Apple adding wireless podcast downloads to iPhone?
Over-the-air podcast downloads look set to arrive with the release of iPhone OS X 2.2.
(Credit: Flo's Weblog)Apple appears set to turn on over-the-air podcast downloads with the next version of the iPhone software, making it much clearer why it rejected a third-party application that did the same thing.
A German blog called Flo's Weblog has published screenshots purportedly from the next release of Apple's iPhone OS, version 2.2. One of the new features in that software, along with additions like Google Street View, will allow iPhone or iPod Touch users to download podcasts directly to their devices without having to connect the device to their computers and go through iTunes.
Sound familiar? That was the same feature offered by an iPhone application called Podcaster that was rejected from the App Store to much handwringing from the iPhone development community. Apple told the developer that the application duplicated a function found in iTunes, but at that time, iTunes wasn't able to send podcasts directly to a device over the air.
Looks like that is about to change relatively soon. The rejection of Podcaster was one of the primary examples of the grumbling over Apple's policies for iPhone application development. Apple holds veto power over any application destined for the iPhone, and while there are quality control and security issues that help justify that stance, it also allows the company to kill any application that duplicates something it has on a future road map.
And since Apple is unlikely to start sharing its iPhone software road map with the development community--when it hasn't even clarified exactly what the rules are for the App Store--developers who spend weeks or months adding a feature to the iPhone don't always know if they've been wasting their time. Not to mention the possibility that they could face the added insult of watching Apple roll out the same feature a few months later.
Tom Krazit writes about the ever-expanding world of Internet search, including Google, Yahoo, online advertising, and portals, as well as the evolution of mobile computing. He has written about traditional PC companies, chip manufacturers, and mobile computers, spending the last three years covering Apple. E-mail Tom. 
Alex
And here I was... looking for that 5 paragraph, 10,000 word comment praising the virtues of Microsoft and bashing the beejeezzuz out of Apple... Did you forget to drink your RedBull today?
The issue is that Apple can decide to remove an app for any reason at all... and in this case, there was a successful application that did all that was advertised and then Apple removed it. Now we see they did it because they want to do one of their own, which prohibits anyone else from doing one.
That's why it's anti-competitive.
It's also why don't have any alternative email applications, which is a shame because believe me, the included app on the Touch and iPhone is a very poor excuse for a mail client.
This sort of behavoir also allows Apple to see what application is popular and then release one of their own and ban the original app.
Not exactly friendly to developers, and it goes a long way towards explaining why developers are looking more towards Android instead. :/
2) Apple was gracious to open the door to native applications by developers and provide a single store to provide them to users (no other phone provider had done that yet)
3) For a small fee of each paid sale, Apple is paid for distribution and provider fees
4) Millions of $ are now flowing towards mom and pop developers for their contributions to the iPhone
5) Developers ride the wave of the Apple brand without having to pay for advertising
Shall I go on...
Sure there will be apps that won't be accepted at the Apple store. Apple owns that right straight out. None of the developers, NONE, have provided the hardware or underlying software for the iPhone. Why do they get to whine then -- because they feel entitled. Read the SDK developer agreement and you will see that Apple gets to dictate what gets approved. Developers can take a risk that an application will be rejected, but that is business risk. Apple isn't big brother or an iPhone monopoly. If you don't like it, don't develop for the iPhone. Go to some other also-ran platform.
By the way, of all of the coding tools, the Apple SDK is one of the easiest available, and it provides a vast library of online resources.
Stop whining. You're giving me a headache.
Let me deside which app is stupid like you and which is great. Its called choice. Most apple fans dont like this but your are too foolish to realise how you are in bundage apple tell you how to use your stuff GROWUP FOOL
- by juz1093 November 7, 2008 6:01 AM PST
- Just like Apple ot lock you down to use only their products
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- by medezark November 24, 2008 12:49 PM PST
- No, only microsoft locks you into using their products. Oasts are the decendents of Apple users.
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