Longtime mobile developer feels no love from Apple

Ilium Software products App Store debut delayed

Imagine you are a software development company that has been around for 11 years, with award-winning titles for mobile computing devices. You follow the rules, you submit iPhone versions of your applications to the App Store, and yet you still haven't seen your programs make it to the store.

This is the boat that a lot of developers are in, but it is particularly frustrating for Ilium Software. Ilium has sold two well-respected applications -- eWallet and ListPro -- for Palm OS and Windows Mobile devices for years, and has a number of other commercial and free mobile applications on the market.

According to Ilium spokesperson Ellen Craw, eWallet has been "in the queue" at Apple for over two weeks, and they can't get any word from App Store personnel on when their highly anticipated app will actually appear online. The comments in Ilium's blog are particularly revealing, as longtime customers are also frustrated by the black hole at Apple.

Having used Ilium's products before, I'm waiting for both ListPro and eWallet to show up in the store to fill those niches on my iPhone. What other great products are being held up by Apple? We'd love to know!

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Source: http://www.iliumsoft.com/site/iphone/index.php

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Analysis / Opinion Software Bad Apple Developer iPhone App Store

Imagine you are a software development company that has been around for 11 years, with award-winning titles for mobile computing devices....

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Camperton

ewallet is available in the store now.

July 19 2008 at 4:39 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Rego

"I can't stand Apple"

Then why are you on an apple blog?

July 19 2008 at 4:30 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

luz

It seems that once your waiting app gets mentioned in a high profile blog like TUAW it is a matter of hours until you get "special treatment" by Apple.
At least Illium seem to have had this kind of luck. Their original blog entry dates from July 16th, but once referenced by TUAW yesterday their app suddenly appeared in the App Store early today. Conincidence?

July 19 2008 at 4:48 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to luz's comment

Tarponsprings

In the real World, that is how it works...No company likes bad publicity, so the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Blogs like TUAW keep companies like Apple on their toes.

July 19 2008 at 11:32 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

coppercore7

An even better app . . . or should I say a lot better app that is still waiting is 1password for the iPhone. They just released the news that it won't be long. Those of us who have been sailing with Agile Web Solutions are all excited!! Check the app news and interface at:

http://www.agilewebsolutions.com/blog/

Sometimes its the excitement leading up to it that you remember the most!

July 19 2008 at 4:13 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Russ

eWallet is in the app store

July 19 2008 at 3:20 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

KeynoteKen

"Meanwhile, the App store is overrun with card games, flashlights, and a program that's simply a cowbell."

And you can bet that the card games, flashlights, and, yes, the cowbell are all orders of magnitude simpler, thus easier to test and clear than an app using 256-bit AES encryption to securely store your passwords, usernames, etc.

July 19 2008 at 2:09 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Jeff Hargrove

Well, I don't know if it is off-topic, but it is certainly contrary to the ongoing discussion in the comments.....

I would love TUAW (I love this blog) to do a comparison of all the apps that store your secure data .... and there are more and more every day being added.

July 19 2008 at 12:36 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

iball

Hey, whiny developers! Apple jsut released your silly app into the App Store.
Bet you feel special now, don't you?
You going to come in here whining again when you release another app?

July 19 2008 at 12:26 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

winkyeah

I've been waiting for those apps and coming from a past customer of Ilium, I can't imagine why it would take Apple so long to approve them. They are an excellent, stable company.

July 18 2008 at 8:54 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Tim Rosencrans

maybe they should use the time to come up with a new icon for listPro. mean these only like 100 or so Apps so far that have a checkmark for an icon. its getting so of scary.

July 18 2008 at 7:50 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply