Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Bad Apple, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Magic trick developers find the trick is on them
Update: The CEO of Theory11 wrote TechCrunch to say that, after Phil Schiller got involved, the Rising Card app was approved and is now on the store. Here's the iTunes link, and it's $2.99.Just when you thought the App Store approval process could not get any weirder comes word that the developers of magic tricks for the iPhone are coming under increased scrutiny from the gatekeepers at Apple.
According to the iTricks website, developer Chris Kenner's Rising Card app has been sitting in App Store limbo after Apple suggested the app might violate their guidelines.
Which guideline might that be? Consumer confusion of course. The developers respond that many tricks rely on confusing the consumer, that's how people get fooled.
The dust-up is causing many magic trick developers to have second thoughts about the App Store. They may re-do their trick as a web app, or work to find some way around Apple.
One magic developer, Hotrix, is selling so called 'Premier' apps that don't require the App Store at all. It works well, but I'm not at liberty to divulge how they are doing it.
One of my colleagues quite correctly points out that Apple has not been overly long in the approval process, and the apps are likely held up because they mess with some of the strict iPhone interface guidelines. Apple is setting the 'confusion' bar pretty low, but one can understand both sides in this controversy.
Gerald Kirchner, who runs Magic City and has produced some first class magic apps, sees the dilemma. "Apple has a point when they say the spectator would be confused, as the iPhone is not "working correctly". Apple is all about the "Apple experience", in a way, we magicians are taking that "Apple experience" away. There is an app in Cydia that I love that makes it look like your friend breaks your phone and cracks the screen. It is great fun, but does Apple really want to condone software that makes it look like you broke their device. It sucks, because I make a lot of these tricks, but I understand Apples views."
Still, it would be nice if the App Store had consistent guidelines. We've been all over that topic, but the issues remain.
Advice to Apple: Be careful about messing with someone who has a magic wand.
Thanks Harrison for the tip.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
dastranger said 8:19PM on 8-11-2009
The irony is that one of the greatest magicians of the 20th Century, Dai Vernon, once said:
"Confusion isn't magic."
Indeed.
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magicvash said 8:34PM on 8-11-2009
In a discussion on why potatos, lemons and bananas are funny to an audience, while apples and oranges are not.
Dai Vernon: "I think the reason why people find bananas amusing is because they slip on banana peels..."
Michael Ammar: *in a low voice* "I think there may be another reason to why they find bananas funny..."
----
"No self-respecting gay guy would have ever made some of the hair and clothing choices I am still trying to live down." David Copperfield
"A magician is an actor playing the part of a magician." - Robert Houdin
See I can do it too. ;-) It's not about confusion. It's about taking something that people expect to work a certain way and making it not. It's no different from taking a napkin and making it float or taking a sword and ramming it through your assistant's belly.
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dev said 8:52PM on 8-11-2009
seriously? we're now sticking up for crappy apps? i bet what you're not at liberty to divulge is that he's just compiling different builds of an app and selling them as pre-distribution betas. does no one else think there isn't enough cutting that goes on in the app store process? maybe apple should cut apps that lack value.
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Hottrix said 10:29AM on 8-13-2009
Premier Apps are NOT Betas or AdHoc. They can be downloaded by anybody directly to their iPhone and iPod touch.
Our technology is safe, legal, and fully complies with Apple guidelines.
We explain in detail how Premier Apps work on our site: http://www.hottrixdownload.com/iphone/
paperless said 11:24AM on 8-13-2009
Does the iPhone or iPod need to be jailbroken? If then how does it work? It's puzzling me.
B said 8:57PM on 8-11-2009
@dev -- Do they require your iphone uid to distribute it to you when doing that?
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Ryan said 10:20PM on 8-11-2009
How could you not use a picture of Gob from Arrested Development?
"it's not a trick. It's an illusion."
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Maxwell said 11:01PM on 8-11-2009
The point is: Apple is determining what apps are available in a way that they do NOT do for music or videos. They should either let developers sell what they make - with warning messages as appropriate - or let developers sell directly to consumers, as Palm developers can do. I moved from the Palm to the iPhone, and this sort of folderol on Apple's part just seems totally lame. Don't they have BETTER things to do?
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Al Lang said 3:04AM on 8-12-2009
Quote: "does Apple really want to condone software that makes it look like you broke their device"
It's not their device. It's my device.
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tevetorbes said 9:09AM on 8-12-2009
I'm not trying to incite a riot, nor am I'm trying to troll or ask rhetorical questions. If you have some insight, please provide it.
What is the difference between Apple dictating what they want to run on their device and Nintendo dictating what they want to run on the Wii? I mean, you can't play an XBOX game on a Wii or vice-versa. Nobody seems to mind- or do they?
I just don't understand. Apple laid out the rules and developers have to follow them. Nobody ever claimed that the App Store was a democracy- thems the breaks, right?
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tabaks said 9:23AM on 8-12-2009
What do you mean you can't say how's Hottrix doing it? You are suddenly censoring? Well, I'll tell:
THEY ARE SELLING VIDEO CLIPS THAT APPEAR LIKE A PHONE IS AFFECTED INONE WAY OR ANOTHER. AT THE SAME TIME, THOSE ARE ONLY VODEOS YOU RUN IN YOUR PHONE'S VIDEO PLAYER, AS PART OF THE IPOD FUNCTIONALITY.
P.S. And, those are pretty lame clips at that.
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lucM said 2:33PM on 8-12-2009
If you watch the Hottrix demo of iHypno Premier App there is no doubt that these things behave like real apps: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRJil0SWm5I
Turns out they make tricks using 3 different kinds of technologies. Apps on app store and 2 other kinds on the Hottrix site.
Martin said 11:36AM on 8-12-2009
It's nearly insulting how stupid Apple assumes the majority of their users are.
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Jeff said 1:49PM on 8-12-2009
With somewhere around 21 million iPhones sold, I'm not sure they're wrong.
It's just a numbers game. :)
backpalm said 1:15PM on 8-12-2009
@tabaks You are entirely wrong.
Hottrix Premier Apps are totally interactive just like app store apps.
Here's a quote from the Hottrix website:
"Premier Apps are instantly downloadable directly to any updated iPhone or iPod touch. They don't need internet connection to run and behave exactly like app store apps. For added mystery they can also be performed on a friend's or spectator's device."
I got iHypno and it sure is NOT a video but totally like an app.
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Magicmandave said 1:33PM on 8-12-2009
What the? Someone didn't take their medicine this morning - iHypno isn't a video, cause it runs as an icon from my home screen. I don't know how they do it ... But it sure works and it was a lot less hassle than the App Store (I keep having problems with it not liking my credit card!!!). Perhaps you should check your facts tabaks! Sheesh!!
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