May 16
May 16
Apple has passed the 50bn app download point, with one App Store user taking away a $10,000 iTunes card for being the person who pushed the firm across the milestone. More than 800 apps per second – or over 2bn apps per month – are being grabbed on iOS, Apple said today, with over 850,000 titles to choose from.
350,000 of those are native iPad apps, Apple highlights, perhaps a small dig at Google which has struggled to see the same developer engagement in Android tablets. Yesterday, during the opening keynote to Google I/O, Google confirmed that over 48bn Android apps had been installed.
The 50-billionth iOS download itself was Say the Same Thing by developer Space Inch, Apple confirmed, downloaded by Brandon Ashmore from Mentor, Ohio.
The App Store has been a lucrative endeavor for not only Apple but developers as well. The company has supposedly paid out more than $9bn to coders over the past five years. The 50bn figure doesn’t include re-downloads or updates, only the first app install.
In the intervening period, the number of available apps a smartphone OS has to offer has become an important metric in the potential success of the platform. Microsoft, for instance, paid developers ahead of the launch of Windows Phone, to make sure certain key titles were available. However, more recently, the focus has turned in part to app discovery, with well-stocked download stores struggling to present good titles in an efficient way. That’s something iOS 7 is expected to address later on in 2013.
Apple passes 50bn App Store downloads is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
May 15
Apple Hits 50 Billion Apps Served
Posted in: Today's Chili
Someone out there just won a $10,000 iTunes gift card, Apple’s way of saying “Thanks” for downloading its 50 billionth iOS app.
May 15
You think 50 billion is a big number? It’s certainly a bit bigger than some other numbers that spring to mind, such as 48 billion, and that in itself gives Apple something to celebrate. As is customary with these App Store milestones, whichever lucky jackanape triggered their download at just the right millisecond will receive a gift — a $10,000 iTunes voucher, no less — while 50 runners-up will get $500-worth of credit each.
But none of that is the really big, big news. What matters here is the rate of growth, which seems to have accelerated during the course of this year. It took 14 weeks for the App Store to get from 40 billion to 45 billion downloads between January and April, but less than 4 weeks to get from 45 to 50 billion. Now, we’re totally dependent on Apple’s internal stock-takers, not to mention an erratic ticker (“for illustrative purposes only”), but if those numbers are even remotely accurate then they represent something of a popularity surge.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile
Source: Apple
May 07
Apple is rather notorious for ruling over the App Store with an iron fist. Just because developers have their app accepted to be offered via the App Store doesn’t mean Apple won’t change its mind later and ban the application. This is exactly what some developers reporting is going on now.
Apple has reportedly begun banning some app discovery tools and other applications if the apps feature “filtering, bookmarking, searching, or sharing recommendations.” One app developer says that his app discovery tool was blocked by Apple because of features that interfere with App Store regulation 2.25. That particular regulation has to do with restricting apps that could be confused by consumers as app stores.
Apple has apparently expanded the coverage of regulation 2.25 to ban sharing via e-mail or social networks. The ability to search the Apple App Stored using third-party applications is also reportedly blocked. The developer whose app has been blocked describes his application as being “primarily focused on sharing recommendations to your friends.”
The developer notes that he hasn’t seen this particular rejection notice before and believes it to be new. The dev also says that it was previously stated that developers who “bake in” social or local services into their apps would be fine. The developer believes that his app is either not social enough for Apple’s liking or Apple has changed its position. App Store regulation 2.25 reads, “apps that display Apps other than your own for purchase or promotion in a manner similar to or confusing with the App Store will be rejected.”
[via Pocketgamer]
Apple blocked my app for sharing accuses iOS dev is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
May 02
Ever since it launched the first iPhone back in 2007, Apple has achieved a number of significant milestones. It has moved record numbers of products each quarter, raked in record breaking profits year after year and also briefly clinched the title of the world’s most valuable company. Apple is about to achieve yet another milestone in the near future. The app download count from iTunes App Store is going to reach and cross 50 billion soon, and to celebrate this phenomenal milestone, Apple has set up a countdown.
Whosoever downloads the 50 billionth app from iTunes App Store will receive a $10,000 Apple Store gift card. That’s not all, the next 50 customers who download apps after the 50 billionth one will be given App Store gift cards worth $500. Back in February last year, the company launched a similar countdown when the App Store was about to hit 25 billion downloads. This goes to show that app downloads have nearly doubled in just one year alone. There’s absolutely no slowing down the fastest growing app ecosystem, which not only contributes a substantial amount to Apple’s revenues, but is also a staple source of income for many developers around the world.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: iMacs Get 256GB And 512GB Flash Storage Options On Apple Store, Apple Curved Batteries Patents Hint At New Designs For Mobile Devices, 
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Apr 26
Along with its refresh of the Featured section in the iTunes App Store, Apple has added a section dedicated to educating people about in-app purchases and what they are exactly. This was most likely added to address the recent fiascos with users accidentally purchasing in-app content on their iOS device.
The user guide, called “Learn more about in-app purchases,” explains what in-app purchases are exactly, and how they work. Plus, it teaches users how to prevent their kids from gaining access to in-app purchases where they might spend a crazy amount of money on virtual goods otherwise.
While kids obviously don’t really know what in-app purchases are, a surprising number of parents are also ignorant on the subject, especially new owners of an iOS device. Of course, that’s not necessarily the parents’ fault, since Apple or other developers have never really explained what in-app purchases are in detail.
However, Apple’s new user guide aims to clear up any confusion on the subject, and it even teaches parents on how to add parental controls to various apps, including the ability to restrict kids from downloading additional content without the parents’ permission. We’re not sure how much of an effect this will have in the future, but at least the Cupertino-based company is doing their due diligence.
Apple educates users on in-app purchases with new user guide is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Apr 18
We have been covering the AppGratis debacle every since it unfolded last week. AppGratis was a very popular app discovery app for iOS, Apple pulled it from the App Store saying that it violated their guidelines. The developers of this app are adamant that there are no violations, and they have even started a petition to garner support from their users who want the app back. A petition isn’t going to strong arm Apple, in fact that company has dealt another blow to AppGratis, by putting an end to its push notifications.
Since the app is no longer available for download, only those who had previously installed it were able to use the service. They will no longer be getting push notifications that AppGratis sent out informing its users of app offers. The French company will now work around this by launching a daily special offers newsletter that will inform subscribers about the latest app offers, which is the entire premise for this service. The company will also be developing an HTML5 web app. Despite all of its troubles with Apple, AppGratis CEO tells users that they’re just getting started.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Griffin’s Crayola Light Marker For The iPad Lets Your Kids “Paint” With Light, Mobiplex Unveils ProView App And SwingTIP Bluetooth Accessory To Help Improve Your Golf Swing, 
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Apr 18
China‘s National Office Against Pornographic and Illegal Publications has targeted Apple, ordering the company and nearly 200 other websites to remove what it has decided is unacceptable content. Apple hasn’t yet commented on the matter, but Bloomberg reports that it was smacked with orders to remove content that wasn’t named, while other websites were completely shut down.
In addition to Apple, the website Shupeng and nine more were also told to remove content that the government had deemed obscene. Others suffered a worse fate, with 21 websites being completely shut down, with the final tally coming in at 175 more ordered to eradicate certain content. Apple hasn’t commented on the matter, and what content is slated for removal is said to point to apps for the iPad and iPhone.
Of course, this action is following what had been extensive complaints in Chinese media regarding the Cupertino company’s warranty and repair policies, which were said to be unfair and cause undue burden. Such complaints were enough to prompt an apology from Tim Cook himself, who said warranty and repair policies would be improved. He went on to give bullet points on what steps would be taken to rectify the issue.
This public apology and promise to form a solution caused a 360-degree turn in media, with Apple going from being vilified to being hailed as an example for other companies in America to follow. Even the nation’s Foreign Ministry jumped into the matter, being quoted as saying that it “approves of what Apple said,” referring to the apology. It said the statement “eased the situation, softening the tense relationship between Apple and the Chinese market.”
[via Bloomberg]
Apple told by China to remove obscene content from online store is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Apr 17
Apple had recently been the target of what was supposedly a state sponsored propaganda campaign in China. It was rumored that the company’s troubles in the People’s Republic could end up costing it billions of dollars. Apple CEO also apologized to China, a move which saw state media mince its harsh words against the company. Today it has been reported that Apple has been named in an ongoing investigation regarding porn apps in the country.
The People’s Daily of China published a list of websites and app stores that are allegedly providing pornographic content in China. Among the names of various other app stores, Apple is listed as well. The Cupertino based company is pretty clear in its App Store guidelines that it does not allow pornographic content, does this mean that yet another campaign is being launched against Apple? Analysts believe that the Chinese government occasionally uses bans on pornography in order to censor content it deems politically insensitive. So far Apple has not issued an official comment on this situation. Any ideas as to why Apple is being targeted once again?
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Apple Not Releasing Anything ‘New’ In 2013 [Economist], Lacking Demand May Cause 30% iPad Mini Q2 Shipments Drop, 
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