FaceBook iPhone app developer quits over ‘Apple’s policies’
Fresh news from the alternate universe inhabited by the mothership’s App Store grannies and developers: the guy behind the most popular app on the platform is quitting in disgust. It seems that the app review process and the people behind it are tools of the devil, or maybe just tools, a state of affairs which is hardly unique.
TechCrunch (crunchpad, crunchpad, where for art thou crunchpad?) is running an email from Joe Hewitt, creator of the FaceBook iPhone app and, by the by, one of the big brains that wrought Firefox, on why he’s exiting iPhone development.
Without further ado, his words:
My decision to stop iPhone development has had everything to do with Apple’s policies. I respect their right to manage their platform however they want, however I am philosophically opposed to the existence of their review process. I am very concerned that they are setting a horrible precedent for other software platforms, and soon gatekeepers will start infesting the lives of every software developer.
The web is still unrestricted and free, and so I am returning to my roots as a web developer. In the long term, I would like to be able to say that I helped to make the web the best mobile platform available, rather than being part of the transition to a world where every developer must go through a middleman to get their software in the hands of users.
Facebook for iPhone is the only social networking iPhone app I use with any regularity. If both the app and Facebook itself went away tomorrow, I would’t miss either, let alone Farmville or Mafia Wars or any of the arbitrary poke-me-til-I’m-raw “entertainment” that happens to be popular this week.
Pass the hat for Joe
Thereupon, it’s more than a little ironic, and somewhat laughable, that Hewitt’s hacked off and quitting over frustrations caused by pushing his social middleman software from his fickle and arbitrary employer through a software middleman that is also fickle and arbitrary. Really, aren’t many of the things he complains about Apple at least equally true of Facebook?
Thereupon, I’m guessing Joe has never had to interact with Facebook’s customer support people as a mere mortal.
Whatever the case, with Firefox and Facebook for iPhone already under his belt, Hewitt’s got real chops and will almost certainly land another cool gig within moments, assuming he wants or even needs to. And, I’m pretty sure the App Store will somehow manage to profit and survive, too…
What’s your take?
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November 12th, 2009
I think his opposition to the review process is misplaced. I think a review is a good thing. However, what they’re reviewing for is where Apple has flaws. They should review for items that would cause instability of the device and for security issues. Nothing more.
Other things, like usability and competing with Apple’s own services, should be immaterial to the review process. They’re appropriateness and potential superiority should be left to the users to decide.
December 21st, 2010
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