Steve Jobs: 60 million iPhone apps downloaded, confirms kill switch
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Aug 11th 2008 1:13AM
posted Aug 11th 2008 1:13AM
Steve Jobs, presumably speaking from a hyperbaric chamber where he's being nourished with an infusion of liquefied developers-souls before his next public appearance, had a few interesting tidbits about the AppStore for the Wall Street Journal this morning. Namely, users have downloaded some 60 million programs for the iPhone representing sales of about $30 million since the launch last month -- a 30/70 revenue split between Apple and developers, respectively. "The thing's going to crest a half billion soon," Jobs added, "I've never seen anything like this in my career for software." He went on to say that phone differentiation is no longer about radios and antennas (or uh, battery life) but about software. Steve also confirmed the controversial iPhone application kill switch in the event that Apple inadvertently approves a malicious program for distribution. Jobs said, "hopefully we never have to pull that lever, but we would be irresponsible not to have a lever like that to pull." As to the $999.99 I Am Rich application, the dubious download that displayed nothing but a glowing red gem, pulling that from the store was a "judgment" call. Sure, but that doesn't explain how it made it through the vetting process to begin with.
About the kill switch: Why didn't Apple tell us about it right away? And why doesn't Nokia, Samsung and the others feel they need to send secret data about what apps are running?
Creepy as hell.
Any more 'creepy' than multiple agencies of the US government having transcript copies of your emails, voicemails, text messages, and voice-to-voice conversations? Really?
Oh, so he confirmed it? Well, then its all pechey then....
And peachy, too!
it's a big Rumour??
I can almost forgive Apple for not implementing some very basic feaures (you all know what I'm talking about).
The really crappy 3G service and battery time that I get with my iPhone compared to my SE W890 is harder to live with for me, but OK....
What really gets me worked up is that Apple sends secret data about what applications I've installed on my iPhone. It's none of their business! The argument they use "it's for your own good" is complete BS. If there were some proper security mechnisms in OSX they wouldn't need to send this privacy data. Apple, take a lesson from Java and see how it works with certificates and the sandbox model for example.
Screw it, I'll wait for my iPhone to crack so I can return it with no hassle. Shouldn't take to long I guess.
Seriously though, do you think most iPhone users will care. Maybe the ones that would jailbreak it, but most will be happy with what Stevus has ordained.
That is seriously retarded. People have gotten so much in love with this iphone its sick.
Do you think windows users will care if Microsoft began scanning the software on your computer? Seriously, would you care? The Apple lovers have been so blind that they are allowing anything to happen to them. They pay more for the phone then in exchange pay more for the practically the SAME service! But still wait in line for hours and hours to do it… It truly is amazing and I don’t understand it. It’s a nice pretty device but is it worth all that? AND giving up your privacy over? Maybe if people saw it in a different perspective that they would realize how retarded this whole thing is.
If they can access your programs what’s to stop them from getting information on your phone? SERIOUSLY??? What’s to stop them from anything else they want to do?
So the software issue is new for him? The Reality Distortion Field must have obscured the Palm/WinMo/Symbian era of software differentiation. "Well yeah that was all software, but not like software software, you know?" Maybe he's just referring to people's willingness to give up a 30% cut of their profits on software. I suppose that is new. Nice haul!
The "malicious app" excuse for the kill switch is B.S. That is not the only path they could have taken. They could have done what many other networks do and simply cut off the machine from the network if it appears to be doing some kind of malicious activity like port scanning, spamming, spreading viruses, etc. After a required self-inspection of your machine (ex. virus scan), you'd call to regain access to the network.
How do you control legitimate activities like P2P, VoIP, etc. when the user can encrypt his connection and block you out? Kill the very app behind the activity. I'll bet you the ISPs would love to have this kind of "feature" on our home computers.
I agree with bernardino.
Would you all allow Microsoft to scan your Windows PC for "malicious applications"?
Oh well, for sure Jobs is very jovial right now after the success launch of his new tech toy the iPhone 3G. Actually, I remember watching this video entitled Steve Jobs & Apple's iPhone 3G as he unveil the new iPhone 3G in
http://clashorama.com/index.php?id=178
Oh well, for sure Jobs is very jovial right now after the success launch of his new tech toy the iPhone 3G. Actually, I remember watching this video entitled Steve Jobs & Apple's iPhone 3G as he unveil the new iPhone 3G in
http://clashorama.com/index.php?id=178