The Power of Instant Approval

Back in the early days of web video, it wasn't clear who would win the competition for video upload to the web. There was YouTube, Vimeo, and the big dog was Google Video (GOOG). I tried all of them. YouTube was by far and away the best experience.

Google Video required you to wait for days to see the video you uploaded. It was so annoying that I wrote this post exactly four years ago today (how's that for a coincidence?). This line sort of sums it up:

Posting stuff to the Internet has to be instantaneous. What if I wrote this post on Tyeppad and it took me 10 minutes to see the result? What if I posted a photo to Flickr and it took a day to see it?

I was reminded of that post when I was reading Bijan's post on mobile apps this morning. Bijan makes the same point about developers and the iPhone app store:

Developers are getting extremely frustrated with the Apple App Store (understatement). I’m hearing it can take developers 4 weeks to get an update released. That’s dysfunctional.

The argument Apple (AAPL) makes about approving every app is similar to the argument Google made about approving every video. They want to make sure only quality stuff gets into their service. And I suppose it is even more important when we are talking about software running on your phone.

I'm not going to argue with the logic of those points of view, but I'll make this observation. Instant gratification is a very powerful force, for both consumers and developers. The web is full of success stories that have embraced the power of instant gratification and also full of failures that made people wait too long.

Comments

[Timeline St...:]

More pointless grumbling about Apple.

If the tension for change is so high, and the developer payoff exists elsewhere, the developers will go elsewhere.

I don't, as yet, see a similar marketplace where a developer will have access to 60 million devices from one version of a program, with that number increasing quarterly by a double-digit percentage.

There's always this "wait until this or that happens, we'll show you then" complaining about Apple but none of it diminishes the consumer appeal, and thus the sales, and thus the install base. And that's the hand that turns the crank.

Developers simply need to know this - Apple doesn't really care about their feelings. They should just keep their heads down and do good work and they might be rewarded. And if they want to go ride the unicorns in Android Land, that's up to them.

They should just know that each unicorn is different, and they will need to have a different riding style for each one, and that some riding styles are not compatible with some unicorns. They'll figure all of that out after a few years with all the different unicorns that come and go in Android Land. Every holiday season there will be a whole new crop of unicorns and your old riding style may need some modifications, but it's all good because everything is happy in no-rules Android Land.

And just tell them to ignore the fact that by 2012, when they have figured out how to ride 10 or 15 different unicorns, that there will be 150 million identical Apple devices in real customer's hands, each of them tied to an iTunes account that has a credit card.

Good luck with the Unicorns, suckers.

Nov 16 09:20 AM

[waf76:]

Seriously, this is griping for the sake of griping. If Apple didn't approve each app who knows what type of trojan horse apps there would be out there stealing people's data...

Nov 16 10:12 AM

[Oh Blah Dee...:]

RE: "... They (Apple) want to make sure only quality stuff gets into their service. ..."

======================
"Quality" for Apple also means no trojans, viruses, worms, nor anything else that can affect a communication network or user experience.

Google, YouTube, and Vimeo were NOT concerned about these possibilities (qualities).

Nov 16 10:48 AM

[jack dee:]

Of course if apple did end up controlling the smart phone market, they would have DOJ oversight and most likely be forced to spin off the app store.

It just common sense. Apple would also be forced to allow anyone to develop ANY product for the phone and be forced to open all standards. But hey thats just the way it is, you dont have to break any laws to get broken up....

Nov 16 11:47 AM

[chano:]

Really, if you write here because you think your words are worth reading, then you need to look in the mirror. I think your talents are needed on the Betamax users' blogsite.
Fool, for wasting my valuable time.
I gave you the benefit of the doubt. You failed.
Another loser on Seeking Alpha.

Nov 16 11:48 AM

[jgphoto1:]

If a developer decides to develop...or not develop for the iPhone based on instant gratification and immediate approval I'm guessing there is a good chance they don't have the discipline to develop a quality product that is completely "finished".

Nov 17 08:41 AM

[mollytjm:]

i want Apple to review the apps before i end up putting an app on my iPhone that is harmful or negative to the experience of using the iPhone. and if takes a few weeks for an update, big deal. at least when it's done, it isn't a 'Vista experience'.

Nov 17 08:57 AM

[Jon T:]

Crucially, developers must know that they can't sneak stuff through, or be frivolous about what they submit.

It is a SERIOUS process. To be taken SERIOUSLY.

Even if a few whinging 'get rich quick' developers are getting airtime, customers are getting a service and a product that is years ahead of anything seen before...

Congratulations to Apple for sticking to their beliefs.

Nov 17 09:07 AM

[jack dee:]

So apple tells you what they think is ok for you to run on a phone that you own, and you think thats OK?

If MSFT or AAPL decided to tell you what programs you where allowed to use on your desktops how would you feel about that?

Nov 17 12:24 PM

[brewer:]

@jack dee:

Actually, you can run anything you want on your own phone. What you can't do is put any Windoze type trash on the app store. Big difference there.

You can jailbreak your phone for nothing and run whatever you like, your own stuff, other illegitimate stuff. Or, you can pay $99 for the dev kit and run whatever you write on your own phone. Knock yourself out. But if you want it on the *app store* then Apple gets to review it first. It's their store.

Nov 17 12:49 PM

[brewer:]

Four whole weeks to get approved? Whine me a river. Apple is doing EVERYTING other than the actual writing of the app. Marketing, hosting, delivery, billing, etc... etc... etc....

Go to the Zune store if you want... LOL

Nov 17 12:51 PM

[jack dee:]

As long as AAPL does not become the dominate smart phone platform , they can get away with controlling access to market, but should apple "win" and have effective control of the smart phone app market, do you really think the DOJ would allow to pick winners?


As to "windoze" wtf has that got to do with anything, we are talking about Apples app store, not win 7. But if you do want to talk about windows, just keep in mind that neither win 7 nor OSX try to control access to consumers or restrict users from running whatever they like.

AAPL has a tiger by the tail, the app store may very well cost more in lawyers fees and lobbyists then it ever earns.
On Nov 17 12:49 PM brewer wrote:

> @jack dee:
>
> Actually, you can run anything you want on your own phone. What you
> can't do is put any Windoze type trash on the app store. Big difference
> there.
>
> You can jailbreak your phone for nothing and run whatever you like,
> your own stuff, other illegitimate stuff. Or, you can pay $99 for
> the dev kit and run whatever you write on your own phone. Knock yourself
> out. But if you want it on the *app store* then Apple gets to review
> it first. It's their store.

Nov 17 01:11 PM

[jack dee:]

You are completely right,

Apple is also restricting access to end users , and restricting end users access to products. Being a gate keeper is a tricky biz, just ask Billy boy.


On Nov 17 12:51 PM brewer wrote:

> Four whole weeks to get approved? Whine me a river. Apple is doing
> EVERYTING other than the actual writing of the app. Marketing, hosting,
> delivery, billing, etc... etc... etc....
>
> Go to the Zune store if you want... LOL

Nov 17 01:13 PM