As Apple keeps getting more and more authoritarian, I find it hilarious that the hipster demographic that Apple originally marketed to is slowly having to become more and more conservative to remain fanboys.
From a business perspective, I understand why Apple is doing this. Agreeing with it or not is another matter, and doesn't help understand Apple's reasoning.
Right, so that way kids can be shoved off to another magical media device, and the parents can put the exposure of the child to "offensive content" in the hands of a giant company. We saw this same thing with music, movies and video games. Same shit, different day.
Its obvious that the iPod/iPhone/iPad platform (apps) is not a distribution channel for free speech.
Then why would anyone want to use it? Where do you draw the line? Can we censor pictures of the Iraq War in the App Store under the veneer of "respect for the families"? If Apple forbids content that questions the authority of the US government and hides behind the facade of "national security", is it still okay? Where is the right spot to draw the big red moral line? I think there isn't one, and Apple will just keep moving the goalpost until people stop refusing to buy their products. When faced with someone who isn't and won't be a customer due to a moral issue, you can either convince them to change their morals, or bend over backwards to shape your content to please them. Guess which is easier? Which leads me to my next point...
From a business perspective, I understand why Apple is doing this. Agreeing with it or not is another matter, and doesn't help understand Apple's reasoning.
I know what Apple's reasoning is - build an image to sucker in the largest number of consumers. It's the same thing every other company does; they want to make money! Is there really any interesting analysis to be had talking about their reasoning?
The idea that Apple is worried about exposing kids to gay sex is just laughable.
http://techcrunch.com/2010/04/19/steve-jobs-android-porn/ http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/04/steve-jobs-porn/ http://www.electricpig.co.uk/2010/04/20/steve-jobs-email-rep...
Look, this is business. Apple isn't out to rid the world of adult material. But it is worried how parents might view their products. The kid market is significant, but if parents are worried that they're handing over a device that has a negative stigma, they'll buy a DS or something else.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/techchron/detail?blogid=...