Trent Reznor rips Apple, rates Smartphone OSes
By Thomas Ricker 
posted May 4th 2009 3:56AM
posted May 4th 2009 3:56AM
Why should you care about what Trent Reznor has to say about Apple or smartphones in general? Well, for one thing, the front-man for Nine Inch Nails is a digital music visionary who's gone it alone and found gold in the deep coffers of the Internet. And that little device in your pocket just happens to be the future of mobile computing and converged media players. The story begins last week when Apple rejected an update to the official Nine Inch Nails iPhone application on the grounds of "objectionable content" (read: too many F-bombs). In this case, as it was in the rejected Tweetie update, the offensive content isn't actually part of the application; Apple's concern is with the song "The Downward Spiral" that can be streamed to the updated NIN iPhone App. The stupidity of this is palpable, but the hypocrisy is best described by Trent himself in a forum post over at NIN.com. Steel yourselves: unlike Apple we haven't censored the material -- so if naughty words can hurt you then by all means, don't click through to the full quote after the break. But Mr. Jobs, old pal, if you're listening... Trent may not be Bob Dylan, but he is the voice of the digital music generation.
As posted by Trent himself in response to Apple's rejection eMail:
...I'll voice the same issue I had with Wal-Mart years ago, which is a matter of consistency and hypocrisy. Wal-Mart went on a rampage years ago insisting all music they carry be censored of all profanity and "clean" versions be made for them to carry. Bands (including Nirvana) tripped over themselves editing out words, changing album art, etc to meet Wal-Mart's standards of decency - because Wal-Mart sells a lot of records. NIN refused, and you'll notice a pretty empty NIN section at any Wal-Mart. My reasoning was this: I can understand if you want the moral posturing of not having any "indecent" material for sale - but you could literally turn around 180 degrees from where the NIN record would be and purchase the film "Scarface" completely uncensored, or buy a copy of Grand Theft Auto where you can be rewarded for beating up prostitutes. How does that make sense? You can buy The Downward Fucking Spiral on iTunes, but you can't allow an iPhone app that may have a song with a bad word somewhere in it. Geez, what if someone in the forum in our app says FUCK or CUNT? I suppose that also falls into indecent material. Hey Apple, I just got some SPAM about fucking hot asian teens THROUGH YOUR MAIL PROGRAM. I just saw two guys having explicit anal sex right there in Safari! On my iPhone!Later in the threaded discussion, Trent clarifies his position with this little gem:
Come on Apple, think your policies through and for fuck's sake get your app approval scenario together.
Everyone - let me be clear. I love Apple products and as goofy and out-of-touch as their app approval process / policy is, I will still use them because they work 1000X better than the competition. This is not a debate, it's a fact. The iPhone is THE most elegant, modern smartphone at this point in time and it's perfect for what we want to do with the NIN app - except for the ludicrous approval process, and that's what I want to draw attention to.[Via The iPhone Blog]
Android is cool, but nobody has an Android phone. Blackberry is OK but the hardware is inconsistent and WinMo straight-up sucks balls. If Apple doesn't get it together, we will most certainly make it available to the jailbreak community. I didn't invest in this app to see it languish on the sidelines from an idiotic policy while this tour is in full swing.
Read -- Trent rages against the App Store Machine
Read -- Trent's Smartphone comment
Coudn't agree more with Trent, well put. Now I think even better of him and NIN.
Trent always has the best rants, I'll never forget one from when With Teeth was leaked... "and for those of you who haven't seen Million Dollar Baby, he ^&@*#$% kills her in the end!"
"Android is cool, but nobody has an Android phone"
Hmm...the G1 is 5th in the U.S. market....looks like Trent is another clueless Apple fanboy. Hell I don't own an Android set, but I know that a lot of people have them. I'm glad his app was rejected, NIN music is trash anyway.
Thanks jack-ass.
At the end this is a great ad for Apple, i didn't knew Trent was licking asses ;-)
Im SURE hes not licking anyone's ass, Im SURE its about the $$$$. He'll make tons of $$$ from the app. He makes tons of $$$ of itunes sales for his songs. That's his cash cow as few people buy physical albums anymore.
"Im SURE hes not licking anyone's ass, Im SURE its about the $$$$. He'll make tons of $$$ from the app. He makes tons of $$$ of itunes sales for his songs. That's his cash cow as few people buy physical albums anymore. "
Where have you been? Trent has been giving away his music for free on a massive scale, recently. He has picked up the banner for the independent musician and has been embracing the digital world while rejecting the industry.
Reznor's point about the hypocrisy and inconsistency of Apple's policy is well taken. But it fails to understand that historically every system of censorship is hypocritical and inconsistent. The arbitrary nature of the selection of works for censorship is the halmark and very point of censorship, not evidence of it's failings. This can serve different purposes. Sometimes the point is to demonstrate the absolute nature of a totalitarian power, a point made better through arbitary exercise of that power, than through a consistent exercise of power. Other times the point is to create the appearance that one is excercising some sort of authority over a matter, while concealing other aims (perhaps Apple has other reasons to suppress certain apps, but the censorship policy gives it an excuse). Or in still other cases, one wants to create the appearance one is addressing a public "moral" concern, while not having to be completely subject to the demands of that concern. I think the last one is likely Apple's goal. So I doubt Apple cares about Reznor's complaint, since it misunderstands the underlying purposes of its policy.
LOL, This is to funny, "Android is cool, but nobody has an Android phone. Blackberry is OK but the hardware is inconsistent and WinMo straight-up sucks balls. If Apple doesn't get it together, we will most certainly make it available to the jailbreak community."
As soon as Apple decides exactly how to sell and notify of "explicit" content in Apps.. these concerns will go away.
I don't think they're planning on it unless enough people complain. The problem is trivial from a software perspective. This is not an astronomically difficult problem to solve. The only reason its not solved now is that they explicitly refuse to do so. They sell explicit content on the iTunes store. It has the tag next to it. The ability is already built in to their system. The only reason its not in use is their inability to give the customer what they want.
For a case study on "not difficult for Apple, they just won't bother until enough people complain" please see Exhibit A - Copy and Paste in the iPhone 3.0 firmware.
You're telling me it took 2 years to come up with "context menu"? No.
I'm die-hard Windows Mobile. See if I put any more NiN on it though... Go sell your stuff on apple. Bad move, Reznapple
bad move trent, you just lost me. love ya music but why dis android. fanboys r alive and if you dis them you loss them. you lost me trent... :(
What he said about Android is simply a fact
Those of you who took personal offense to his OS rant are fucking clowns.
How is it dissing them when he says that yes, it is a decent platform but just not enough people own one. It costs money to develop software for a specific OS. He wants to reach as many of his fans as possible. He owns an iPhone himself. Why target a platform even he wouldn't use. The whole purpose is to communicate with his fans more directly (even at shows).
Make the app jailbreak-only. That's so much more "NIN" anyway...
Wow, I've never seen people get so incensed by someone's views on a smartphone operating system. So what if Trent Reznor hates Windows Mobile? Why should that matter to you on any level? It's not like he came out and said that he was in favor of genocide or something. Way to go, internet.
Internet: 1. Rational and intelligent discourse: 0
Because people identify with their phone. Hell, the phone is probably the most important non-living object in most people's life nowadays. It'd be similar to if Trent came into your house and said: "Oh no, all your shit sucks, you should go to the iFurniture store. It's much more elegant and modern". When, in reality, it's all subjective. There is no right or wrong when it comes to furniture or cell phones.
Now why should we even care? Because Trent isn't just some guy, he's a guy who garners the attention of the media. So when he says it people listen, and a bunch of his little followers will agree. Now you have more than just one guy shitting on what you like. While this may still sound silly, again, people identify with their phones and when you identify with something you want to protect it.
@Geoff
I agree completely with your statements but would like to add that while I would not care what he thought of my mobile OS platform if I used a different one, being a fan of his and him liking the mobile platform I DO use brings me a momentary sense of pride. "I like something one of my idols likes? I must be almost as cool as him!"
Ok, I didn't actually think that, but it's along those lines of why people get upset and excited about such comments.
Geez guys, I can't imaging deciding not to buy their music anymore simply because the guy does not care for the OS on your phone. Is your sense of self so wrapped up in your phone for Pete's sake?? Get a life!
lol, it's true that WinMo sucks when compared to the smoothness and flashiness of Apple, but I still love WinMo.
WinMo = wife whereas Iphone = mistress
Wow, that is a really rational, logical, and understandable argument for why WinMo is good.
...if you're retarded and huffing gasoline.
Why should they develop on all 4 platforms? They are using the platform that works for them currently and at no point does it say they will never use the others.
Been a Trent fan for a long time and still am.
Stating that WinMo sucks "balls" or "nobody has" an Android phone is just his world and I am just happy he makes good music. Loved my Dash and love my G1
Do I think he is an AppleFanBoi? Yup and coming from Mr. CounterCulture that just cracks me up. I am not trading in my Android for an iPhone anytime soon. The iPhone is not what I wanted plus then I would be just another "jerk with an iPhone" If Trent wanted to be a rebel he would use Linux and carry a G1 "So say we all!!"
Truth be told if I was him and I could carry an iPhone too. With his money who cares if it works for a week or ten years? Nothing make me laugh harder than seeing someone poor iPhone user with a shattered LCD trying to send a text message on the while walking or the best "Yea my iPhone's battery is dead. Do you have a charger?"
Will I buy his CD? Laughable. Will I pay to see him in concert? Sure.
Thanks for the giggle Trent, now get back to making music and please leave the geek stuff to the geeks.
I agree that Symbian should not be left out in the cold when talking about smartphones. Especially so when it has the largest market share of any smartphone OS in the world.
I honestly couldn't care less about the iPhone. If you were to take away the flashy UI it would be far inferior to most of the other smartphones out there on the market. Most Symbian, WinMo, Android and Blackberry phones are far more capable devices when you look at their feature sets.
No mention of S60? This just shows how little market propagation Nokia has in the States. It makes me sad.
Or it shows how uniformed he actually is when it comes to cell phones and their OSes, if the fact of how he pathetically dismisses each other OS isn't enough.
Its funny to see people offended by what he said. If you don't like it, ignore him. That's what I'm going to do. I hate the iPhone (and I've had one) and I love my G1. I'm still not going to listen to his music and I'm still going to think he's a tool. Touting his horribly biased opinion as fact is another reason why nobody should take him seriously. Though he says so much good, its muddled in biased crap. Pathetic so many people hang onto his every word...
The app store has been up for just under 10 months and people like trent think that it is the only platform to focus on. People are finicky about phones. When something better comes out people will buy that. Maybe he should develop java apps for the RAZR or something. More people have those. LOL
Windows Moblie does suck, but I'm sick of all the Apple snobbery that is going on. Their OS is the bee's knees, but there is a reason why it is as good as it is... and the answer is that they develop software for their own very small range of hardware.
There isn't much variation between their systems, so they don't need to do much to get OSX or the iPhone OS to run smoothly on all their systems. Windows, however, has to account for the several thousands of hardware combinations available, which is a recipe for disaster and bloating.
However, all is not peachy in Appleland. They use the same cheap hardware you'll find in PC equivalents prices several hundred dollars less. And you'll pay dearly to insure your already costly purchase. I had a Macbook that within 1 year had the video go bad, optical drive, and finally the trackpad and keyboard. I sold it on eBay and bought a Gateway that is twice as capable as the Macbook was. Oh, and btw, I have OSx installed on it and it works like a charm. Thank you iDeneb!
Trent combines groveling "the iphone is most elegant, smartphone..." with threats "we will most certainly make it available to the jailbreak community." That said, he's correct when he whines about Wal-Mart's profanity policy and the fact that you can upload porn with the Safari app. Money is Trent's motive and he says as much " I didn't invest in this app to see it languish on the sidelines from an idiotic policy while this tour is in full swing." What's his bottom line? I think he will compromise.