Should I renew my subscription?
December 26th, 2009
On a more serious note, my subscription to the Apple iPhone Developer Program ends in a little over a week. What should I do? I mean, they did pull my app back in July and it’s been sitting in Approval Review for…5 months. No emails returned or anything. Apple has great customer service…say what?!
Did you know…
Line2 from toktumi functions and looks identical to GV Mobile v1? Guess what – it’s still on the App Store.
Also, OneBox, which looks a bit different, functions the same as well. Yes, it’s on there as well.
Of course you knew that! Everyone knows Apple’s lack of parity when it comes to apps in the App Store.
Hmm. Maybe you should just ditch the App store and head for the Cydia store. You’ll get a wider acceptance there. However, people who would want to use your app will have to jailbreak… so it’s not really a win-win situation. A lot of people think jailbreaking is illegal or something.
Hey Sean! Thanks for the hard work on the app. It is thoroughly appreciated. However with regards to the App Store, have you tried sending an email directly to Phil Schiller? He appears to be responding to some of them, and definitely make the comparison between yours and the other apps. It’s so stupid that they think a person can confuse the functionality between GV Mobile and the iPhone phone app. They must think people really are dumb. The iPhone app doesn’t have a “settings” or “sms” tab. I’d make your plea once more. Also maybe you should consider coming out with an app for Android, if you haven’t yet.
Sean, first of all thanks for all your hard work on this excellent app. In regards to the apple dev program, my $.02 would be to ditch apple, and jump back in if they show any signs of changing their policies. I would explore selling GV Mobile 2.0 through the Cydia store – it’s not that hard to get in touch with Saurik and the gang, and I for one would buy your app through Cydia – $.99 isn’t all that much to ask for.
The only difference I can see is that Onebox and Line2 do not work with Google Voice. It’s pretty obvious the only reason GVMobile, along with the other GVoice apps, is that they are for Google Voice. Certainly not the reasons Apple gave back in the summer, such as users being confused or duplicating existing iPhone functionality. Apple has now declared war on Google, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple starts removing, replacing & blocking all of Google’s apps (Maps, YouTube, Google Search, etc) with their own versions in the future. This won’t be good for consumers or for developers. As for myself, this whole thing is seriously making me consider switching to Android, especially with the rumored Nexus One. Unless Apple opens up, I say stick with Cydia or move to Android.
I’m still an iPhone user and a gvmobile user and it would be in my own self interest to keep you working on it but they left you up sh*t creek without a paddle so screw it. As for contacting Schiller, I’m sure the google voice crackdown came from the top in the first place.
I would not renew. Apple has shown that they treat developers like crap. Why would anyone pay for that kind of treatment and arbitrary reasons for their apps to be killed? Do you want to spend more of your time developing for a platform where all your time is spent in vain? Do you want to support a company that treats its lifeline like a bag of trash?
Really hoping you will – selfishly, like Cal (Cal, how are you still using it, don’t you get a log-in error?), and they will come around… I just can’t bring myself to jailbreak.
@lsp
My phone is jailbroken
I might need to agree with others that unless you are planning to do more app store apps, to not bother renewing now. You can always down the road. Apple might have a change of mind soon, but I highly doubt it. They recently bought a map company and i would think that they will likely try to replace google maps as the default map app. I doubt they would totally remove google maps right away but likely soon.
If they actually do like GV in any form back into the app store, I I would renew (unless you would need to renew now to even keep GV mobile in the processing with app review)
I would say to switch over to Android also as an option, I have not played wit hit much to know how their Google voice app works…
Stay jailbroken and away from the app store, more options, freedoms and well, you could with some help from other people completely replace the “phone.app” as biteSMS and the like replace the messages app.
Dale Jacobs
So yeah, I paid for the app back in the day for the dirt cheap of 2.99. Im hella happy with gvmobile. I’ll gladly pay your initial asking price of 1.99 for GV 2.0. However, apple has shafted you continuously for 5 months, I would rather my proceeds go to the betterment of Sean Kovacs and not Apple and its various cohorts in this particular situation.
I must say tho, I was expecting a release on xmas day, the pics are a great teaser. But did you remove the donate button, Cause I sho feel like I got more than 2.99 worth, and 2.0 is definitely 10 times 1.99. I Was plannin to hit that donate button on this here Boxing Day
I expect that in reality Google Voice issue was more rooted from AT&T not Apple directly. Apple doesn’t have any competing technology or services to GV’s offering, but AT&T certainly does.
It may be that when Verizon comes in and AT&T stops pulling so many strings, you may see come flexibility with GV. Speculation says that may not be until 2011, if at all.
As for the root answer; if all you want to focus your development on is GV, then let you users decide. Setup a donation or fund for your Apple Developer account. If your users believe in it enough, they’ll pay for it for you. You could even let it lapse until you get enough donations for it specifically.
With that being said, I would happily purchase GV 2.0 from the Cydia store when it gets released! I love your work!
Good luck with everything and thank you for sticking with the cause!
whoa how about not disappearing for 4 months before peeps who already don8ed start kicking in more huh? dedication begets donation. what’s the beta repo URL?
Ditch Apple. You really think they’ll put your app back into the app store? They’ll keep your subscription money and add your new version to the “pending approval list”. Just go on Rock/Cydia until they change their mind.
@thebasa those that donated and are willing to let me
know they did(verify via transaction id) can get an ipa file to install on their phone for free.
If you can add push to Cydia, I would pay upto ten dollars for your app. If you can get it through to the AppStore then do it with push, if not, screw apple.
In my opinion, I would keep the Developer subscription.
To everyone who says screw Apple, let me say this: It is NOT Apple’s fault, it’s at&t’s fault.
Phil Schiller made it clear back when this app was released that this app would be approved, but then suddenly removed, why, because demand from at&t.
My family friend works for FCC, and he is one of the investigator assigned to this case. He was in contact with me throughout the investigation, (since I know a person working at Apple HQ, and I, also am iPhone developer) and he could tell me some things, all things point to at&t. Apple and Google are innocent victims, who are held hostage. at&t told Apple to yank the app worldwide, since consumer know that they can download the app from non-US stores by just providing gift cards and some address.
FCC put at&t on restraining order, meaning they cannot interfere with App Store approval process, period. This is why lots of video streaming apps were approved within last few months.
So, give Apple a second chance. If the app is rejected again, my family friend will be right on the case, since at&t violated restraining orders.
Thank for the update Sean Ive had the app since you released it ad-hoc to buyers/donaters, I have been patiently waiting an update and it looks like you have all the bases covered… Great Job I will definately be buying this is app for the 3rd Time!!!
Sean, I know it’s tough not to be bitter. Don’t burn your bridges though, keep your chin up and if apple doesn’t come through, (ON YOUR SCHEDULE) then post it on cydia. The easy road is to diss apple and move on. Apple needs you and your need apple. Why do you need apple…? Because if they post your software, you’ll make a ton of money. Don’t cut your nose off to spite your face. Just lay low, keep coding, and good things will happen.
I would encourage you to renew and keep up the fight.
I use to work for Apple and they are a very reaction oriented company. They make decisions and until it bites them in the ass they won’t change that decision. Remember when all we had were web apps? Apple didn’t want third party apps on the phone. Well they caved and it has become the big thing that puts them above everyone else. They made decisions this way all the time even within the company.
If developers keep taking the “f**k Apple” stance and walking that will not better the situation. But if you keep making noise, posting intelligent arguments (like the comparison to OneBox, etc) you will eventually get through. The other people with the power here is the customer’s out there who are iPhone owners. Instead of fighting this solo, developers and customers need to be getting together as one voice and getting a very public petition together and sending it Phil, Steve, etc. Believe or not this DOES make an impact. Taking the approach of screw ‘em, jailbreak it, leave it, etc, just won’t make things better. But making intelligent, public arguments DO make an impact.
That’s my advice for what it’s worth.
Apple is nothing but a corporation interested in money and every avenue they take is a result of a business plan that is designed to make more, you really feel that an argument can change that fact
Sean, You said those that donated and could send you proof would not have to pay again. What about those that bought the App from the apple store before it was pulled?
@sean
I donated – how do I send you my transaction id?
Oh, and thanks
@Kris I have no way of telling…same as if Apple let it back on the App Store – pretty sure you would have to pay again. Blame Apple, not me. :/
@sean
Donation Sent (Unique Transaction ID #9KM07070JH5736925)
No money please. Hang tight everyone or I’ll turn this in a web app real quick!
GAAAHHHH not a web app!! Oh the horror!!!
Can I vote for both the full app and the web app??
That would please your non-jailbroken fans.
@4JustinB
https://www.google.com/voice/m/
It’s gotten a lot better lately at least…
@JD
yes but more money is to be made in the App store and you can have more features.
@4JustinB I’ll let riverturn kill their servers and handle the web app. I’ll take care of the App Store and Cydia market as I’ve always done.
Looking forward to the V2 software, be it App Store or Cydia/etc. I just days ago realized that the appstore version is broken, and installed the JB version. I’d use it more if it supported push for SMS/VM notifications! (don’t have a messaging plan)
Definately renew ur membership. The benefit outweights the cost… it’s all business.
@Sean…. When can we expect this new beta to hit Cydia? Just curious…
Keep up the amazing work…
Sean –
I realize that this might be caving in to AT&T’s petulance, but have you considered releasing a “lite” version of GVMobile to the AppStore, without the SMS functionality?
I wish that AT&T would get over their temper-tantrum and allow the app as-is. However, while waiting for hell to freeze over, I find myself really missing easy access to other GV functions — in particular being able to call out through GV (to hide my cell caller ID, to be able to transfer calls, etc.).
It’s almost (but not quite) enough to get me to jailbreak.