Apple claims that there are more than 800 apps listed in the App Store. Looking through the offering, I am wondering if more isn't less. Not only does developing an iPhone app become less appealing with prices approaching zero under fierce competition, I believe that the overwhelming "choices" are likely to alienate "normal" customers.
Of course, the marketing folks at Apple forsaw this and created "Genres" to better arrange the wares for the customers. However, I find their choices to be misleading and boring. Here are a couple of suggestions for additional Genres:
There certainly are gems in the store, but making those visible is going to be a tough job for their developers.
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And honestly, are there that many people out there who can't figure out how much to tip? 15-20% shouldn't be all that hard. I'm not trying to be snarky here, but ever since Thursday, I've not been able to get over just how many tip calcs there are!
I totally agree! We now have to separate the wheat from the chaf. As for tip calcs and the like there will one or two that eventually win out. The question in my mind is will the others eventually fall off of iTunes or will they always be there mucking up the place?
You left out:
-Bible Helpers
-Sudoku
-Jirbo Spam
-AppEngines eBook Spam
-Hilariously Overpriced Crap
I'm sorry. I have one of the apps on the App Store that would fall under "Apps so bad, I won't bother to ask for money". I wouldn't have uploaded it if I'd had a choice, and I'm sorry for clogging up the App Store for other, more serious developers. I know I'm only one out of several, but I look at the crapfest that is the App Store, and I know that I was one small cause of it. I apologize to developers, and to users.
@Matt: I could also walk over to my TV and change the channel but I prefer my remote. Some things are just easier with simple tools. In my case its not really the TIP calculation thats the issue, its splitting the bill between a number of co-workers and friends where I find value in a $2 calculator. The one I ended up buying (and actually keeping) saves my tip percentage and all i need to do is enter the bill, move a slider to indicate how many ways to split the bill and we're done. Now if it only computed tax info too I'd be set.
Another genre ... ToDo List Applications. Seems like there are about 20 of those.
The flashlight apps kill me. The most innovative thing about those is coming up with a name that is not ... um, well ... "Flashlight". I'm a little surprised we didn't see "Hello World" apps up there for $1.99. LOL.
@Shane - I'm hoping the "Sort By" views within the Genre views will address the problem. Most Popular and Highest Rated, oughta do. The thought of Apple getting draconian and wiping apps on their own volition leaves me more than a little uneasy. Then again, that is kinda the Apple way too.
@Anonymous: Are you serious???
@Matt: I am not saying that the Tip Calculators or the Flash Lights are useless, I am just wondering wether the market needs 20 of them at all price points from $10 to $0.
@SaggyMac: I quite liked the flash light idea when I saw the first one back in the old underground days. I just find it telling that so many people found it worthwhile to spend time making one and getting it into the iPhone App Store. It is almost practical satire like a flash mob.
Although it's a little frustrating to see so many similar apps, I think letting them all in the App Store is the right thing. Presumably, over time we'll see one or two dominant apps for each specific functionality. However, until an app has a chance to expose itself to a large population, there is no way to know if it adds significantly to its competition (either in overall quality or in price).
I also suspect that the App Store and the iPhone developer program will evolve over time to more efficiently percolate the more deserving apps to the upper layers of the store.