Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple Corporate, iPod Family, iPhone, App Store, SDK
iPhone 2.1 SDK Disappointments
Something is rotten in the state of Cupertino. Mr. Jobs, TEAR DOWN THIS NDA.
If the new iPhone 2.1 beta firmware is anything, it's a perfect excuse to say: "I told you so." It explains why the NDA failed to disappear on schedule. Apple kept its promise -- "Ve shall delivah the 2.0 iPhone und SDK on Yuly 11th" -- while working around the fact that that SDK was half baked at best. It was certainly not ready for prime time. The NDA simply expands the beta period. It offers cover to Apple, as they scramble to finish developing ready-to-ship software.
In retrospect, there really was no need for the NDA in the first place, nor this second new 2.1 NDA that just debuted. Anyone, including Apple's competitors -- even the really evil "big brother" ones -- can sign up and download the SDK for free. Apple isn't exactly keeping things hush hush on the down low.
All the NDA does right now is keep developers from talking to each other and blogs, magazines and book authors from publishing how-to articles. Said articles, etc., could actually help Apple reduce its tech support overhead. It would certainly help solidify the brand and allow third parties to make better, stronger App Store entries.
It made no sense then. It makes no sense now. But that's not where the grumbling ends. Our TUAW tipsters have been busy. They tell us that Apple is busy rejecting Applications from the App Store for grammar mistakes in onboard help files (not a joke) and for not presenting the user with the best playability options (also not a joke). Many of these frustrated developers tell us that some of their products have been waiting for review for four weeks and up and that their updates are getting caught in the gears. One wrote that his apps are getting poor reviews while fixes can't see the light of day.
And if the TUAW tipsters' tips are true (thanks TUAW tipsters), the new SDK throws a further wrench into the gears. 2.0 SDK Applications will not be immediately compatible with version 2.1 (although that could change between beta and release).
Other tremendously terrific tipsters tell us that the newest beta program isn't fully open. Apparently only a subset of iPhone SDK development members have been granted access. That once again puts some developers at a tremendous financial disadvantage.
All in all, the buzz in developer circles is not happy. While some look forward to their first August paychecks from App Store, others remain waiting and frustrated in the wings.
As always, please continue to use our tip line if you have anything you want to add anonymously to the discussion. Otherwise, feel free to opine in our comments.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
AG said 5:12PM on 7-25-2008
If this is accurate, then Apple no longer resembles a company I want to deal with or purchase from. Too bad, as they are the most creative company in the tech business.
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elca said 5:18PM on 7-25-2008
Goodbye AG!
(sniff)
Tom W Browning said 5:30PM on 7-25-2008
All of this is misrepresented by Erica, for whatever weird reasons I can't be bothered getting into, apart from maybe the annoyance factor of the NDA.
The NDA is a bitch. I expect we will see it's end soon, I think right now Apple is glad of the reduced rate of development as it's giving them a chance to take a close look at their system. The sheer volume of shit in the App store probably has them worried. They don't want to open the floodgates on a ton more.
I don't know what 'best playability options' means, but rejecting apps based on grammar errors either seems like a gross understatement (i.e. an unreadably erroneous user guide) or one of several reasons. Without evidence how can we know? Would it not be above a developer to complain that Apple refused their application because of grammar errors, when in fact it was due to that AND the fact that it was buggy as hell, or just plain shit, say?
The developer program has always been tiered. Certain devs get access to things other devs don't. The 2.1 OS is a beta. It is not intended for (in fact, it flat-out cannot be used for) App store development. If every developer and their brother got hold of it, how would that help? Apple isn't providing it as a taster of features to come, or a chance for devs to get a heads up on development using those feature - it's a fucking BETA. It's for testing. Not development.
The idea of apps not being compatible is news to me, and seems likely to be a corruption of the fact that 2.1 can't be used to develop just yet.
Things are running slowly. This is unfortunate, and it is well within reason to suggest Apple should have been better prepared. But let's not overstate it. Let's just hope they streamline the process of selection soon.
Thomas said 6:00PM on 7-25-2008
Tom Browning has it exactly right. This article is a significant misrepresentation of the truth. As he says, the 2.1 OS is in BETA. The reason you can't use it to develop 2.0 apps is that it has features in it, like the expanded Location services, that don't exist in the 2.0 OS. Duh.
I do wish that updates were going through faster. My update for Morocco took one week, and from talking to other devs, it seems like the average is around 2 weeks. It really needs to be days.
BUT, the App Store is new and Apple is being flooded with developers and apps of wildly varying quality. Frankly, I'm glad that they are rejecting apps for grammar mistakes and useability issues. I wish they'd be even stricter since I've seen some I wouldn't have passed.
One other area I agree with is that the NDA is counterproductive. Apple and the state of iPhone apps would be much better if there was a better and more open development community. But that is stifled by the NDA.
Overall, though, I'm *very* impressed with the iPhone SDK, with the 2.0 OS, and with the App Store. It has some kinks that need to be worked out. But I have no doubt that they will be.
Isaac said 6:32PM on 7-25-2008
People named tom are smart.
JD said 6:48PM on 7-25-2008
Is all of this really worth the much-touted advantage of having all iPhone software vetted by Apple's benevolent dictatorship?
Everyone argued that a fully open platform would lead to chaos and crapware, but it seems that we've gotten chaos and crapware anyway. How much simpler it would all be if it were entirely open, and just relied on user ratings (a la versiontracker) to distinguish the good from the bad. Is all of this really worth it for preventing a few more crappy flashlight apps? And is Apple really prepared to have a massive staff continually vetting every update of each of thousands of apps?
Dan S. said 2:32PM on 7-26-2008
I wonder how much Erika would be complaining about the NDA, if
1) she didn't have a book deal (currently due on shelves in October) that depends upon the expiration of the NDA in order to actually be published -- I doubt the Zune book is paying the bills -- and,
2) she didn't get $5 per post here.
billg said 1:00PM on 7-28-2008
The Toms are correct. Once again, thank god for some degree of logic in Erica's "National Enquirer"-esque posts.
And Dan S. hit the nail on the head.
mark said 5:17PM on 7-25-2008
Great news for us Installer and Cydia types.
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Big John said 11:13PM on 7-25-2008
All six of you, Erica included, can sleep easy tonight.
Alex McKee said 9:20PM on 7-26-2008
I would be one of those 6 then. 3 to go!
Gil said 6:18PM on 7-30-2008
jailbreak fan here as well
atuck said 5:30PM on 7-25-2008
Hear, hear!
Damn Apple, you got served
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mrt2 said 11:11PM on 7-25-2008
You guys really need to get your panties out of a bunch... Apple is finally starting to gain market share in so many industries right now and really aggressively increasing their hold on the marketplace. It's in their best interest to protect their ideas and IP right now especially while they are just really getting a huge momentum. The need to keep a tight reign on things right now until they have a solid and long lasting position in the mobile and mobile touch market. Just give them time to secure their place and then I'm sure they'll be much less restrictive.
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Big John said 11:14PM on 7-25-2008
Don't place all of us devs under the same umbrella. This is a tempest in a teapot, mountain out of a molehill etc. that Erica is taking advantage of, using her large public mouthpiece to sound off. Thankfully it's late on a Friday night here in the east and this will be gone after the weekend, and hopefully the last such post Weblogs lets through like this.
kevin said 5:32PM on 7-25-2008
SHAME ON YOU APPLE! If this is what is actually happening in the world of the App Store, I am not only surprised Apple is not pushing though apps more quickly, but treating the Early Developers with MUCH MORE RESPECT.
How would you feel if your worked for weeks if not months on an application you'd love to release, only to have Apple reject it because they think it could be better.
I think the iPhone could be MUCH better! Im rejecting it Apple, and thats my reason for return. :)
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Sam said 9:08PM on 7-25-2008
Don't worry, this isn't what's happening. This article isn't very accurate. If the author knew anything for real, they wouldn't be able to share it with you.
kevin said 8:29AM on 7-26-2008
Based on the application description in MANY apps in the AppStore, I would have to say Apple does need to change its process for approval of applications.
When you have an Application getting a ton of bad reviews because of a bug or missing feature, and an update that would fix this has been pending for weeks, its got to be frustrating for the End User and Developer.
David Chartier said 5:31PM on 7-25-2008
Great piece Erica. It's troubling that this SDK situation is being handled so damn poorly. Apple desperately needs some kind of a blog or other communication method to clear train wrecks like this up.
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LB said 5:34PM on 7-25-2008
Who cares...Jiminy...just because your app isn't getting through fast enough isn't cause for alarm...I'm sure Apple is just trying to piss you off...plz.
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