Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, iPhone, App Store
Waiting on Spore and the App Store approval process
Update: The wait is over! As of 3:00 PM Eastern, the iPod touch/iPhone version of Spore Origins is available (with exclusive features) for $9.99US [App Store link].Spore Origins for the iPhone does exist. We've seen it. However, as of this writing, it still hasn't spawned in the App Store.
Several months ago, it was announced that an iPhone companion would be released on the same date as the desktop version. An iPod version is available (in fact it preceded the full version of Spore), but iPhone users are still waiting to evolve. What gives?
Granted, it's not even 24 hours late, but we've heard stories of Apple taking their sweet time in approving App Store applications. One developer even told us of receiving notification that their application was available hours before it actually showed up in the store.
Of course, we cannot confirm the reason for Spore's tardiness. We will keep our eyes peeled for it, and let you know when it arrives.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
jake Moore said 1:13PM on 9-08-2008
Do you guys know if you can create a creature on the iPhone, then import it to the desktop version?
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who? said 1:26PM on 9-08-2008
That was originally the plan, but I believe they gave up on it and now it is going to be strictly native. Sucks.
bryon brock said 5:40PM on 9-08-2008
It's been released you can check out some screenshots over here: http://www.iphone-hacks.com/2008/09/08/spore-origins-released-for-iphone-iphone-3g-ipod-touch/
Ari B said 1:24PM on 9-08-2008
Spore Origins for my ipod- Fun distraction on my train commute to/from work.
The full Spore game? The most fun I've had on my computer in *years*
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Wrigster said 1:26PM on 9-08-2008
Spore was rejected for "Limited Utility"
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/09/04/iphone-app-rejected-for-limited-utility/
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heytpn said 4:38PM on 9-08-2008
that's not spore. that's pull my finger.
Jeremy said 1:30PM on 9-08-2008
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=290183295&mt=8
:)
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brian said 2:12PM on 9-08-2008
wow.. how did you find that?
i guess im one of the first to have spore origins on my ipod touch :)
Cowfodder said 2:50PM on 9-08-2008
Doesn't appear to work. DL begins on iphone, but then you get the cannot install error message, and it tells you that it will be installed next time you sync with iTunes. Log into iTunes and check for purchases and there's nothing there.
brian said 3:07PM on 9-08-2008
Cowfodder,
sorry to hear that, but it works for me.. ive been playing it for a while now
Apple Rep. said 1:32PM on 9-08-2008
iphone FTW!!
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Paul Bradley said 1:36PM on 9-08-2008
"One developer even told us of receiving notificaiton [notification] that their application was available hours before it actually showed up in the store."
Oh the horror!!! When did all the editors here get replaced with people who cannot write a post without badmouthing Apple?
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LD said 1:44PM on 9-08-2008
I am not familiar with the App store process. But I know some developers can "turn on or off" the availability of their apps. Or at least my fuzzy memory seems to recall that.
So wouldn't it make sense for developers to get approved, manually not make their App available until such time as they could make an official announcement?
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Chris said 1:44PM on 9-08-2008
In the meantime, Apple continues to approve turds like this:
http://www.equixotic.com/2008/09/08/judging-a-book-by-its-cover/
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Ashwin said 3:22PM on 9-08-2008
First of all, that was a 15 year old kid. Second, if you were stuck in the middle of nowhere or you forgot where you parked, you would take back what you said in an instant.
Bob S. said 2:32PM on 9-08-2008
Gosh, if only EA had put a fart feature into it. Then Sadun would've written a whiny little post about how unfair it was to delay it.
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AudioBear said 2:37PM on 9-08-2008
I really wanted to like Spore. But no transfer of characters from iPhone to Mac and the really stupid DRM on Mac version means no purchase. I suggest we all boycott this so the Spore programmers can over through the accountants and management idiots.
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totoro said 2:40PM on 9-08-2008
"we've heard stories of Apple taking their sweet time in approving App Store applications. "
We have in the past, but just an anecdotal observation-I have seen several apps recently get updated twice within a few days (Now Playing and Labyrinth LE, for example) so obviously some apps are being submitted, approved, re-submitted, and re-approved in a timely manner. So in some cases, it may be Apple, but in others it may be the developers taking their time to get things right.
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Jared said 2:57PM on 9-08-2008
Spore Origins is in the app store. I have bought it and I am downloading it right now. Here is the link.
http://www.macrumors.com/link/http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=290183295&mt=8
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Matt R said 2:57PM on 9-08-2008
It's now available!
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=290183295&mt=8
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