iPhone: Trouble in the App Store

rather than yelling at people about paying 30% royalties and such, people should be talking about how your forced to use apple’s browser, and cant use a differnt one, like firefox or opera… and dont forget those of you like me, who own an iphone, cant use 50% of the multimedia websites out there on the net since the iphone doesnt support flash.
now some people say ‘hey just jailbreak’ the phone, unfortuately accord to apple thats actually breaking the law, just so you can use an app that apple doesnt aprove of.
heres another beef i have with the locked iphone, music transfering. so my last machine got killed in that ice storm that ripped through the country, forcing me to purchase a new computer. I downloaded itunes and was unable to transfer my MP3s (not itunes music) from my iphone to the new computer, and when i wanted to add new movies or tv shows to my phone I had to completely erase the phone, losing about 3 gigs of mp3s. heres what i want from the iphone: i want to use it like a hard drive, I want to beable to change browsers, add newly downloaded itune movies without formatting the drive, use flash, download porn apps (lulz), and teather the phone to my computer. these are all things that apple can do, and should have done with the iphone before releasing it to the public (it would also be nice if itunes didnt load with 40 differnt little programs with windows), unfortuately apple is the perfect example of a monopoly with its hardware/software (iphone or OSX [ see Polystar ]) that goes off the idea that people should use their stuff ONLY how they see fit.

Apple is getting the benefit of the doubt in regard to their distribution of apps to the iPhone

Benefit of the doubt??? They’re getting a FREE PASS. Apple zealots are actually defending their behavior.

They have treated them with the same level contempt or worse.

I completely disagree… Microsoft has ALWAYS been very open to developers and ISVs… they never strongarmed them in this way. Again, if they did – everyone would scream bloody murder… why is Apple getting a pass?

Microsoft would LOVE to have this level of control on their platforms. In many cases they do have product lockin. Consider Exchange, Outlook, Office and Windows itself. For over a decade it has been extrememly difficult for consumers (individuals and companies) to work without them.

I actually write software for Microsoft products for a living – and never, ever had to pay a dime to Microsoft in royalties… nor did I ever have to go to Microsoft to request their “permission” to sell my application.

Have you ever written an application or directly worked with Microsoft? Your misinformation tells me that you haven’t.

In addition, consider Windows Genuine Advantage, Microsoft Passport, Windows Live, the Zune Store. They are all means to control distribution of apps and services to consumers from developers

Here’s the difference: THEY’RE ALL OPTIONAL. Microsoft doesn’t require ISVs or software developers to use any of those mechanisms… Microsoft gives developers CHOICE about how they want to distribute their own products. Apple does not – why do you give them a pass?

Microsoft routinely hides APIs that are in Windows for their own use providing speed benefits for their own apps that 3rd party devs are unable to utilize. Not nice.

This is complete misinformation, and again proof that you never developed solutions for Windows.

Do you think Apple has every API completely documented and visible? Even those that have not been tested for non-OS/external use?

Then there are the massive PC manufacturers who had to sue Microsoft due to Windows license terms where they had to pay royalties to M$ for each PC sold even it it did not have a copy of Windows installed

Again – typical Apple-fan hogwash. OEM concerns were all allayed back in the late 1990s… please move into the 21st century.

Apple is not blameless.

No kidding… however, people like you use misinformation about Microsoft to justify Apple’s bad behavior.

The fact is: Apple is muscling its developers and consumers is a way that NO ONE should accept.

For some reason, the Apple fanbase is so intent on protecting their baby, they’ve forgotten about protecting the independent developer and consumer. What’s the matter with you people?

-Dan

“For all of Microsoft’s warts, they never, ever treated consumers or software developers with such hubris.”

I agree and disagree. Yes, Apple is getting the benefit of the doubt in regard to their distribution of apps to the iPhone (expect numerous AppStore knockoffs from a variety of companies in the near term). No, Microsoft has not treated their consumers and developers very well historically. They have treated them with the same level contempt or worse.

The genius of Redmund is the muscle they have flexed for decades to retain and promote their monopoly power. They are shrewd, underhanded and extremely effective business men and woman.

Microsoft would LOVE to have this level of control on their platforms. In many cases they do have product lockin. Consider Exchange, Outlook, Office and Windows itself. For over a decade it has been extrememly difficult for consumers (individuals and companies) to work without them. Incompatibility is still built-in to each new iteration of file formats and applications to this day.

In addition, consider Windows Genuine Advantage, Microsoft Passport, Windows Live, the Zune Store. They are all means to control distribution of apps and services to consumers from developers. They may not be as successful as AppStore and iTunes but they are legitimate attempts. Microsoft routinely hides APIs that are in Windows for their own use providing speed benefits for their own apps that 3rd party devs are unable to utilize. Not nice.

Let’s not forget OEMs. They are Microsoft customers too. Having being screwed by the ill-fated ‘Play for Sure’ campaign while Microsoft internally develops another propreity delivery system, I am sure that they would beg to differ. Then there are the massive PC manufacturers who had to sue Microsoft due to Windows license terms where they had to pay royalties to M$ for each PC sold even it it did not have a copy of Windows installed. Ouch!

Apple is not blameless. However, Microsoft has been tried and found guilty of anti-competitive behavior against consumers and other companies. They have been found in infraction of the rulings previously passed down by these findings. They have tampered with evidence and produced fraudulent evidence to mislead jurors and the government. All of this is well documented.

Their time for the free pass is long over and they brought this level of distrust and suspiscion upon themselves.

Nobody except Microsoft cared about Apple until they started selling fruit-colored computers. O! for the days of System 6, when a mousclick brought the whole computer to a standstill… things were so simple then.

One addition to my below post…

I have no problem with Apple offering an online store and simplified distribution mechansim that makes it easier for software developers to sell and deploy their applications.

My problem is that Apple provides NO CHOICE in the matter to developers.

It would have been much better if Apple allowed developers to sell their applications however they want (many already have elaborate commerce sites)… and let them choose whether or not to use Apple’s mechanisms.

The problem isn’t Apple making money… it’s Apple strongarming developers and customers… and the fact that you Apple fans just give them a pass. You are all terrible hypocrites.

-Dan

Whatever. It costs nothing to develop for Mac OS X on desktop platforms,

Really? Developer time and effort is free?

and the 30% “cost” of developing on the iPhone covers all the other costs many small developers couldn’t afford to cover – e.g., hosting, distribution, credit card processing, marketing, etc.

Dude – any online retailer could do the exact same thing at a fraction of the margin.

Credit card processing runs abour 3%, and the margin most retailers charge is only slightly above that.

Apple is unfairly strongarming developers into using APPLE’s distribution methods, because APPLE wants complete control of all of the transactions and the permission to run the application.

Apple has become the 1984 Big Brother they once claimed to fight against. Heck, IBM never even went this far.

More than fair since no small developer would otherwise be able to sell an app for $.99 after the above-mentioned costs of doing business were subtracted.

Are you KIDDING? You can download/purchase mobile software from many places, and it’s very inexpensive. You must never have set up a commerce site… you make it seem like black magic.

Any developer can do it… any developer except an iPhone developer, that is… becaus Apple won’t let them. They can’t sell their own products using the channels they want.. they have to do it APPLE’s way.

How funny is it that Microsoft has enabled a true marketplace that gives freedom to developers and consumers… and Apple has created a dictatorship system under which they control everything.

And you Apple fans still think it’s okay.

When are you going to get off the kool aid and start looking at things objectively?

-Dan

To those of you who say 30% royalty to Apple is cheap… what royalty do software developers have to pay Microsoft to develop for Windows?

For all of Microsoft’s warts, they never, ever treated consumers or software developers with such hubris.

Whatever. It costs nothing to develop for Mac OS X on desktop platforms, and the 30% “cost” of developing on the iPhone covers all the other costs many small developers couldn’t afford to cover – e.g., hosting, distribution, credit card processing, marketing, etc. More than fair since no small developer would otherwise be able to sell an app for $.99 after the above-mentioned costs of doing business were subtracted.

And besides, this method Apple has devised reflects Apple’s view that everything about computing should be easy to do. Why not the business end of development, too? Let the developer focus their talents and time on creating and not business crap. Personally, I’d rather just pay Apple 30% to handle all those transactions to get me up and going as a small developer.

But hey, if you want to be a business manager instead of a creator, be my guest. As an M$ developer you’ll just end up paying that 30% or more to someone else besides M$.

iPhone is merely ‘OK’? And you call yourself a tech? I bet you liked the Zune though, didn’t ya?

I am Rich was not a ripoff I must disagree. That was A] just another excuse for someone with too much cash to spend on random cr@p, or B] A testament of certain people’s lack of a usable brain. Didn’t the app say it had no functions what-so-ever?

Oh and dare I say this but the iPhone is not superior. What was and has been superior has been their marketing machine, that’s it. How many phones have been doing the same things for years now? Browsing, REAL GPS, touch screen, music (which doesn’t require your computer from having to d/l a stupid app whether you want to or not]

If someone marketed a widget correctly..betya that would sell well too..Hmm pet rocks anyone?
p.l.u.r

Oh and btw freerange..are you insinuating that Apple is bug free?
-Over heating Ipods and Iphones
-Bug fixes in MacOs
-security Holes in the browser.
-Their sh1tty QC dept. [well not a bug persay, but they need to fix that anyhoo]

I used a mac back in the day for animation, I’m not even going to count for you how many crashes the sets had due to memory problems.
p.l.u.r

“To the MSFT shills posting below… “If Microsoft tried restricting who could develop software for Windows, decided which software you were ALLOWED to run..” – you must be joking or have your head so far up…get real. Why do you think they keep getting sued and forced to disclose code to others! MSFT has never treated their customers with respect at the highest level – which would be by delivering quality bug free products at a reasonable price. And their closed systems have continuously hand tied users,and prevented interoperability with other products. So don’t b*tch about a company and products you obviously know nothing about. And the halfwit talking about 30% commission, how much do you think retailers mark software up??? And the iPhone developers have no marketing expense as the App Store provides all marketing… once again, clueless posters…

Posted By FreeRange, Denver, CO : August 9, 2008 3:46 pm ”

MS gets sued because they are being accused of being a monopoly, because they packaged certain apps with the OS. When have they prevented developers from developing on their platform? If anything they would encourage and if its really good buyout the company.

They don’t have a closed system. Unless you mean it isn’t open source but that’s a whole other argument isn’t it? Last time I checked Mac OS was not open source. Hey, wasn’t this incarnation of Mac Os based on another operating system that Jobs and company snatched up?

Marketing expense..Well how many comercials have you see about “I am Rich” app? or any other app for that matter. Oh, its listed on their website. Yep that’s worth the 30%. The 30% is so that they can make money for their lawyers’ fees for all the people taking Apple to court for inferior QC checks and such.

Going back to closed systems..When have you seen a Mac OS clone that was legit? Oh wait Apple’s user agreement and what-not do not allow for that. How many PC variations are there using the Window’s platform..Closed..ok…

All fanboys,fangirls, fanits are all the same. You don’t see beyond what you’ve been sold. It is great to have product loyalties but when you ignore the truth then you’re just a sucker getting taken. A mindless corp-lead-zombie.
p.l.u.r

To those of you who say 30% royalty to Apple is cheap… what royalty do software developers have to pay Microsoft to develop for Windows?

Answer: 0%

Sure – you’ll then say “Apple is the retailer – not just the platform”… and that’s because Apple COMPLETELY RESTRICTS how software can be distributed.

For all of Microsoft’s warts, they never, ever treated consumers or software developers with such hubris.

The fact that Apple fans just accept this consumer and developer unfriendly, arrogant behavior is unbelievable. One would think that you’d expect more from Apple after all you’ve done for them.

-Dan

Apple needs to DUMP AT&T or at least have another option for their customers. I’ve been an Apple customer for more than 20 years, and my experience with AT&T and Apple’s relationship has been my worst experience ever!

AT&T doesn’t even get high bars like they advertise on there promotions. I previously had Sprint, and I never had any problems with getting good cell access even when I traveled from San Diego to Arizona. Yet, with AT&T I get low cell access at home and in other places within a 5 mile radius of home, and I’m in central San Diego!

GET RID OF AT&T!

More of Fortune and co’s ‘death by a thousand cuts’ attack strategy against Apple. This is really getting old now.

Not to mention frackin’ shameful.

The iphone 3G is somewhat deficient, no flash, no video, no tethering, poor lotus compatibility, No camera on the front to videoconference with. Sony X1 or HTC touch pro look much better. Nullriver would have evened the playing field a bit. I’m all for the iphone, I just wish they hadn’t left so much out.

If MS required you to only buy apps for Windows Mobile through a MS store and they controlled what was accepted into the store, legions of users would be asking for Bill’s head on a platter. Steve Jobs does it and he is praised as a genius.

Amazing

1. BoxOffice was an unmitigated disaster. I downloaded it and it failed miserably. It had to be restarted to accept your info and spit out gobs of code instead of any movie info. It was a clear failure on the part of the developer and Apple’s screening process.

2. I Am Rich was just a rip off.

3. Difficult to set up? I’ve been using it constantly as I was one of the lucky ones who downloaded it while it was available. I had it up and running in about a minute and I’m not a networking guru. The instructions provided conveniently on the opening screen of Netshare were clear to anyone who can link a verb and a noun.

The author of this article is a flawed as Boxoffice.

5 of 1574 = 0.317%

Less than 1/3 of 1 percent..
Looks like an epidemic.

M first post removed. The author believes the Iphone is Just “ok”. I would like to ask what cell phone he thinks is a great phone. I am really just curious. He is obviously so biased it is not even funny.

With all the big box office hits out this summer I was using Box Office quite a bit to get show times, reviews etc. I’m really annoyed that Apple took it down and won’t give the developer even the time of day. This app was popular enough that you’d think they’d pay SOME attention.

But … this is the Apple way. Ignore the world, cover their ears and do things the way they want to.

If Microsoft does that same, People would declare a war on it
I dont know why apple is getting a pass

The bottom line here, folks, is that wireless entered a new frontier on July 11th. There will be trial and error, but the operators and partners that adapt the best will dominate. Apple and AT&T will do what’s necessary to control the quality and profitability of their product and there will be hits and misses until they’ve learned what they need to.

As for the monopoly comments below, they’re baseless. Apple hasn’t done anything to hold back the other much larger mobile manufacturers, and AT&T was one of a number of entrants in the US iPhone partner contest. The other mobile manufacturers and operators held themselves back building the same old junk interfaces and closed systems they’ve been building since 1984. Ask anyone who has bricked an iPhone and had to use another conventional device whilst awaiting replacement and they’ll say the same thing.

Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, LG and HTC now have the flaming hind quarters they needed years ago. It won’t be long before other operator / partner pairings try the same things. Their successes and failures will put the whole 3G Iphone and APPs store launch in perspective.

As for Steve Jobs, you can say what you want, but he’s one of the most highly respected corporate executives for a reason. Who else had the nerve to jump into an entirely new area of a business so dominated by much larger rivals? Control freak or not, that’s the kind of person folks like to work for and partner with. His peers at Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Motorola should be ashamed that all their years of experience, education and ego couldn’t open their eyes to what a dropout like Jobs saw and did. They should stop whining and start working, because having only one device like the 3G iPhone is not healthy for the industry or consumers.

I had Box Office and the first time I used it it crashed my Iphone and I got the apple of death screen. It took a few hours to reset my iphone and backup etc. Needless to say I pulled the app from my phone as well. Not sure what was wrong or if conflict with other Apps. Anyway not sure what Apple is doing but hopefully it is protecting all of us from having to reset and waste time managing our phones.

30% for selling apps through the store is cheap. Ask book publishers how much they give the bookstores.

PED wrote: ” You give me to much credit. I’ve been out of the country and may not be as up to speed on the hitlist as I should be. BoxOffice certainly disappeared from my phone, although it’s still on my computer. Go figure. As for the rest of your assertions, I don’t know where to start.”

Do you really expect us to believe that you wrote the above 857 words without looking for updates to the story?
You even ask us to “see Techmeme” for more info, so you must have done the same.

“I’ve been out of the country and may not be as up to speed”

You’re certainly “up to speed” getting out of the country and back in only the 2 or 3 days this story has been around. Is it just not that important for FORTUNE reporters to get up to speed on stories.

What is it about FORTUNE and the relentless negative stories about Apple? Why does FORTUNE have a staff reporter that only writes “National Enquirer” hit pieces on one of the few good corporations in America.
Where is the same kind of dirty and ugly reporting about Microsoft?

and they did something to Break Classic.

In my view, the third party software is great. But Apple’s team must first verify each application. Moreover, they must know where application comes from.

In order to prevent this kind of surprises Apple’s stuff have to check software and applications of the consumers.

It is a little perplexing as to exactly why Box Office and I am Rich were taken down. With the tethering program the reasons are clear. I am Rich seemed to be useless to the point of almost being a scam. However, if people want it they should have it. Someone said more money for Jobs- well more money for me as a very happy shareholder since 2002.

The issues of control and monopoly will come into focus more as Apple continually gains market share in both desktop/laptops and now mobile. It is true that Microsoft would never get away with all of this. Imagine if all computers were Microsoft made, sure they could reduce bugs drastically, but with over 70% market share that would be unfair. If Apple keeps gaining, will they need to allow clones and get sued the way Microsoft does? When you are under 20% market share you can get away with a lot…

Sleepy wrote: “The blacklist is apparently a list of apps that aren’t allowed to use location services”

PED knows this. It’s been known for 2 days. This article is just more lies and inuendo to sustain a constant ugliness about Apple all over the internet.

Gilbert wrote: “I still have boxoffice in my iphone. So they have removed it from the app store, but not peoples phones.”

PED knows this. It’s been known all along. This article is just more lies and inuendo to sustain a constant ugliness about Apple all over the internet.

It’s about killing sales of Apple products. Making sure that Apple remains a bit player in the world of business, and that the Microsoft parasite that is attached to corporate America remains undisturbed.

ex ped: You give me to much credit. I’ve been out of the country and may not be as up to speed on the hitlist as I should be. BoxOffice certainly disappeared from my phone, although it’s still on my computer. Go figure. As for the rest of your assertions, I don’t know where to start.

Well, I’d like to think Apple had a QC process in place & not just whether the app starts up without crashing.

I, for one would like all these books copied directly from the Gutenberg project & then resold purged because it’s such an obvious insult to the average intelligence of consumers.

That’s an inappropriate role for Apple though. Ultimately QC rests with the customers; meaning a cleaver marketer can rip off alot of people fast. It happens practically everytime you go to the movies, no?

Apple needs to develop a tagging system for their app store so we consumers that have actually bought the apps (otherwise competing companies will quickly automate a way to tag competing apps into oblivion) can tag them according to quality, genre, ‘plays (times actually used by consumer)’, originality, and so on.

Frankly, consumers don’t want to sort through thousands of apps when 95% of them are derivative get rich quick garbage. Included on the garbage heap are 95% of apps published by large, well known companies in that list.

Not responding to those of use who are paying for his cushy life is just plain bad manners. GW is relieved by this type of school boy bullying on Jobs part; it makes GW look good by comparison.

To the MSFT shills posting below… “If Microsoft tried restricting who could develop software for Windows, decided which software you were ALLOWED to run..” – you must be joking or have your head so far up…get real. Why do you think they keep getting sued and forced to disclose code to others! MSFT has never treated their customers with respect at the highest level – which would be by delivering quality bug free products at a reasonable price. And their closed systems have continuously hand tied users,and prevented interoperability with other products. So don’t b*tch about a company and products you obviously know nothing about. And the halfwit talking about 30% commission, how much do you think retailers mark software up??? And the iPhone developers have no marketing expense as the App Store provides all marketing… once again, clueless posters…

We should all know by now that Jobs is a dilusional control freak with an over inflated ego. He’s spent so much of his hot air blathering on about open systems and slamming microsoft when all the while he’s been worse, and is now proving that he’s 10 times worse than anything Microsoft has ever done. The iPhone will never be remotely near open. Jailbreak it or wait for something better, because it will come.

Tim in WA, what part of ‘unlimited data plan’ is the issue?

If Microsoft tried restricting who could develop software for Windows, decided which software you were ALLOWED to run, insisted on a cut of all software sales for it’s platform and tied you to a specific ISP, they would be flailed by the press and sued beyond belief. Apple seems to get a a pass. I don’t get it.

Isn’t anyone just a bit concerned about the heavy-handedness that Apple wields when dealing with software developers?

First – apparently they’re charging insane royalties (30%+… did I read that right?)

Second – they become the only gateway of access to consumers. Apple has complete control.

Not very friendly to consumers or software developers at all. If Micrososft acted in this manner, everyone would br crying bloody murder.

Why does Apple get a pass at such rude and controlling behavior?

-Dan

Sure…a major scandal!!! 3.apps from 1,574 went down. Please mail me when you get a real story! if there is such thing these days…

“Good Blogs Go Bad”

I picked up a copy of NetShare when it was briefly available.

The installation instructions were more than inadequate. I had to find 3rd party instructions posted on Apple Insider in order to get it working. And even then, it doesn’t work reliably. It’s either buggy or semi-incompatible with Apple’s networking software (note: You must create a computer to computer WiFi network which I found to be unstable. It would just disappear).

There are proxy issues preventing some Internet applications from working with NetShare. Part of it is inadequate configuration instructions.

I’m sure Apple got plenty of feedback from frustrated users having problems installing or using NetShare. That alone would have been reason enough to take it down.

However, the comment by an AT&T spokesperson is mindless blather. What iPhone owner would want to buy a second phone and AT&T contract to get tethering? My guess is none. Also no one would want to switch from iPhone to another phone. It is insulting to iPhone owners that AT&T would permit tethering on other phones and discrimminate against iPhone owners. If that’s the problem then they need to hear a cacophony of complaints from us users. “For customers looking for a smartphone with tethering capabilities, AT&T has a number of other options to choose from.”

The blacklist is apparently a list of apps that aren’t allowed to use location services (i.e. to know where the iPhone is). Presumably for when a security issue becomes known for an app that’s already deployed. It’s not for killing entire apps remotely, it’s for protecting your privacy from misuse.

A lack of tethering capability has been a long standing complaint about the iPhone. With the 2G version on EDGE it was no great loss. On the 3G version there is a legitimate benefit in using the handset as a PC modem with HSDPA speeds. Of course for AT&T this means one subscription creating the data traffic of two: so there are commercial reasons for having “tethering allowed” and “handset-only” data plans. Why not bundle the tethering application with a “tethering allowed” rate plan? AT&T has done this for other smart phones, why not iPhone? I’d go for this option if it was available.

I still have boxoffice in my iphone. So they have removed it from the app store, but not peoples phones. And the blacklist has since been shown to be only for the iphone current location ability. It can blacklist apps from using your core location service.

Nullriver is easy, AT&T charges $15/mo for tethering, Nullriver $0, not to mention that the instructions were woefully inadequate.

I have never been an Apple zealot. It was just another PC. But this type of behavior makes me glad I never got into the Apple world. The article does not say if the 8 people that paid $999.99 for the I Am Rich ‘application’ got their money back. I am sure buried somewhere in the EULA it says Apple can take any app back and not issue a refund. Just more money for Jobs.

To clarify, I have box office downloaded on mine and it’s still there and working. It did have an episode a few days ago where it would start, briefly show the movies and times and then exit the App back to the normal iPhone menu screen full of Icons, but I have used it since then a few times with no issues and it is still current on times and reviews.
I am curious if people who did download the tethering app are still able to use it. This is a feature I would have liked to have had as an option, even if AT&T charged a little more for it monthly. I am not sure if $30.00, which is their normal surchage for tethering other phones would be fair since they already charge a premium for the iPhone service and it comes with unlimited data. I would think a $10-15 charge might be more approrite and they could always have another pricing tier for heavy users.

NOTE TO EDITOR:
CORRECTION to this story under “I Am Rich” {developer Armin Heinrich told Silicon Alley News)}This should read: {developer Armin Heinrich told Los Anegeles Times)}

Below link shows Silicon Alley News crediting L. A. Times:

http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/8/-i-am-rich-dude-i-made-6000-from-my-dumb-iphone-app-aapl-#slide_4

Below link shows original L. A. Times:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-techblog8-2008aug08,0,2837557.story

If Apple really wants businesses to believe that the iPhone is “The best phone for business.Ever” as they claim then they need to allow tethering like the Nullriver NetSahre app does. Businesses won’t take this phone seriously unless it allows their employees to tether their laptop to the iPhone. I’m sure Apple and AT&T know this and I foresee this being offered as an extra service by paying a fee.

Could it be that the pulled software had some virus issues, and that apple was just trying to protect customers from exposure?

I don’t see what all the fuss is about. Apple is just feeling this out. They have created an entire new kind of industry so let’s give them a break whole this gets sorted out. They’ve had to hit the ground running with the AppStore, and you can expect some of these kinds of set backs. Frankly, most iPhone users are probably being rational about it.

let me get this straight.. there are 1574 programs available and three have disappeared? one of them you cited as “useless” and another costing almost $1000. yet, you title this story iPhone: Trouble in The App Store.
I have never seen a company get picked apart as Apple does. This is not newsworthy

Elmer FUD. Get over yourself. No one has anything like the app store. It couldnt exist if they didnt manage the experience, and for the VAST amount of users it is a good experience. Apple has to maintain the stability and security of the device as well as avoid pissing off ATT and getting sued over copyright infringement for 3rd party apps.

Box Office may have been pulled because of intellectual property issues. The links to reviews could be a problem.

1. BoxOffice has not disappeared from my iPhone. I have synced with my Mac, and visited the application store on my phone, several times since it disappeared from the store.

2. Aren’t most AT&T iPhone users on fixed price, unlimited data plans? Tethering won’t generate any extra revenue from them, but will use considerably more bandwidth. That could be why AT&T is so against it.