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The Standard of the App Store

Where has the standard of the App Store gone?

Nathan wilson, Blogger

May 14, 2014

3 Min Read
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The standard that is the Apple App Store.  I think we all as indie developers understand what that means, countless hours tweaking code and metadata to be "acceptable" by Apple's standards.  Emphasis on that Acceptable because, what is this "standard" they so meticulously enforce?  With the recent chart toppers in the game section, im not so sure.  This topic was sparked by me and my co owner at FAD Games, while we were doing our daily run of the app stores contenders.  "Weed firm" appeared at number 8.  I didn't think anything of it at the time, mabye a fun little app about smoking weed or weed wallpaper app, nope.  What lies within was a full on drug dealing, pot smoking, hooker having, criminal life.  Looking back on some of our apps (yes we had one weed app in our time).  Weed wallpapers had been on the store, done decently well over time, and then, Apple decided it wasnt right for their store and took it down.  No we see a straight up Grand Theft Auto game entering the store, and i can't help but wonder, where has the sense of "quality" gone.  I have always held Apple to a higher standard for their store, because they have always held me when publishing.  They've rejected me for an app the times/tests peoples patience because the app served no other purpose than to test your patience... Yeah that's the point duh.  

On a different note, I decided to change the style of descriptions we would write for the store.  Im sure most of you have read the best of craigslist ads (if you haven't, then i urge you to do so, they are remarkable).  In those ads we see in your face pun enhanced vividly descriptive sales pitches from individuals.  Yet i decide to take that idea and insert some phrases like  "


YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO PLAY? GREAT! 
IF YOU DID I WOULD EXPECT NOTHING LESS THAN 4 PAGE PAPER ON WHY THE MOON IS NOT MADE OF CHEESE (IS IT? I DON'T KNOW, AND NEITHER DO YOU, BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE!) 

ON THE SUBJECT OF THE MOON, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SHOOTING FOR, THE MOON, THE SUN, THE SKY, THE INFINITE ABYSS OF AWESOMENESS (YOU CAN FIND ME DOWN THE HALL AND TO THE RIGHT)

"

and i get rejected because my marketing pitch does not have to do with the game.  Excuse me, its a MARKETING PITCH, its supposed to get them IN THE GAME, directions on how to play aren't very captivating to me.

 

So where is Apples standard going to?  Are we going to be contemplating nude wallpaper apps, and sexual fantasy games?  I believed this to be something for competitors markets not the prideful and pure Apple App Store.  Believe im here to make money in the market, and i will take whatever path allows me to do so, but the double standards and the shifting in morality is just a variable i can't seem to calculate for anymore.

 

 

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