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4 Reasons Why iPhone Apps Will Be A Crappy Experience

Posted June 18, 2007 12:00 PM by Jason Swifter
Categories: Third-party add-ons 

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With much hype and no irony despite the absurdity of it all Apple unveiled to developers the ability to develop “applications” for the iPhone…..Riiiight.

So, let’s get this straight. Websites are applications? Again….Riiiight. So, without further ado I give you 5 reasons why iPhone Apps will be a crappy experience:

Reason 1: They Aren’t Applications

That’s right! They aren’t. Sure his Steveness can call them that but saying so doesn’t make it so! Applications make use of the underlying operating system. iPhone “Apps” dont’ do that. They don’t touch the operating system on the iPhone.

Reason 2: You won’t be able to find them

Quick, where do you typically find apps? Your applications folder, the dock, the start menu, etc. Well, try this one on, to access a third party application the geniuses in Cupertino expect you to go to a bookmark! Brilliant! I mean, that is where apps are usually kept, right? Wrong.

Reason 3: You’ll have to be connected

In the spirit of this whole fancy-smancy web w.0 thing you’ll have to be connected to the network in order for these “apps” to work. Maybe that is good for AT&Ts data plan but it makes no sense whatsoever. This will greatly limit the amount of innovation these applications can have.

Reason 4: No way to store data locally

Applications usually create data. Want to store them? Sorry, no way to do that on the iPhone! Sure you have up to 8GB of space. But iPhone apps won’t even let you save a text file. The only file they will create a save locally will be a cookie.

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Comments

  1. I agree with your first two points.

    Re: 3rd point, I think you will be connected all the time on iPhone no matter what. My hunch is that it will only come with unlimited (or very generous) data plans. It wouldn’t make much sense to use an iPhone on a limited data plan when its browser and email are so unabashed about downloading large data (full-size images etc.)

    Re: 4th point, cookies aren’t such a bad storage place for simple data. Simple != none.

    Posted by Neven on June 18, 2007 12:38 PM

  2. 1. They are applications - just not in the sense that most people think. Websites, like the one you developed Neve, that take advantage of technologies such as AJAX are considered to be web applications.

    2. Again, not a typical application set-up, but it’s still perfectly managable for people to hit the web and take advantage of web applications for specific needs. There are many tools that are availible for the desktop where many users prefer to use the web equivelent instead.

    3. Correct, you will need to be connected through EDGE or Wi-Fi, but that doesn’t limit innovation at all. Neven pretty much summed it up.

    4. Again, Neven summed it up well. Cookies are a great way to store data for a user. If you’re feeling ambitious an online database with user information would be an option as well.

    I think people are getting a little too hung-up on the development of applications in it’s current state. Apple will most likely come up with a more streamlined method for certain apps to be delivered, but in the meantime, barring any iPhone system functions, building a web app gives the user a lot of power.

    Posted by Brian on June 18, 2007 1:11 PM

  3. Seriously, all of this iPhone SDK angst is getting silly. Anyone who was really expecting Apple to release an SDK for the iPhone at WWDC had very unrealistic expectations. This is a completely new interface metaphor with completely new rules that even Apple hasn’t completely figured out yet. As the iPhone gets into the hands of millions, they will figure out what works well and not with the new multitouch interface and they will develop a solid SDK. I believe we’ll see Safari apps first, then iPhone widgets through a special version of Dashcode (probably released with Leopard in October) and finally an iPhone SDK at WWDC 2008. Just be patient and don’t get your panties all up in a wad. In the meantime, enjoy the emergence of “iPhone ready” websites in droves, and the tweaking of established sites like Flickr, YouTube, GoogleDocs and more. It will be awesome.

    Posted by fog city dave on June 18, 2007 1:57 PM

  4. >> don’t get your panties all up in a wad <<
    Boy, ain’t that the truth. It’s wedgieville out there in iPhone land.
    All these so-called “programmers” are going to be left out in the cold. While others develop web apps, they’re still digging their panties out of their crack.

    Posted by PXLated on June 18, 2007 2:28 PM

  5. Wouldn’t it be better to not get your tail in a knot until you really know what you are talking about.  Because I don’t think you really know any more than the rest of us really know.  And I don’t think the “geniuses at Cupertino” as quite the idiots that you would like to make them out to be.  You might actually find that you like what your scoffing at when it does come out.  Riiight!

    Oh, and by the way, “his Steveness” is not a very intelligent phrase. You’ll have more credibility if you cut the sarcasm

    Posted by Randy Barber on June 18, 2007 3:24 PM

  6. It was NOT unrealistic to expect an iPhone SDK. Most companies want third party apps to be developed for their new platforms.

    I say this as a developer who attended WWDC this year and also who has developed for the Mac for over ten years and I also developed for the Newton. I think Apple is blowing their main opportunity for third party apps. I know why they are doing it and I don’t necessarily disagree with their logic, but the time to launch an SDK is when everyone is excited by new gear, not a year later when you are yesterday’s news.

    This kind of mistake was a major factor contributing to the failure of General Magic. When they first launched, I couldn’t develop for it because I wasn’t on their “invite” list. A year later, they are calling me begging me to develop for it and I’m laughing in their faces.

    Apple is gambling with the iPhone. I’d go so far as to say they are really betting the company on it. Not in the sense that they would cease to exist if it failed, but in the sense where the iPhone success/failure is the difference between being the preeminent consumer electronic company for the next decade vs. being an also ran PC maker.

    So, I understand they don’t want someone writing an app that takes down AT&T’s network or some such thing. Still, I’d love to be developing for it and I’ll probably start looking for ways to hack it. I’m sure that we can find a way to inject code onto the device and get it to run. But I’d much prefer a Cocoa based SDK.

    Posted by Soft_guy on June 18, 2007 3:31 PM

  7. Oh please, not this tripe again. When will you learn that just because the iPhone doesn’t have some pet feature that’s important to you, that doesn’t mean the vast majority of ordinary consumers will also feel that iPhone is “crappy?”

    Oh yeah. The lack of a built-in FM radio or WiFi sure doomed the iPod to a “crappy” experience, too.

    Talk about living in a bubble.

    Posted by Lava on June 18, 2007 3:49 PM

  8. I don’t say that it was unreasonable to expect an SDK at WWDC because the iPhone should not be a development platform. Quite the contrary. I’m only saying that it was unreasonable because Apple gave every indication that you should not be expecting one, at least this soon. Only the rumor sites were driving expectations for a magic iPhone SDK at WWDC, not Apple. Even very reasonable bloggers like John Gruber are now saying they feel “personally insulted” by Jobs, which is the same attitude posted in this iPhone Matters article, and it’s just plain pissy to be this upset and feel personally slighted and shat upon by Apple’s conservative approach to this new platform. Get over yourselves already.

    And if the iPhone goes the way of General Magic, I’ll eat my hat.

    Posted by fog city dave on June 18, 2007 3:54 PM

  9. Lack of an built-in FM Radio?  That does it for me.  The iPhone sux a$$!

    C’mon Jason HitWhore, putting iPhone in an article for a link must do you good!  Why else talk about it?  The thing isn’t out yet, so people haven’t voted with their wallets.  So if we can use this bit of prophecy on your part as a way to judge you (after all, this article is more real than the iPhone at this moment in time), then we will.  We can’t?  You can’t be held accountable for the pap you spew?

    Didn’t think so…

    Posted by Brilliant #7 on June 18, 2007 4:58 PM

  10. These articles are now a dime, a dozen.  Nothing new or intelligent to say.  Just arrogance on display.

    Posted by mark on June 18, 2007 6:37 PM

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