Following yesterdays revelation that Apple was indeed working on an iPhone nano, The Verge has also discovered that Apple planned to allow Apps to be installed from third-party sources on iOS.
In 2008 Apple’s former software SVP Scott Forstall discussed the wording that should appear inside the on-screen prompt when a user sideloads an App. Steve Jobs agreed with the suggested phrase:
“Are you sure you want to open the application ‘Monkey Ball’ from the developer ‘Sega’?”
Apple
Other revelations uncovered today included emails from SVP Eddy Cue who relentlessly plugged Apple’s retail leadership to make iTunes Store gift cards more of a focus. He’d hoped to increase the attach rate of iTunes cards with the sale of other products such as the iPhone. Seemingly in response to Samsung’s apparent success in bundling accessories with their smartphones. This would have also served to further lock customers into the iOS ecosystem by encouraging customers to build large libraries of content such as Apps, Movies, Music and more.
Who’s going to buy a Samsung phone if they have apps, movies, etc already purchased? They now need to spend hundreds more to get to where they are today.
On a related note, our apple stores (online and retail) are the only distributors around the world that decreased year over year in iTunes card sales. We are starting to make progress again with retail but it is always an uphill battle. Our teams just don’t get the ecosystem. We (Val and team) just heard from Jennifer that iTunes cards are not a priority for her. This is ridiculous. Who leaves Apple products once they’ve bought apps, music, movies, etc!
Via Macrumors
…In the meantime, Samsung is discounting and giving crap away everywhere…Samsung is now pushing Google Play cards with placement right below the phones.
We haven’t been putting our cards with our product displays (at 3rd parties) since the iPod. They have to be at a different location. We should have gift cards on the tables like we do in Apple retail. We should also consider having them pegged on all end cap of hardware.
I’m not surprised that these types of conversations happen at senior leadership levels at Apple. The company discusses all sorts of ideas and makes plans that never see the light of day. Usually, it all comes together in the end and Apple executes its plans with ruthless efficiency. But that comes as a result of spinning different ideas around the room and collaborating across teams.
In my personal experience at the company, from time to time internal communication would hint or allude to conflict in a policy rollout. But generally, the company keeps tight-lipped. Information is shared even inside the company on a strictly need to know basis. Hardly a groundbreaking statement but it’s important to recognise that the struggles and boardroom battles that other companies face are also taking place at Apple all the time.
The Apple Vs Epic case is thus far turning out to be the gift that keeps on giving. And I imagine we’re just scratching the surface in regards to the documentation that might come to light as the suit progresses.
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