Apple maps very disappointing

so does target take a cut from catalog items sold there by say, XYZ... we buy a XYZ catalog from target's shelf in their store, fine, target gets its cut for that. now you buy some wares from XYZ's catalog - does XYZ pay target a cut for that too?

don't you understand the meaning of monopolistic and restrictive trade practices?

electronicsguy wrote:

so does target take a cut from catalog items sold there by say, XYZ... we buy a XYZ catalog from target's shelf in their store, fine, target gets its cut for that. now you buy some wares from XYZ's catalog - does XYZ pay target a cut for that too?

No. And Apple doesn't work that way either. It just so happens that almost every company sees the value in selling software through Apple's app stores. Very few sell anything elsewhere. Adobe is one exception. Adobe sells Photoshop Elements 10 in the App Store and Apple gets a 30% cut. Adobe also sells Photoshop Elements 11 on its own site and Apple gets no cut.

The same thing happens on iTunes. If you buy a CD at the mall, Apple gets no cut. But if you buy it from Apple, Apple gets part of the profit just like the music store in the mall does. In this market, Apple has more competition so it doesn't get 30%.

Things are even more complicated in the iBookstore. You can sell via Apple and get 70% of your desired retail price or sell via Amazon and get 35% of of your desired retail price because Amazon sells for less and passes the loss back to the author.

don't you understand the meaning of monopolistic and restrictive trade practices?

I assume you are referring to the App Store for iOS. The only legitimate way to get software onto your iOS device is via the App Store. Well, you could jailbreak your phone so you would have the privilege of giving your credit card number to known theives and hackers if you want.

iOS is a different market. It is monopolistic and restrictive but the market obviously doesn't mind. A few people complain about it on the internet but they are free to buy an Android phone or tablet if they want. Most developers realize that Apple's 30% is the best deal for retail software ever so they don't complain.

I'm sure that if Android had a better app retail experience than Apple provided and if that had a measureable impact in the market, then Apple would change its practices. Currently, Apple has no financial incentive to do that and customers are not forced to buy Apple products.

"It is monopolistic and restrictive but the market obviously doesn't mind. "

thats a specious argument at best. if consumers have no other way, its hard to say they 'don't mind'.

no-one 'minded' at&t too for its landline services, till they were forced to split.

just because i have a choice about a platform does not mean that you can impose unreasonable restrictions. people had a choice between IE and other browsers too, but MS had to introduce browser options upon first start right?

my argument was specifically about skydrive, where it is reported that apple wants a cut from subscriptions made thru a free app, for a service they have nothing to do with , and even after a user may remove the app from the device. I am only saying whats reported in tech news.

electronicsguy wrote:

thats a specious argument at best. if consumers have no other way, its hard to say they 'don't mind'.

Well, that might have been true before the Mac App Store. Is there anyone who really wants to go back to CDs, dongles, or registration codes? Only the big companies can even afford to try anymore. I used to sell shareware with one of those registration codes. I gave up and closed down because the credit card merchant accounts were more expensive, required payment up-front, and were far more onerous than Apple is.

just because i have a choice about a platform does not mean that you can impose unreasonable restrictions. people had a choice between IE and other browsers too, but MS had to introduce browser options upon first start right?

I really wouldn't know. I've always exercised my consumer choice and used Macs when it was my own money. Safari isn't any more optional on the Mac than IE is on Windows. It's funny because the only reason many people have Windows at all anymore is precisedly to run IE. I use it to test web sites in IE. The Mac is the best way to do that because I can check all versions of IE much more easily than I could on a physical PC.

my argument was specifically about skydrive, where it is reported that apple wants a cut from subscriptions made thru a free app, for a service they have nothing to do with , and even after a user may remove the app from the device. I am only saying whats reported in tech news.

If the subscriptions were free, then Apple wouldn't get a cut. Apple didn't want the App Store to be full of functionless apps that required external subscriptions in order to function. Apps must provide some functionality for the price, even if free.

If a customer purchases a subscription to Skydrive on iOS, chances are they are going to use it on iOS. If Microsoft wants to profit from the easy-to-use ecosystem that Apple has built, then Apple gets a cut. The funny thing is that Apple has relaxed its policies about subscriptions over the years. Microsoft is free to charge 35% more for iOS subscriptions if it wants. Problem solved.

Be careful about relying on what you read in tech news. It often is wildly inaccurate, especially where Apple is concerned. It seems that the big problem with Skydrive was 3rd party developers using a web-based login method that had a "buy" button, this bypassing the in-app purchase feature. Is that the only interface that Microsoft provides? If so, then maybe Microsoft is the one that needs to change it so that 3rd party developers have a native interface that doesn't have a "buy" button. I suspect that Microsoft has that but some developers are just using an easier web-based method.

haha: " Is there anyone who really wants to go back to CDs, dongles, or registration codes?"

precisely what people TODAY have to do for iphone to connect to standard things like micro-usb, HDMI, micro-SD, apple's own 30-pin dock, FM radio, itunes gift card.

leaving gift card aside, others are standard ports in competitior phones. plus there are 100s of threads here about how to burn music from itunes to CDs.

anyways, good day.

electronicsguy wrote:

haha: " Is there anyone who really wants to go back to CDs, dongles, or registration codes?"

precisely what people TODAY have to do for iphone to connect to standard things like micro-usb, HDMI, micro-SD, apple's own 30-pin dock, FM radio, itunes gift card.

leaving gift card aside, others are standard ports in competitior phones. plus there are 100s of threads here about how to burn music from itunes to CDs.

You obviously have no idea what I am talking about. Let me explain...

In the years before the App Stores, if you purchased some software, you had to enter a registration code in order to use it. If you upgraded your machine, installed a new hard drive, bought a new machines, etc. you had to re-enter the registration code. If you lost your code - too bad. Periodically the software would get confused and wouldn't accept your code and you couldn't run it. Some of the "old school" companies like Microsoft and Adobe still use registration codes and, of course, are absent from the Mac App Stores.

Before registration codes, you often had to have the manufacturers original CD inserted in the machine or the software wouldn't run. Sometimes, you had to have a special "dongle" inserted in your PS-2 port to run the software.

Apple made all of that stuff obsolete. You listed a number of other obsolete technologies. Why? You forgot the steam engine, the plow, the floppy disk, and the CRT display.So? Apple's devices are devices of the future, with wireless connections for data, video, radio, gift cards, and, soon, power as well. There are no bridle attachments nor boiler inputs on an iPhone either.

if you think HDMI, micro-usb, micro-sd is obsolete, you have bigger problems buddy.

electronicsguy wrote:

if you think HDMI, micro-usb, micro-sd is obsolete, you have bigger problems buddy.

Using Airplay

iCloud

Apple map in hong kong is a joke. simple search points you to the wrong spot.

NOt only noy user friendly, but v unreliable.

Is this thread still going? You guys got your inferior google maps back so why even have this thread still going.

Ah you are right. if i never use apple map again, will have no complaints any more.😝

Just download and use Google Maps and move Apple Maps to the last screen so that you don't have to use it or see it again. Problem solved

It is actually quite embarrassing just to have the Apple Maps on the phone. I hope the other location apps on iOS also start using the Google Maps API soon. There is a great location based todo app I use, which has become a pain to use since iOS6 happened - as it uses the default Apple Maps, I am unable to set locations using the Map as it can't find most locations. I asked them and they said they will move to Google APIs soon. Waiting...

Google has started promoting them already - http://mashable.com/2012/12/29/google-ios-apps-maps/

Here is a good summary of how the two compare - http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/13/tech/mobile/review-google-apple-maps/

Don't look at the other American reviews of the two Apps. The biggest issues of direction and location - ghastly data - are as we know, outside the USA.

I find this all very amusing. How long has google had to get their maps to where they are today? It's been a loooong time I can tell you, and for all that time they have ranged from very bad to almost tolerable, but never perfect, even today. This is Apples very first attempt at a maps system of their own, and I guarantee you it is better than what Google initially released. I am certain Apple is hard at work right now making significant improvements and they will blow by Google in short order while they piddle around trying to figure out how to come close to Apple in all other areas.

I don't and I doubt if most others care about who does a better job tomorrow and who was crappy at some point in the past.

At any time, people want something that works and does a good job. If Apple comes up with a superior maps product tomorrow, people will shift - its as simple as that.

I assume it is the same with you - you are saying that Apple Maps will improve and that Google Maps are better today. So, I suppose you are doing what anyone would do - use what is good today.