AppsFire.com ★ blog ★ - Filed under 'apple'

February 3, 2010

[updated: we're back!] PasteFire bug and fix coming with new version

update 06/02/2010: and we're back. Download Pastefire on getAp.ps/Pastefire Now enjoy the power of push notifications on Pastefire!

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We pushed a week ago a new version of Pastefire iPhone app with a new push notification system. This is the good news

The bad news is that we discovered a bug although the app was just approved by Apple. This bug causes an error message to appear on your screen when opening Pastefire on your iPhone

Although the copy/paste is working fine we decided to remove this new version from the App Store until the working version is back again. It is important to us to ensure the best experience to our users and we won't let a little bug pollute the experience

We ve just pushed this new version (1.1.1) to Apple for approval including also a few more surprises. Hopefully it should be back very soon.

We don't understand how Apple could let this bug go through since we thought they would test the app to screen those messages. But the mistake is ours. We are fixing it.

Apologies for that.

Note: if you did not update Pastefire the version 1.0.1 is working still fine. So you can enjoy it!

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Filed under // apple pastefire

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February 1, 2010

If you needed a proof that the APP-roval process is faster- there it is

The image below is the status bar of the global review process made by Apple when you log into iTunes connect (the developer zone for apps). Just as an element of comparison

Before december it was 89/90% in the last 14 days
Just before the christmas break it was at 99% in the last 14 days
and now what you are seeing below 99% in the past 7 days.

This is a great news and a major improvement

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Filed under // app store apple apps

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February 1, 2010

iPhone app discovery: how it is approached today, online. Full map and observations

We like to map the complex iPhone ecosystem (we did it for analytics and app creation), because it is important for us to understand where we move. One of the key issues of the iPhone world is app discovery: finding the right apps for you.

It is an issue for both developers and users.

iTunes is doing a decent job at organizing the app catalog but, let's face it, the browsing experience, the absence of internal marketing channel to the App Store and the explosion of the number of apps (will reach 300/500k by year end) is making the discovery and relevancy of the process painful.

This is then, no surprise that lots of services and companies are trying to solve that issue. We wanted to map those players and although Appsfire has not really started implementing what we are planning (this is called a teaser - more on that later), we also find ourselves in that map.

There it is (click to zoom). Note we put aside the App store/Google and the blogosphere/TwitterSphere that plays an important part too. We focused here only on services that specifically aim at solving the discovery of mobile apps for the iPhone

What we can learn from this map is that the attention of iPhone users is split between many sorts of discovery opportunities from the most traditional (app catalogs like AppStore HQ) to the most complex (Flurry is an example), from personal initiatives (like appstore-appstot.com) to funded startups (a bunch in our map). And none has really taken the lead to mainstream although some have reached a decent size already (like AppstoreHQ)

App discovery is far from being solved. All those players, Apple included and soon many more players like Google/Android, Mobile operators, probably some publishers, will try to bring their own solution. This is a very hard problem to solve correctly. We tried ourselves with a few discovery mechanisms from which we learned a lot and gave us the vision for our next steps.

One more thing to mention is that the discovery of Apps for many users does not take place online. It takes place offline, while discussing and comparing apps with friends. Apps are the new playlists and the new mobile glue. People like to talk about them in real life. If you have an iPhone you know what we mean. And this part cannot be underestimated

This is definitely a hot space and one that requires monitoring.

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Filed under // app store apple apps appsfire discovery

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January 31, 2010

10 super short iPad thoughts, after the storm

Now that the storm seems over and that we digested some noise, here are some gross thoughts on what we are observing about the iPad

It is probably the most over anticipated AND underestimated device since the iPhone
The 3 killer features of the Tablet are probably and beyond all expectations and gorgeous UI, 1. speed 2. battery life and 3.price 3 things the iPhone is not yet good at. The rest seems like a decoration
Probably a killer device for reading. Not sure the Kindle comparison is good because the Kindle is made for reading books. iPad is going to be killer to read 1. Comics / 2 Magazines / 3 PhotoBooks / 4 Music Sheets *
Multi-tasking is not yet here. let's bet it will be within 12 months. At least some form of communication protocol between key apps (email, calendar, contact, notes)
In the ad, Jobs does not appear, only Yve, Schiller and Forstdale. One of them will replace Jobs. I would say Yve (most charisma, vision, apple DNA)
The 2 immediate killer iPhone apps for iPad will be Instapaper and ReadItLater
How will you deal with an iPhone, running already 1 phone number and an iPad running another? Will there be a sync?
Will the iPad be used as a Phone? Probably not, even if the function is available on the 3G model. During the Apple event nothing was said about calling. It is more about data and permanent connection
App discovery for the iPad will become even more critical since a new generation of Apps will raise in addition to current iPhone apps.
Probably the most missed feature to make the iPad a true macbook replacement, will be a frontal webcam.

Bonus:

why iPad.com is not an Apple property?
Will the iPad blend?

We think the iPad will be a major success. Maybe bigger than the iPod touch.

* one thing i really wonder whether Apple thought about, since the iPad is a connected device, will books "web ready"? meaning if i read a sentence, run a search on a word in Google, or find a wikipedia definition instantly. Will there be "Smart reading" enabled vs "Classic Reading"

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Filed under // apple ipad

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January 25, 2010

The App store brings the "Did you mean THAT APP" to search [updated: not that new! just not really visible]

Not sure, how new this is, the visual integration is kind of not obvious but it works.

Any idea when Apple released that?

update: looks it s been around since last itunes 9. but it was not obvious to notice it

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Filed under // app app store apple search

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December 16, 2009

Morgan Stanley: the future of mobile internet is not Search (read Google) but Apps (read Apple)

I've just finished reading the very impressive report prepared by Morgan Stanley on the future of the Mobile internet (save an hour in a quite room). This is a must read for whoever is part of the mobile industry. It includes real key data on mobile devices, metrics, companies business figures..

The report is naturally focusing on the iPhone/iTouch case which is the game changer in that industry.

What is really compelling in that report, and that is the underlying fact of this whole presentation, is how the mobile internet is getting us, users, used to consume differently the web thanks to new devices, infrastructures and mainly the app ecosystems

When on the computer the starting point is a search engine for the mainstream: namely Google, on the mobile our starting point are Apps. (For now ) Namely Apple

Google knows it and that's why they need to catch up on Apple, including creating their own device. Google can't afford not to become the entry point

This is what lead them on the computer to create a browser and an OS. In order to remain the entry point.

But how do you deal with that with Apps, which are slicing the web in a convenient user friendly way? How many of us start really use Google on their iPhone vs the rest of the Apps?

Apple is winning the App war (read the mobile web war) for now. Not Google.

PS: one surprising missing point in Morgan Stanley's presentation is the notion of discoverability of apps. It is and will be a critical issue that no one is addressing correctly (including Apple) and that will condition the development of the mobile internet as an ecosystem

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Filed under // analysis apple iphone market mobile report

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December 6, 2009

Welcome to our new VIP: Apple's VP worldwide product marketing, Phil Schiller

Ok. he does not really know it, but we could not help creating him a special profile in our VIP section.

You can discover here Phil Schiller, favorite iPhone apps, as he declared in an interview in the NYT

Phil Schiller was vocal recently about issues regarding the App Store approval. Interesting to note Facebook in his selection, whose creator has decided to quit the mission to code for the App store.

I am sure there are more apps on his iPhone. But those are the one we know of. Mostly best sellers.

If you know him, you can forward him his personal widget :)

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Filed under // apple iphone vips

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December 4, 2009

Apple buys Lala, confirms intention to move to the web and marks a first in Apple acquisition history

Apple has acquired web based music service Lala. There are 2 things that are interesting to observe

1. Apple is confirming its intention to move iTunes to the Web. This has already started with iTunes preview released 2 weeks ago

2. What is striking about this acquisition is that, if we're correct, this is the 1st Apple makes in the web consumer space. Traditionally they acquire hardware, or software or web infrastructures service.

Is that the beginning of a new Era for Apple? or just an opportunistic acquisition to preserve iTunes leading position before services like MOG or Spotify really take off?

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Filed under // acquisition apple itunes lala music

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November 19, 2009

Must read: Apple's mistake or why the app store is broken

Paul Graham, the founder of Ycombinator, is one of our favorite bloggers. He has a great piece about why the App store App-roval process is hurting Apple. Read it. It is awesomely written and full of great insights

We know how much heat there is around the app store which leads to lots of frustrations. This is not going to change anytime soon

Paul has an interesting suggestion about the next-level phone that could take developers away from Apple: a phone size device for app development. By giving developers a better platform maybe they might be ready to switch and contribute to a new ecosystem. I find it hard to imagine. But that is a lead that could make sense

We still believe Apple could have a big win by changing the rules and crowdsourcing smartly the App-roval process.

Like Paul says, it means treating apps in a different mode than the way they treat songs in iTunes.

Of course, a number of open development platforms exist, e.g. OpenMoko and Android to a certain extent - however, the challenge for these platforms is to ensure a high commitment to market and distribute. So far, Apple has been the only significant player with such technology breadth and depth, hardware and software, combined with a true commitment & vision for its users.

Apple is certainly not resting idle and is listening. We know for sure as we discussed these issues first hand at the recent Apple Tech Talks in Paris...

When it comes to innovation, the market is like a toddler - one has to educate the toddler first, by narrowing the field of possibles, down to the crib. This is clearly what Apple is doing with the "apps" market. Now that the "apps" market is about to walk on its own, perhaps it is time to relax the rules and let the children play ;-)

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Filed under // app store apple iphone

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November 10, 2009

Update: you actually can create an account in the US app store (if you are not a US citizen). Here is how

We observed Apple killed the "none" payment option that enabled you to download free apps if you are not a US resident.

A fine observer, reading our blog, found a solution (thanks Buzain)

1. Don't create the account from iTunes starting from scratch

2. download first a free app in iTunes, once you are logged out from the App store

3. then from the pop up asking your credentials create an account

4. down the road you will see the "none" payment option on the right with the credit cards

5. just find a US address and phone number (use google maps...)

And that's all. It works perfect.

The weird thing is that this works if you create an account after you download an app, but not if you try to create an account from iTunes in the registration page.

Is someone at Apple aware of that?

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Filed under // app store apple regional

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