111
all 27 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] athairmor@lemmy.world 135 points 2 months ago

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.

[-] model_tar_gz@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

I guess some people would simply “download a Rolex”.

[-] trolololol@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

So what did the guy win? I'm not clicking that link, sry

[-] moepoi@forum.moe.onl 32 points 2 months ago

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

[-] mholiv@lemmy.world 22 points 2 months ago

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.

[-] chiisana@lemmy.chiisana.net 8 points 2 months ago

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)_/¯

[-] desktop_user 7 points 2 months ago

why pay money for something when there exists an open source app that does the same thing (it hasn't been updated in years)

[-] bokster@lemmy.sdf.org 6 points 2 months ago

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.

[-] mholiv@lemmy.world 9 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

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

[-] bokster@lemmy.sdf.org 6 points 2 months ago

None of this account for differences in purchasing power and phone price.

If you have an $150 Android device, I would of course expect you to spend way less on software than somebody with a $1500 iPhone.

I'm not saying 'develop for Android only' but if your business relies on one ecosystem only, you're at a higher risk and you're leaving money on the table.

[-] mholiv@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago

You are 100% right.

If you dev for only one you will be leaving money on the table. But for small / solo devs I can 100% see why focusing on iOS and those high paying customers makes sense if all you care about is money.

Then once you have a customer base then you build out an android team/app.

I’m not saying it should be this way. I’m just saying I understand why it is this way.

[-] Silentiea 4 points 2 months ago

an $150

a $1500

How do you pronounce these? An 'undred and fifty? I'm honestly curious, because I can't feel like an fits on either. I wasn't going to care enough to ask but then you put a on one thousand five hundred.

[-] the_crotch@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 months ago
[-] Silentiea 2 points 2 months ago

My issue was more with 150, I don't know how to pronounce it with an instead of a. I pronounce it "a one" or "a hundred"

[-] lepinkainen@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago

Nope, not anecdotal. It’s actual industry fact.

The phone you use combined with the country you’re in is a very good indicator on how likely you are to spend money in an app.

[-] balder1991@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

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.

[-] moepoi@forum.moe.onl 4 points 2 months ago

Yeah, I agree if you like money then develop app for iOS is better

[-] ByteOnBikes@slrpnk.net 15 points 2 months ago

Android ecosystem is not so much better.

I've been a supporter of web apps. Unfortunately it cuts into app store profits so it's often shit on.

[-] conciselyverbose@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 months ago

"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.

[-] bokster@lemmy.sdf.org 5 points 2 months ago

Well, they have limited themselves to single point of failure.

That's like selling only blue shoelaces and then crying faul when your only supplier stops making blue color.

If your livelihood depends on one account only, you are in great risk anyhow.

[-] tabular@lemmy.world 9 points 2 months ago

I'll put 100 on "this user needs their account to do things which in principle need not require an account", please.

[-] tja@sh.itjust.works 33 points 2 months ago

You need an apple developer account to publish apps on the app store

[-] tabular@lemmy.world 12 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

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.

[-] RmDebArc_5@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 months ago

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

[-] TheRedSpade@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

That sounds like par for the course in the US but the kind of thing that the EU would have a law against.

[-] trolololol@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Yep they do, but it's going to take a few years for the courts to rule in this one since that stupid fee came in like a month ago

this post was submitted on 30 Aug 2024
111 points (100.0% liked)

Technology

59299 readers
3779 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.


Our Rules


  1. Follow the lemmy.world rules.
  2. Only tech related content.
  3. Be excellent to each another!
  4. Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
  5. Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
  6. Politics threads may be removed.
  7. No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
  8. Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
  9. Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed

Approved Bots


founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS