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3rd Party Apps: Good Or Bad?

Posted November 18, 2007 12:34 AM by Don Palmigiano
Categories: Apple Third-party add-ons Opinions 

imageMost people I know are running 3rd party Apps. These apps add additional functionality to the iPhone, not previously available. We now may send songs, record audio, take screen shots, and do many other operations. There are many functional programs available for the iPhone today, but should we really be using them? I know they add a new perspective and many possibilities to the device, but are they necessary? Having just a few apps can slow the phone down tremendously. The phone may even freeze or crash. I do not know if you remember, but this is exactly why Jobs did not want 3rd party apps on the phone. Jobs did not want the phone crashing and freezing 3 or 4 times a day. Also, most of us have many useless apps on our phones we do not need; these apps take up vast amounts of memory and system resources. All of this takes away what initially drew many to the iPhone and Apple, reliability and simplicity. Without these apps, iPhone owners already have the most advanced phone. And with these apps, I actually believe we have taken a step backwards. As a loyal fan-boy, I understand that I have gone against Apple and Steve by installing these apps. Therefore to regain some of my dignity, I will clear my iPhone of all 3rd party apps. I challenge you to try and live without your apps as well. Who is with me? (I really hope I can last.)

Tell me your opinion or testimony. I would love to hear it.

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Comments

  1. I cleared my apps.  My iPhone was freezing to the point that I almost started to dislike it.  I couldn’t have that, so I sacrificed my third party apps.  I do miss Five Dice though…

    Everything works great now.

    Posted by Kyle on November 18, 2007 1:38 AM

  2. i would but i need it unlocked :(
    so i cant NOT jailbreak it…
    however, i might remove installer and useless apps…

    Posted by luiz on November 18, 2007 4:14 AM

  3. I love 3rd part apps. I only installed a few which I really need and they did not crash that often. If any of them is that bad, I would have already removed it.

    Posted by hchen on November 18, 2007 7:00 AM

  4. I returned to a vanilla state when 1.1.2 was released and I couldn’t be happier. I don’t miss my 3rd party apps because I prefer stability and preformance more imporant. Most third party apps were useless to me, including the IM programs because they would always crash, not reconnect properly, etc. Anything else that I used was related to the custimization of the device which I can live without.

    Posted by marco on November 18, 2007 8:22 AM

  5. I agree about the 3rd party apps. I haven’t installed anything and probably won’t unless something truly great comes along. I recall having to restart my Microsoft Mobile and Palm phones all the time. I prefer stability.

    Posted by dan on November 18, 2007 9:34 AM

  6. Ditto. Would love to jailbreak again, but too much hassle, too many crashes, too many app icons.

    Posted by ben on November 18, 2007 10:18 AM

  7. This is the most absurd thing I’ve ever read.

    1. The iPhone is most definitely NOT the most advanced phone. It doesn’t take video, it can’t download podcasts on the go, it doesn’t support a2dp, it doesn’t have java in the browser, and a host of other things that even simple non-smartphones can do.

    2. The notion that your phone is better off without apps because that’s what Jobs says is dumb. Why is it that any other phone on the market can use java apps or some phones can use native apps and not experience excessive freezing or lock-ups? is it possible *gasp* that Jobs just wasn’t able to create an OS that’s stable enough to support applications, so he just closed it and brainwashed you into thinking that the walled garden is the only safe place?

    Posted by Ricky on November 18, 2007 2:03 PM

  8. My 3rd party apps are staying until Apple does what they should have done already and included basic features like searching your contacts instead of only being able to scroll through.

    Posted by paige on November 18, 2007 3:20 PM

  9. It’s a testament to Apple’s branding that customers are so loyal that they actually feel guilty when they don’t follow suggestions from the company’s marketing campaigns.

    Take a step back and you realize that there are a lot of cool things in the iPhone but other fairly large flaws.  In addition to the missing features mentioned above, consider also voice dialing and cut and paste.

    I own an iPhone, and I’m happy with it, but I don’t feel that Apple knows best in all areas.  They are fallible like any other company. You paid for the iPhone, so don’t feel like Apple has a right to tell you how to use it.

    Posted by CW on November 18, 2007 3:40 PM

  10. I might actually get a job at my local Apple store, so obedience is inevitable. Also, I am sure there will be some sort of environment for third party apps in the future. I admire Jobs greatly, and I plan to follow him through hell if I have to. Well, maybe not that far.

    Very controversial topic! I’m glad to see that.

    Posted by Don Palmigiano on November 18, 2007 6:26 PM

  11. Are you guys kidding me! Just because Apple doesnt condone the installing of third party apps on MY iPhone doesnt mean I should listen. Sure most of the apps are pointless and not necessary but i like having the ability to customize my iPhone and change my icons and background images. I’m sorry but I can put up with random crashes and occasional instability to have a pimped out iphone.

    Posted by omar c on November 18, 2007 8:09 PM

  12. The only CEO I admire even near that much is Warren Buffett.  Jobs isn’t fit to shine his shoes IMO.  And it’s a shame to see anyone so devoted to the CEO of a consumer products company that they’d surrender to his singular view…

    Posted by Texrat on November 18, 2007 8:55 PM

  13. I would not say I have surrendered, merely understood.

    Posted by Don Palmigiano on November 18, 2007 11:59 PM

  14. Before I fell back into the apple chain/gang , I had a ton of apps with very few crashes If a program crashed a lot I would remove it . One click no big thing . You paid good money for your phone . You don’t owe apple any loyalty . You should go with what works for you . personally this 1.1.2. has had no benefits and has locked out all my cool new stuff for now I’m heading back to the 1.1.1. !

    Posted by byronchurch on November 19, 2007 10:42 AM

  15. being able to tunnel in with SSH on the iphone is a great feature, having IRC and AIM is also amazing! i can SMS message alot of friends but there is 1 friend that I only talk to with AIM, so now i can message her anytime.  also, the games, nes emulator are awesome! i love playing duckhunt and punchout, and the duckhunt is WAY better than the webbased version with no sound! :D also… being able to tweak the themes, dock, slider bars, etc are great!  this is coming from a mac user of 15 years who use to customize his OS9 with kalidescope :D (remember that) if your iphone is crashing, then you are just out of your element… they made installer just to easy for everyone to run, but there is alot of beta software..  you need to have a small clue or it bites you..  i have a process viewer and I always know whats running.. I also think there is something weird with PXL managers and I see TONS of those processes running and I removed it any my iphone feels so much faster and smoother… just use the installer.app and keep it basic.. SSH, BSD subsystem, your games and IM’s and the books program.. you don’t need the crazy daemons and safari plugins.. :D

    Posted by iphoneman on November 25, 2007 8:43 PM

  16. Don Palmigiano: “Baaaaaaa”

    Posted by Jamie on November 27, 2007 7:45 PM

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    Posted by baowcylg on November 30, 2007 3:05 AM

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