Developer frustrated over Game Center use by pirates

As an iPhone developer it is indeed sad to see this. The only thing Apple can do is add a way to block Installous and such programs.

There are many countries that don't have access to the App Store yet they can purchase iPhones, iPods and iPads either through semi-official resellers or on the the grey market. Countries like Ukraine with a population of nearly 50 Million have no way to buy apps or music from the iTunes store unless they have a foreign bank account. With no official carier support most of these devices require jail breaking to unlock them as well. This is true in many countries.

I think to some degree Apple is aware of the widespread use of cracked apps but realizes maintaining market / mind share and device sales in unofficial markets requires turning a blind eye towards it.

To you guys whining about Jailbreak "discrimination", the author isn't saying that Jailbreaking equals piracy. It's just that to pirate apps you have to be jailbroken. Get it?

Let's start with the first thing, Jailbreaking doesn't not equal piracy. My iPhone and iPad are jailbroken, but its for extra features like LockInfo and SBSettings,

I never have or will pirate an app. The developers spent their time working hard on it. If you want to know if an App is good, look at user reviews, there's always a few that actually provide good insight. Or instead of pirating, just wait a bit and see if it drops in price by any chance (assuming its above the $.99 price).

Honestly, I get pissed off when people say they can't spend a dollar on an app. You've spent all that money for the device, and you can't spare an extra dollar??
What bothers me more is that its people who you know have the extra money like this guy in my class. He asked me how to pirate Angry Birds claiming he's poor when he spends a grand every month customizing his car. Don't even tell me you're poor.

I hate seeing people talk about jailbreaking and piracy as if they're the same thing. I've run jailbroken iDevices for the past 3 years and have never pirated an app. Locking jailbroken devices out of game center is pretty heavy handed and would punish a lot of people who haven't done anything wrong. I like the suggestion by Jeffrey below that Apple just link your game center ID to an iTunes account; if the game isn't in your purchase history, you can't use the game center features,

Maybe I've missed the appeal, or maybe my friends don't buy the same games as I do, but I never open GC. I don't care about stats on any of my games.

Perhaps once they start adding Achievement Points (which are coming in iOS5), GC will be a bigger draw for customers, but I have no interest in a leaderboard...

Sorry ... Wants not Needs

Yes this game does suck ... but I paid the whole .99 to find this out. Big Damn Deal!
It costs 5 bucks for a cup of coffee, so if I try 5 apps that don't live up to my expectations I'm out a cup of coffee ..WWHHAA cry me a river.
There is no excuse to pirate ... Pay or do without ... thats life, I'd love a ferrari ... cant justify the expense ... don't have one.
Apps are not wants not needs and as Mick say we don't always get them.
As too why people want to do well on game center ... Competition!!!! isn't that whole idea of playing ... challenging your friends and earning bragging points ... Ban all cheaters!! Stryker767 - Gametag ... bring it ...I'm game

It shouldn't be that difficult to implement.
Make Game Center users log in with there iTunes account and check that account against purchases, if you purchased the game your playing your in if not you get billed for it!!

Isn't there another possibility here? I thought it was perfectly legal to install your paid app on any device I own and can share with family members. If I play with multiple accounts, perhaps one fro my iPhone and another for my iPad wouldn't that also multiply the potential number of Game Center users?