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Apple Launches ITunes App Store With 500+ Apps
L. Miriam writes "Apple launched the iTunes App store for the iPhone and iPod Touch today, following the earlier launch of iTunes 7.7. There are over 500 applications available for download, with prices ranging from free to around $35. Both MySpace and Facebook apps are there, as well as a mix of games, utilities and ebooks. You can download applications now, but you can't do anything with them until the iPhone/iPod 2.0 firmware is released. The App Store can't be accessed directly through iTunes, but Mobile Computer explains how to get to it, and has a few screenshots, too."
It is very frustrating. Some of the developers I know have been waiting for months. I have personally been waiting for about a month. From what everyone can tell the process is completely random who gets in but most people aren't talking about it because of the NDA Apple makes you sign to get in the program. Some people have been coding for Macs for years professionally (which is extremely similar to coding for the iPhone) and have been part of the ADC for years and haven't gotten the cert while people who have been coding for a week have signed up and received the cert almost immediately. General consensus among devs is also that this is the reason why many of the Apps in the App store look bad: because they are being done by people who have little experience writing Apple applications. I'm not saying they are all bad, I'm just saying that its not like Apple is only letting in the best. Many good developers are still waiting to get approved and I think we will see many more good apps as more of the developers are allowed in.
There are a lot of people buying iPhones who aren't "Apple fanboys", and these people will start spending actual money on apps. On many phones you'll have some random ringtones and free Java games and such, but you tend not to have a large catalog of apps you paid for. On the iPhone, if you consider moving to another phone after spending a lot of money on apps you'll have to throw it away and re-purchase everything.
Look, I'm not actually complaining. I own an iPod Touch and plan on paying the $10 for the upgrade and buying some of the really cool stuff I've seen. I'm just saying... it's an interesting market trend. It also makes me think Jobs' allergic reaction to Java won't dissipate anytime soon...
E pluribus unum