Filed under: Rumors, iPhone, SDK
iPhone developer waiting list could be six months long
Silicon Alley Insider reported yesterday that the waiting list to be accepted into the iPhone developer program is six months long.
However, insiders say that the App Store approval process is "surprisingly" efficient, and that the beta period may be drawing to a close. Apple could throw the doors wide open when the beta period ends July 11, meaning no waiting list at all.
Apple has been allowing a small fraction of applicants into the program: At WWDC, The Steve himself said that 4,000 developers have been allowed into the program out of about 25,000 applications. As of the keynote, 250,000 had downloaded the SDK.
After being accepted to the program and submitting your app, there is another waiting period while Apple reviews it, and determines whether or not it's suitable for the App Store. How long that takes is up for speculation, but the time between June 26 and July 11 is about two business weeks.
So, how's mid-January 2009 looking for you? At least we'll have new Battlestar Galactica episodes by then.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
drew.borland said 12:28PM on 6-30-2008
This is absolute garbage. I have been done my game for almost 2 months and you're telling me I'll have to wait another 6 for not being one of the 'chosen' ones. This is going to cost me money in the long run....and we should not stand for this as developers. Apple is only hurting themselves. The bulk of the apps will require 'jail-breaking' your phone in the end, and the AppStore is going to be ignored for the most part.
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Xanthor said 12:59PM on 6-30-2008
I understand your pain Drew, but you have to keep in mind - we're all geeks. :)
Most people are still getting iPhones and adapting to the idea of an AppStore. By the time it starts getting into the mainstream (cough *christmas* cough) the masses will be waiting. It is like you were at the launch of of iTunes and had to wait six months, and were yelling "Screw this!". I'd say that is a bit shortsighted.
The truth is Apple isn't doing this to be a jerk, they're testing a very unproven model. If it fails at 4,000 users they can adjust it appropriately for everyone.
But instead of getting pissed about this here, just promote your game. I'm used to waiting years for good game software, so build some hype and I'll be dying to give you my ten bucks.
Lepton said 1:19PM on 6-30-2008
I'm steamed too, I could easily have been ready for opening day if they had let me in. I'm at a total loss as to why they didn't let me in. And yes, it is going to cost me money.
But all will be forgotten in a month or so when I'm in. When you pull back and look at the amazing OS, dev system, and store system they have going, developers can see this is going to be big time and long term. This OS is not just for a little phone. I see a very, very big future here, and more devices coming.
PaulBart said 2:51PM on 6-30-2008
* Re-apply!! *
I originally signed-up for the iPhone developer program when it was first announced (Feb or Mar, I think). I was never 'accepted'.
Shortly after WWDC08 (June 2008), I decided to try re-applying (using different .mac account name, different address, etc). I was 'accepted' (they took my $99) within about a week.
I haven't finished writing any apps yet, so I don't know how long it'll take to get an application 'approved' for the app store, but at least I'm allowed to submit an app now.
I suggest that if you don't want to wait, try to re-apply. It can't hurt (IMO).
- Paulb
Roger said 3:17PM on 6-30-2008
Your replies to Drew make sense, but what's really annoying is not so much the waiting list, but the apparent whimsical nature of the acceptances. Why are new applicants getting accepted now when us early applicants are not? I don't really want to come up with a new email address just to sign up - I want to use the address I actually use, which is now apparently stuck in iPhone-limbo.
dijonaise said 12:43PM on 6-30-2008
You are luck you have an opportunity to code for the thing. The thing just launched, get in line, quit whining.
This tells you just how disruptive the next wave of computing is going to be. The coders are coming in waves, climbing all over each other to get in the door... How awesome is that?
Long - Time - Coming
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Rob said 12:48PM on 6-30-2008
Yet another reason to target Android (and yes, I am an iPhone owner). No one can tell you what you can and can't develop and sell or give away to whomever you want. Free as in Freedom.
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Xanthor said 1:04PM on 6-30-2008
Um, they aren't doing that here though. You can build any apps you want without being malicious or porn. And you can be free (as in beer).
Unlike Android you will have a built in way to make money out of the box. With a store, a nice profit margin, and a user base you will be in a great market.
With Android you will have a download page and mostly hackers having fun. How many of your non-tech friends go to the Google codebase?
One model respects the hacker, the other respects how the market actually works giving buyer and seller unique advantages.
Sparks said 1:10PM on 6-30-2008
For all that I find some of the App Store restrictions annoying on first glance, I've also had such horrible experiences with third-party software on Windows Mobile smartphones that I'm a bit torn.
In retrospect, given some of the bad experiences I had (or how much some of the software mucked up my phone), I would have loved a store on my HTC Wallaby, Blueangel or Wizard where I could go, know that the apps had been vetted and weren't going to cause everything else to break or uber-drain my battery. I would have spent a great deal less time uninstalling software (or completely reinstalling the OS to get rid of last little dregs!) and wasted a lot less money on apps that proved to be completely useless. (The number of Today screen plugins I went through trying to find the ideal calendar-display one was depressing. One of them cut my battery life by a full third. Just to display the calendar on the main screen!) Moreover, installing the apps could be a pain; I had a friend who got a T-Mobile Dash and then ended up needing my help to get all their software set up. A nice icon you tap that just gives you a place to shop? Could be a vast improvement.
So I'm torn. The developer in me goes, 'Man, these restrictions bother me! Grmph! Apple should make this more open!' But then the smartphone user in me goes, 'Wait... this actually means I have some degree of quality assurance going into this stuff! I can shop with more confidence this time! And I won't have to help others get software onto their phone!'
So I'm going to sit and wait a bit on this, and see what comes of it before crying foul too loudly, I think.
Chase said 1:07PM on 6-30-2008
not that we can buy the Battlestar Galactica episodes off of iTunes. Stupid NBC/Universal...
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Jimmy said 4:07AM on 7-02-2008
Battlestar Galactica = Please don't associate nerds and my TUAW.
Roger said 3:10PM on 6-30-2008
Waiting list? It seems more like a random lottery at best. I signed up on day 2 (only because I couldn't even load the page on day 1) and I still haven't heard anything yet. Meanwhile my manager applied a couple of weeks ago and got in last week. (Both of us as individual developers.) I might mention that I've been a Select member for a couple of years, and he just has the free membership, so that doesn't seem to matter.
The impression I'm getting from multiple stories is that anyone who signs up now gets in, while those of us who applied early got blacklisted or lost. I've tried to reapply, but the site apparently remembers signups and won't let you try again!
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oz_paulb said 3:19PM on 6-30-2008
I ended up creating a different .mac ID so I could re-apply. I also used a different email address, physical address, etc. As I said (above), my second application was 'approved' within about 1 week.
It really does sound like many of the people who signed-up immediately after the program was announced (as I did) have had their applications 'lost' or 'back-burnered', where newer applications are making it. I'm guessing that not *all* new applications are making it, but you get another chance at the 'lottery' by re-applying.
- Paulb
oz_paulb said 3:29PM on 6-30-2008
I ended up creating a different .mac ID so I could re-apply. I also used a different email address, physical address, etc. As I said (above), my second application was 'approved' within about 1 week.
It really does sound like many of the people who signed-up immediately after the program was announced (as I did) have had their applications 'lost' or 'back-burnered', where newer applications are making it. I'm guessing that not *all* new applications are making it, but you get another chance at the 'lottery' by re-applying.
(third time's a charm?? what's up with the comment system here? sorry if this ends up getting posted multiple times - I'm re-submitting because I never got the confirmation email)
- Paulb
oz_paulb said 3:22PM on 6-30-2008
I ended up creating a different .mac ID so I could re-apply. I also used a different email address, physical address, etc. As I said (above), my second application was 'approved' within about 1 week.
It really does sound like many of the people who signed-up immediately after the program was announced (as I did) have had their applications 'lost' or 'back-burnered', where newer applications are making it. I'm guessing that not *all* new applications are making it, but you get another chance at the 'lottery' by re-applying.
(sorry if this ends up getting posted twice - I'm re-submitting because I never got the confirmation email)
- Paulb
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Steve said 3:29PM on 6-30-2008
I applied a few weeks ago (as an individual developer) and got an email a week or two later telling me I was accepted. Nothing special on my part. In fact I wasn't expecting a reply so quick. Seems almost random to me...
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Lukas Zeller said 4:36PM on 6-30-2008
If it's just that Apple does not want 25k, but only 4k developers for the first round, it would totally make sense to pick these at random, with NO preference of small vs. big, long-time-developers vs. newcomers, early and late subscribers etc. This way, they get a good statistical sample of everything - known brands, clever no-names, average stuff, and even a few bad guys to stress test their security measures. Of course such a strategy additionally offers the perfect disguise for a few not-so-random picks as well, if they really need that (I don't hope so).
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Josh said 4:54PM on 6-30-2008
Where do they get their 6 month estimate? They site no references at all instead they say, "we hear that..."
Robert, it is very irresponsible of you to post something with no credibility. What are we here ZDNet or something?
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Robert Palmer said 4:59PM on 6-30-2008
Y'see Josh, if you go on ahead and read the second paragraph where I check with my sources, you can have the satisfaction of knowing you're right.
Josh said 5:12PM on 6-30-2008
Well golly.... I still think your post is irresponsible regardless of your "second paragraph" which I did read.
Your time estimate is complete and utter speculation no matter how clever a response you come back with...
You checked with your sources? Where did they get the info?