And yet, with all of those good things, I am reminded of the fact that the App Store hasn’t made me rich. Instead of trying to find success on the App Store, what if I should be looking elsewhere? Maybe I should be selling books on Amazon’s Kindle. Maybe I should be making Android apps again. Maybe I should be focusing on my own website more? That is when I can see the negatives of Apple’s App Store…
Annual Fee — I don’t like the annual fee. Even though it’s not a lot of money, it’s a yearly reminder to gauge Apple’s importance. If their usefulness fades, then I might not renew. While Apple is doing great now, what about the future? With the Android Market, there is no such limitation. The $25 that I paid years ago makes me a registered Android Developer today.
Slow reviews — I don’t like Apple’s slow review process. This hurts my sales because it delays my reaction time. Getting apps rejected for stupid reasons is also frustrating. And when an app gets rejected, Apple doesn’t work to quickly resolve the problem. You get bumped to the back of the line. It’s like the bread lines in communist Russia. Perhaps a better comparison is with the DMV. I spent less time waiting to get a driver’s license than getting an app approved. With a car, people can die. What is Apple doing that takes so long? The most valuable company in the world can’t speed up the process? They can’t afford to hire some more people to review apps?
Stupid reviews — I think 99¢ games have spoiled a lot of people. The expectations are too high. Squeaky toys for dogs can cost more than an app. Even if I went to a local dollar store, I wouldn’t find much entertainment in the toy section — bubble soap, plastic kazoos, balloons and other simple items. I worked for six months on BOT, but some of the feedback was like I killed the family pet. Is there really much sense in competing in this market — a market where chucking birds at blocks is a popular pastime?
…but overall, I’m probably going to renew my developer registration next month. If I didn’t, it would be like throwing money away. For now, Apple’s App Stores are the best around.
Great idea………..why to use apple if you are a developer? You can handle the whole process with making an app, marketing it and selling by yourself. But is it really going to bring you the expected traffic? If so than do not hesitate and start doing it on your own. You can be successful and famous. And it is a good challenge. Good luck, you can make it!