iPhone app piracy is waning [beware of Apple]
How do you conclude an article about how Apple has largely defeated iPhone app piracy through a combination of new hardware and clever software design? Well, of course, you should now make Apple and its hatred of freedom — they hate freedom — the “new” threat.
There’s an old and very cynical saying that starts with the question, “How do you save the world?” Well, if you’ve got goods or a point of view to peddle, then the answer is, “First, put the world in grave danger.”
That is, you need to frame (or create) a problem in terms that are only resolvable if the reader buys your product or buys into your perspective. It’s a variation on the straw man argument and one that’s abused by people of all stripes and viewpoints.
Enter Gizmodo, which is running an otherwise thoughtful piece on how the combination of Apple’s iPhone 3GS, iPhone OS updates and in app purchases have reduced app piracy from a high tide last year — some developers reported rates of 80 percent — to a negligible 10 percent or less.
Apple’s pending extermination of piracy is great news for developers, but for users, it’ll come at a cost. And for want of an example as to why, this post couldn’t come at a better time, with Apple purging “offensive” apps from its official store, which will increasingly be the only place for iPhone owners to download apps. If Apple wants to be the only provider of apps (and they do!) then they need to be held to a high standard of transparency and consistency, which—trust us—they’re nowhere near meeting.
A black day for freedom?
Nope, there’s no way in heck this story could have a happy ending. Women’s and family groups weren’t rightly assuaged — freedom has been trampled. Developers aren’t getting paid — their rights have been abridged.
Users have lost out absolutely.
Thereupon, we can’t afford one moment of celebration. Apple isn’t worth a single line of praise for turning around the situation — it was a lie from the beginning, iPhone piracy was and is a “myth.”
If there’s been one constant in the evolution of the App Store, it’s change. With hackers and pirates on the run, it remains to be seen how Apple will adapt its policies to make things better and things have gotten better.
If past is prologue, we can be sure that Apple isn’t done yet…
What’s your take?
Related posts:
March 3rd, 2010
I agree. This is really a gr8 wrk done. The pirated iphone applications has really created a mess in the market relating iphone applications. nice post.
March 3rd, 2010
And this is why I would rather resort to carrier pigeons than use an iphone.
March 3rd, 2010
i am a supporter of pirated apps
June 25th, 2010
As long as Apple remains as controlling as they are, there will be piracy. Granted, a lot of this is jailbroken iPhone users taking software they would never purchase anyway, but a lot of it is people trying to run their phone the way they want. Like with anything, some of these people are in the wrong, but some, I feel, are totally in the right.