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Microsoft Bans VoIP, Rival Stores At Mobile Market
narramissic writes "Microsoft has identified 12 application types that won't be accepted at the MarketPlace for Mobile store. Among them: VoIP apps, programs that are larger than 10MB, and programs that change the default browser on a device. Overly restrictive? Maybe. But perhaps the clear set of rules (PDF) will prevent confusion similar to what's been encountered over Apple's policy for approving or rejecting applications from the App Store."
We're up in arms because they don't want you using other companies products on their stuff?
This seems like a fairly normal corporate model: why give other companies a chance to wow your consumer base?
Meanwhile, Apple's latest evil is barring Trent Reznor from using his music in an app when they sell the uncensored version of his music on itunes. I think Apple is winning the 'my store is more evil' award for now.
Um, the restrictions are basically nothing. The ones Apple use are far more restrictive (e.g. arbitrarily remove an app just because it costs $1000 and does nothing but show a picture of a red ruby).
I can foresee this list spiralling.
Sadly one of the banned apps is the only thing that would make me return to WM -- an alternate dialer. The default dialer app uses about 50% of the screen real-estate for the virtual buttons, pretty much necessitating the use of a stylus to dial. Apple uses almost 100% of the screen, making dialing with your finger on glass much more reliable. Of course, the BlackBerry uses actual buttons, so that's what I have.
Dude, I think I can see my house from here.
Only the restriction on replacing the SMS/MMS interface seems braindamaged to me. You can likely already configure a winmo phone to send those messages via TCP. If I had unlimited internet on my cellphone (RAZR V3i) I could do this, and send SMS and MMS for free. (I don't...)
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
Windows® Marketplace for Mobile
Prohibited Application Types:
1. Applications that are or distribute alternate marketplaces for content types (applications,
games, themes etc.) that are sold or otherwise distributed through Windows® Marketplace for
Mobile.
2. Applications that link to, incent users to download, or otherwise promote alternate
marketplaces for content types that are sold or otherwise distributed through Windows
Marketplace for Mobile.
3. Applications that promote or link users to a website, or contain functionality within the
application itself, which encourages or requires the user to purchase or pay to upgrade the
application outside of Windows® Marketplace for Mobile.
4. Applications that enable VoIP (Voice over IP) services over a mobile operator network.
5. Applications that sell, link to, or otherwise promote mobile voice plans.
6. Applications that display advertising that does not meet the Microsoft Advertising Creative
Acceptance Policy Guide http://advertising.microsoft.com/creative-specs.
7. Applications that replace, remove or modify the default dialer, SMS, or MMS interface.
8. Applications that change the default browser, search client, or media player on the device.
9. Applications with an OTA (over the air) download >10 MB.
10. Applications that run code outside Microsoft runtimes (native, managed, and widgets)
11. Applications that publish a userâ(TM)s location information to any other person without first having
received the userâ(TM)s express permission (opt-in) to do so, and that do not provide the user a
means of opting out of having their location information published.
12. Applications that publish a userâ(TM)s data from their mobile device to any other person without first
having received the userâ(TM)s express permission (opt-in) to do so, and that do not provide the user
a means of opting out of having their data published. A âoeuserâ(TM)s dataâ includes, without limit,
contacts, photos, SMS or other text communication, browsing history, location information, and
other data either stored on the mobile device or stored in the âoecloudâ but accessible from the
mobile device
Microsoft reserves the right to update these policies as needed to protect the Windows® Marketplace
for Mobile service or the users of the service
"The Most Fun Possible on 4 wheels" is at SunBuggy in Las Vegas
Reading this I am starting to wonder how I managed to get software for my windows mobile devices all these years since I got an XDA in 2004.
"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
In their defense, this rule makes sense. In no company should one promote the activities of another rival company, this is natural. However it's another thing to Hitler things around, such as prohibiting VoIP. This is such a natural step in communication that it hurts to see that Microsoft kills innovation like this. I really admire the ignorance of those that support this store. This is no longer even about opinions, this is a plain fucking fact, do you want to pay your carrier for a service that you can get for free with another service you're already paying for? To me it's simple, get as far away from such a company as possible. They clearly have no interest in pleasing you, their interest lies in pleasing AT&T and Vodafone etc. That's where they get their income, by allowing other companies to fuck you over and then charge them for the service.
I am the lawn!
These issues are caused by the poor configuration and bloatware installed by the carriers, not Windows Mobile. Once I corrected my phone and ditched some of the crap installed by AT&T, my phone became a stable, feature rich, fast thing of beauty. Check out xda-developers.com for guidance.
To not get a Windows Mobile device
I don't see what citizen income equality has to do with the cost of SMS. Europe is a very competitive mobile market, so prices go down as a natural consequence. The US has quasi-monopolistic companies who can afford to tax whatever they want. As long as the customers are paying, it works.
Actually, I think the restrictions are reasonable. One thing to note is that it doesn't say the apps must change your default browser or dialer back to Microsoft's, it says you can't change them at all. In a way, this could be viewed as a good thing. Do I really want my copy of "Epic Game" changing my default browser from Opera for example? Or changing my dialer to something they made to promote their game? I think what MS is doing is fine, sure there is the problem that you can't get alternate browsers from the Market, but this isn't the iPhone. We can get are apps elsewhere.
Price fixing. Not excessive. Right...
I'm shocked by the mobile telephony prices in the US: $0.25 per text message. What The Fuck??
I get 50 messages for free every month (and 50 minutes of calls) for a monthly fee of nothing, and $0.032 per text after the first 50.
That's in the socialist haven that is Denmark, where income is most evenly distributed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_income_equality#cite_note-0 -- UN Gini, second most equal by CIA Gini, more equal than the US by every metric).
Yeah, but that's just because you vote on stuff like getting value for taxes, whereas we are stuck choosing to vote for "more war" or "maybe a little less war" - we don't have the luxury of voting for sensible telecom regulations that result in a more competitive, less monopolistic (oligopolistic) market.