Apple Gripe

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Posted on October 4, 2011 by Ed

Although I’m not a zealot, I think Apple makes great products. I use OS X, Linux, Android and Windows every single day (often simultaneously) so I’m not married to any specific product line or OS, but there is not argument that Apple makes solid, refined, and beautiful products.

So my gripe? From today’s Apple Event:

10:24 a.m. Apple has paid more than $3 billion to app developers

This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this kind of message from Apple. As a licensed iOS developer, they email me the same kind of tripe pretty regularly. It is not that the statement isn’t true, Apple has written many checks to its army of independent developers. It is the arrogant slant to what is being said.

The developers develop product on their own dime and with all the risks that accompany that. Then they get to go through the onerous app approval process. Finally, their app appears on the market and they get to try an market it. If/when people finally buy it, Apple gets the first 30% and passes the other 70% on to the developer. I’m not complaining about this – Apple has created solid products and implemented a fabulous distribution system.

But Apple has not paid the developers over 3 billion dollars simply out of kindness – I would contend that Apple is not really paying them at all. The customers are the ones who are paying the app developers and Apple is just the middle man.

The truth is that developers have generated 1.3 billion dollars for Apple.

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Comments

  • Drew

    Custom engraving is a crock.
    Apple doesn’t honor the 15 day return policy if a person chooses the “engrave” option. Apple will also not allow their “signature” white box, and red bow Holiday gift wrapping unless the customer chooses the engraving option, deleting Apples 15 day return policy.

    Can you say…..CROCK?????

    I have had NOTHING but bad experiences with regards to Apple products, Apple Customer Service, “Geniuses”, operating systems, crashes, non-start ups, etc…etc….
    Apple is a beautiful product with little guts, and literally horrid lack if software available, unless while partitioning the Apple computers with BootCamp, that ultimately turns an Apple into a Microsoft driven PC.

    Shame on Apple

  • Ed

    Hmm. That hasn’t been my experience at all with Apple. They have solid products that work well and cost plenty. Their OS is supposed to be stable and for the most part, it is. Products work well, and my 5 year old Gen 1 iPod touch is still trucking.

    I have never had anything engraved – so I wasn’t aware that it invalidates the return policy. Kind of makes sense though…hard to sell a refurb that has “To Darla, Love Alfalfa” engraved on the back.