to opt out of trying a new feature that I am not going to want.
Deleted from phone
See ya on the web.
NSA. Really? Then just add a dismiss button and let people have the ad support app.
Apple Insider…… too little too late. You guys had a winning formula, why did you ever change it. Doubt that the Readers lost will ever return!!
Oh well, plenty other Apple related sites around.
I have only one complaint:
Somehow, when I click "comments" on the main story, it gets too slow to to load because it then reloads the entire story this time along with comments. Moreover, the comments-view seems suddenly out of place. It looks like the old web app. It gets counter-intuitive with buttons all over the place.
Could you make the app a little less web-ish and a little more app-like?