Can you trust Apple and the App Store

In the United States continued quiet seething around the price of e-books. The Ministry of Justice of the United States has opened up access to the stack of documents, which discuss the formation of price strategies and tactics to electronic publications. Of course, special attention was drawn to correspondence with Steve Jobs.

In particular, interest was a letter addressed to the Executive Director of the News Corporation, James Murdoch. In general, the letter did not contain any sensations, but we all know what happens if you start to pull out from the text of the individual words and interpret them differently.

Of all these letters and papers clearly only one thing: Apple used the App Store, or rather his right to veto the application, with to put pressure on those or other companies, with the reasons for refusal in the placement of applications were not connected to themselves applications.

Whether it is worth to think and worry about it?

When Apple was in talks with the company Random House, and could not agree on a price with the latest Jobs directly hinted executive Director Random House: «You will suffer the loss of support from Apple hand, if your company will continue to abandon our conditions. " After 2 months, Apple has blocked Random House in the App Store application on the grounds that the company did not agree with each other (all this in the words of CEO Random House).

Subsequent messages sent Eddy Cue Jobs, said that Random House still agree with Apple's terms. This is partly due to the fact that Q "prevented the application Random House released in App Store».

If the data is valid, then in fact in 2010, Apple has used the power of the App Store, to dictate their terms to companies in transactions.

Some applications were blocked for quite objective reasons - they did not comply with official regulations and requirements. This list includes the so-called application DUI (driving under the influence of alcohol). The rules do have a point about such applications.

Similarly left and AppGratis. Then Apple has not only removed the app, but also cut off push notifications for those who have already installed the application. Apple explained that the breach of paragraph 2 of the Annex: for a fee creators can promote any of the applications within their own, this is a direct violation.

However, there are cases where the application disappears from App Store simply because Apple did not like it.

Some of you have probably heard about the interesting applications Bang With Friends. The point is simple: each of us has a social setting, and someone from that environment, we would be not against sex. And suddenly our mutual desire? How do I know this? The application solves the problem perfectly. Man marks among their Facebook friends of those with whom I would like to sleep. If one of them did the same thing, both the notification comes. And what's forbidden?

Apparently, Apple is so great that they take on a mission to determine whether their users to find their sexual partners? And in general, users are not supposed to know if they like each other. Not only through the application.

And also remember iRich. An application that does nothing, but it was worth a thousand dollars. It seems to be nonsense, but for those who have extra money - excellent and friendly occasion to show off and show their "status". So what? The rich have their quirks, why disturb them, if there is nothing illegal? Apple thinks otherwise.

Let's go back to the books. They cost money and should be worth the money. Yes, it's a harsh fact of life, but the user has received high-quality fiction, you need to paid work was a good writer, a good designer, artist, and of course the publisher.

If we talk about the rules, they are just there. Developers and publishers are aware of them, users need to know about them. We go into the system and should be consciously aware of what content restrictions are waiting for us there.

What really should we bother - arbitrary prohibitions and self-serving use of power over a convenience store in their own interests. The key to confidence - equal rights and opportunities, common rules and objective decision to be taken on the basis of clear rules. When the owner decides what to be on his site, and what not, only on the basis of some clear principles to him alone, users begin to suffer. And yet all this comes at the expense of partners, and in general all the companies who have decided to go through the App Store.

(via)