The successes of the App Store are well documented. There are millions of apps for iPhone and almost as many for iPad. Billions of dollars have been paid out to developers. Dozens of platform-defining apps have shipped. And the problems are just as well known. There's uncertainty about which apps will be or will stay approved. Premium apps continue to be devalued. Discovery and search are still a challenge.
While Apple's revenue from apps is skyrocketing, freemium games are drowning in money, and customers have an incredible array of low- and no-cost software to choose from, Apple's getting bad press from post-review rejections, paid apps are becoming unsustainable, and truly audacious apps are getting harder and harder to find.
A lot of blame has been spread around. Apple hasn't enabled demos or upgrades, chosen not to provided explicit guidelines as to what is and isn't acceptable, and failed to make search and discovery workable. Developers haven't held the line on prices, haven't worked on building businesses but succumbed to the temptation of buyout, and have embraced casino-style models to maximize profits over experience. Customers don't value apps, and won't pay up-front but will fork over small fortunes for in-app instant- or ego-gratification.
A lot of suggestions have been bandied about. We need better communications, a premium experience, the removal of top-lists, an overhauled ratings and review system, social recommendations, and the lists go on and on.
The currents state of the App Store comes from the sum of all compromises, and it's in no one's best interests.
Apple gets bad press and negative sentiment from developers and customers. Developers find Apple uncaring and customers over-entitled. Customers feel frustrated and nickel-and-dimed.
Just in the last few months, PCalc was approved, un-approved, and re-approved. Monument Valley was plagued by negative reviews for charging for extra levels. Pixelmator launched at $5. Brent Simmons had to get a day job when Vesper alone couldn't pay his bills. And free-to-play games still dominate the earnings.
So, rather than keep capitulating those same complaints and suggestions — well, any more than I already have — here's a new suggestion: a vice president of App Store.
Right now developer tools are under senior vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi. They create the compilers and frameworks developers use to make apps.
Developer relations and App Store review is under senior vice president of marketing, Phil Schiller. They help evangelize the software and decide what can and can't get onto the store.
App Store management and editorial is under senior vice president of services, Eddy Cue.
From everything I've heard, they're all working together better than ever. The directors and senior directors, by all accounts, are all are doing amazing work, each within their own orgs. You don't get growth in apps, developers, and customer bases — or billions of dollars in revenue — without doing amazing work.
Yet maybe a case could be made for a VP of App Store as well. Like Angela Ahrendts and Apple's Online and Retail Stores, a public-facing VP of App Store could be a benefit to Apple, developers, and customers. A VP who transcends orgs, whose job is only fixing search, review, ratings and review, pricing and policy, and all the other sore spots. A VP like that could be just what the App Store needs next.
Back in 2011, Tim Cook reorganized Apple, and the results have been iOS 7 and Yosemite, Extensibility and Continuity, and more more. Putting Jony Ive on top of all design and Federighi in charge of all operating systems made for substantial changes in how subsequent products have shipped.
Maybe the same thing has already been considered for the App Store and rejected for good reason. Maybe not. As much as Apple has done to improve transparency in environmentalism and inclusivity, in privacy and manufacturing, App Store is still a black box.
As the number of apps on any given store ceases to matter, maybe the quality of apps will become the biggest competitive advantage. As the displays and speeds on hardware become more than enough, maybe apps will once again start selling systems. And as profits from the App Store continue to grow, maybe the case for a VP of App Store grows with it.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/OUt-Uyt-hKc/story01.htm
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