Apple's ban of 'incentivized app installs' and 'offer walls' gives momentum to Android Market
Share:
Apple has now banned "incentivized app installs" in which a player of a particular game needs to install another app to continue playing the original game. Also banned is "offer walls" in which a game player participates in an offer in order to receive currency related to the original game being played. The reason for the ban is to prevent misleading rankings as games are downloaded just for the in-game currency. This allows certain games to climb up the iTunes rankings, but not by legitimate means. A game that moves up the rankings snares a lot of attention and results in higher sales to the developers.
Many young children have been scammed by "in-app payments" to the tune of hundreds and thousands of dollars. In these cases, the child is playing a game and is told that he or she needs to purchase special currency to buy weapons with special powers, as an example. The child might be using his Dad's smartphone and simply makes the purchase without his parent's knowledge until the bill arrives with a huge surprise for Pop.
If one statistic says it all, it is that while "apps with in-app purchases still constitute a tiny minority within the App Store, they take a disproportionate share of the downloads." In other words, games with in-app-purchasing account for just 10% of all games in the App Store but account for nearly 40% of all games downloaded.
With Apple banning the incentivized app installs and the "offer walls", some analysts now see the App Store as being at a disadvantage to the Android Market. According to a report, "The 39.9 million downloads of free iPhone games in the US may slow until further notice as many of the incentivized install marketing campaigns have now stopped. The revenue growth of games using in-app purchases may slow for now. This change may help to further swing momentum in Android Market’s favor. A database created by Xyologic already indicates that last month 28,963 new apps debuted in Android Market while 18,787 made it into Apple’s App Store last month."
source: AppleInsider
Share:
AT&T 3G compatible HTC Wildfire S is seen over at the FCC 
HTC Trophy's launch imminent by Verizon? 
-
Nokia Lumia 925 hands-on
-
LG Optimus F3 pictured, detailed for Sprint
-
Alleged Samsung Galaxy S4 Active photos show rugged yet slim chassis
-
Make your Samsung Galaxy S4 sound better with Adapt Sound
-
Yahoo's board agrees to $1.1 billion acquisition of Tumblr
-
Parting images and wrap-up from the last day of Google I/O
20 Comments
1. a person (unregistered) posted on 01 May 2011, 01:47 7 5
i think Apple makes the right move and show it cares about the customers. I think apps store is not only about quantity of available apps but more importantly about the quality of the apps. All apps store should bear in mind. Customers want to get the best apps they thought they will have when they buy or download apps from the or Google or any other apps store can guarantee the quality of apps available in their lists, the customer will be much more satisfied.
9. remixfa posted on 01 May 2011, 09:43 7 4
90% of the apps on both systems are the same. there is no "higher quality" simply because steve jobs sets arbitrary rules about how many of a certain type of app can be in the market or that he no longer wants in app purchasing on some things. It is quite simply, steve jobs being a control freak... nothing more.. nothing less.
The only real difference between any apps has been androids fragmentation issue which is slowy but surely winding down. As more people upgrade to 1ghz+ android phones developers will continue to have more apps that push the phones to the limit. Its already happening and it will continue until its the majority of apps.
Big government nanny states (apple) always lose out to free market states (google).
15. Lucas777 posted on 01 May 2011, 18:45 2 2
okay so then the people on dual core will be fragmented... and yes.. if u compare even facebook apps, the iphone one is way better... and anyways they shud make this rule on all app stores since it is overly annoying
18. taco50 (banned) posted on 02 May 2011, 10:43 2 0
having used both operating systems iOS has much better quality apps than android. Two examples are facebook and skype. Androids skype doesn't even have video yet.
10. Fanboys Suck posted on 01 May 2011, 11:07 4 2
Shows they care about the customer? What the hell are you drinking?
2. codymws posted on 01 May 2011, 02:08 8 6
Yes, because all those fart apps are really high quality. And who cares about the freedom of the Android Market, and the presence of Flash on it! The App Store is so much higher quality.
11. gambino37 posted on 01 May 2011, 11:17 4 2
Oh yea, SO MUCH HIGHER QUALITY. Im so glad my fart sound app has retina display graphics. I just dont know what I would do without it. Idiot.
3. Sniggly posted on 01 May 2011, 03:23 4 3
Lol, scammed? No, that's just smart business. It's Apple's fault for not implementing a system like the Android Market which disallows app purchases without a credit/debit card on file, which the child could only get with the parent's permission or by being a little shit and taking. Many popular games, including and especially free ones, bring in revenue from in game purchases. And why shouldn't developers who spend time and effort try to maximize revenue?
Maybe now Glu will finally finish updating Gun Bros so it becomes more popular on Android, since their major source of income on the App Store has been shut down.
4. Sniggly posted on 01 May 2011, 03:28 4 1
And... I was right. Lol. Glue just released an update, and now Gun Bros has a promise on the app page that the brotherhood is coming really, really soon.
No offense to any ifanboys, but this was an epically stupid move by Apple.
5. -.- (unregistered) posted on 01 May 2011, 06:27 4 3
First Apple bragged about how many apps they have. Then android market overtook
app store in quantity and then Apple is suddenly not interested in the quantity anymore... quite pathetic actually.
6. AppleFUD (unregistered) posted on 01 May 2011, 07:59 4 2
yep. . . they are just setting up their next ad/smear campaign.
7. JeffdaBeat posted on 01 May 2011, 09:12 6 1
I think the rules on the App Store have been great for the end user so far...but my fear is that too many restrictions will make developers turn away from it. No serious developer would really submit more fart apps, but this rule may effect a few of them. Still, I wonder why not let the consumer decide?
12. Sniggly posted on 01 May 2011, 12:34 2 3
The restrictions are already making them turn away.
17. jbash posted on 02 May 2011, 10:25 0 0
i like your username, completely unbiased except towards symbian and meego ;p
19. iwebdroidberry7 posted on 02 May 2011, 17:53 0 0
Lol well im American... so I dont really know that much about Symbian and Meego
8. daniel_bargs posted on 01 May 2011, 09:13 1 3
now i know where apple got these huge revenues. accidental presses by their sons
14. joey18 posted on 01 May 2011, 17:17 3 2
my droid x has alot apps but most or those apps are useless apple makes better apps and clear
16. heatfan316 (unregistered) posted on 01 May 2011, 20:48 1 4
Who gives a rats ass, how many apps do we really need @Joey18 why don't you sell your Droid x you crapple fag
20. obnoxious9162775 posted on 02 May 2011, 19:11 0 1
Just one word............ CRAPPLE, and its a made up word at that....... but regardless.......CRAPPLE....CRAPPLE.
-
1.
What makes the Full HD IPS display on the LG Optimus G Pro better than AMOLED
-
2.
The forbidden fruit: here are 7 great Android apps that Google does not allow on Play store
-
3.
All from Google I/O 2013
-
4.
Samsung officials confirm 5.9-inch Note III will come at IFA in September, Galaxy S4 to hit 10 million sales next week
