Verizon's getting very keen on entering the
app store industry, but not without some rough decrees to its smartphone partners. According to
GigaOm, VP Partner Management Ryan Hughes said in an interview Friday that its VZW-branded shop will house content from all the major platforms under one roof, with purchases being billed through the customer's Verizon account and not requiring a separate signup / credit card entry. Convenient for consumers, and devs are also being promised a more streamlined approval process and a "competitive" revenue-sharing program, but here's where things take a turn for the worse: according to Hughes, non-VZW app stores like BlackBerry
App World or
Windows Mobile Marketplace won't be bundled with the smartphones out of the box, meaning consumers will have to take the initiative to download those portals for themselves. An incredibly jerk move, and an extra burden on developers who'll be having to submit two approval applications if they want inclusion on Verizon's own store. Of course, that large subscriber base is the reason it can get away with it, but let's hope we hear some better justifications other than "because we can" when the full details are rolled out at the Verizon Developer Community Conference on July 28th.
posted July 13th 2009 8:23PM
>> "The smartphone market isnt about people who read engadget that want to hack roms and download apps from 100 different places. Its about people who suck at technology, that’s who all this easiness is designed for..."
Right. But up until about a year ago... the only way to get apps for your phone was to go to a random website and download them.
According to you... apps stores should have come first... and THEN the ability do download apps from other places.
My whole point is that Verizon having its own app store will NOT eliminate the way the rest of us have been getting apps all this time. It's actually better this way... the Verizon App Store for clueless people... and the old method for everyone else. Sideloading, as you put it, is how I've always installed apps on my Blackberry. And considering that the Blackberry App World didn't even open until April 1, 2009, how do you think people installed apps on their Blackberry before that?
I'm glad they are making it easy for regular consumers to get apps on their phones. Apps really are the next big thing. But as a Verizon Blackberry user... the VZW app store really doesn't really matter to me personally. Unless they can restrict which websites I can go to to download over-the-air.
How the hell is it easier to buy apps from verizon's app store than the phone manufacturers app store.
On phones who's manufacturer does not have an app store it's making it easier but in all other cases it's just pushing Verizon's catalog in them which seems monopolistic to me.
Verizon just wants a bigger piece of the pie than they already are getting from the customer, which is just plain greedy
Well, iphone will never be Verizon now.
Well, I'm glad I don't need a smartphone, because I would totally hate Verizon for this. But this means I'll never get a smartphone from them, either. I really, really hope the ZHD has apps... Couple that with my pretty decent VZW dumbphone and I'll be able to survive fine without canceling my brand new contract renewal...
And this is why I dropped Verizon to get the iPhone...
Because of an announcement Verizon made AFTER you switched to the iPhone?
Way to go verizon. Cripple devices, it really sucks being a verizon customer. With consumers demanding smartphones (even if they dont know how to use them), and verizon alienating those users. More and more customers are going to be switching.
Verizon still has customers?
Regadless of what Verizon does with the "App Store App", it doesn't change the fact that Verizon charges an insane amount for "Apps" that hardly do anything user friendly. I'm a VZW subscriber, and I cant tell you how much I love me some coverage, but I don't buy the Apps. 4.99 a MONTH for a "Subscription" to use some app? Why? I don't understand it. Why cant I just BUY the damn thing? September is going to roll around, and I'm hopping over to AT&T. The Coverage is pretty much the same in my area anyway, so its not going to matter. I love VZW for the coverage, but I hate them for all the rest of the shit that they pull. iPhone 3GS, here I come.
I'm so happy that AT&T signed me on for a two year contract!
Sweet Jesus, is anyone actually using phones with UIs that look like those screenshots?
It looks like a skinned version of Windows Mobile 6.5.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF32jViJXpE
1:42 sums it up
paid $160 to get out of vzw contract today, may be the best $ ever spent.
If you care at *ALL* about your phone, it is.
-Taylor
goodbye verizon...i'm out when my contract is over. (fckn dicks)
So you would leave a company for this announcement alone? If you have a smartphone and are using Engadget, chances are you already know about the other app stores/catalogs/worlds out there that you can install instead. Why would you leave a company who isn't even preventing you from doing that?
I've been on the fence about staying with verizon. They just made my decision a lot easier. I'm going to AT&T and getting an iphone or to sprint and getting a pre.
T-Mobile has some pretty good phones too you know...
Crap, and i JUST joined Verizon because I liked their plans and their phones, now im kinda sad, ESPECIALLY if they do this when they get the PALM PRE
Why wouldn't you just download from other sources or app stores?
It's one thing for the average consumer to have a kneejerk reaction to what they perceive as a big deal, but I'm disappointed in some posts here by people who would use something as insignificant as this to leave a network or not go with a network. I can understand if you don't get service in your area or don't get the data speeds you need or even if you don't like the phones, but it seems silly especially for technically inclined and educated posters to not realize that VZW isn't blocking access. VZW just won't include a link or the portal. It can still be visited or downloaded and function properly. Let's not forget we've been able to download items for our phones for years without app stores. VZW isn't crippling anything with this case.
Not to be a dick, but if you joined VZW for the Phones and plans, yet you want the Palm Pre.... I'll just point out that Sprint already has said phone and their plans are considerably less money...
It's not too late to dump Verizon. Sprint has the Pre NOW and it's very nice.
@sitruc
The big deal is those of us technically inclined make up a very small percentage of this market. Most people do not look beyond what is on their phone's screen. This means they will never see the manufacturer's native app store. Either the manufacturer, the developer or both will suffer monetarily because of this.
My post wasn't for the masses, sweet greggo. It was for the technically inclined that visit this site.
Verizon = Fail!!! This is one of the best ways to bleed customers and something Sprint would have tried years ago. Looks like times are changing.
It has taken me too long to realize... but now I get it:
Verizon *is* the Jerk Store
Whats the big deal? Windows PC's don't come with iTunes or Firefox installed ... this doesn't mean you can not download music or surf the internet. You point your PC to a webpage, download the appropriate application, then you are on your way. This is the same with Verizon's model.
The problem will come if Verizon blocks/gimps these phone and forces only certain apps; much like they do with their current hardware. There has been no announcement they are planning on doing this with smart phones though. I have a feeling if they did, they may get themselves into some legal issues; they are already walking a fine line the way they gimp their current phones.
Everyone, pull the panties out of your crack and chill.
Again.... half the feature than what you pay for!
All the other company may offer same pricing for same device but verizon always put their unwanted software twist and... subtract localization capability(such as language support other than latin based language) and so on.
Pls, people let's boycott VZW maybe until they change their logo and refreshen up and suit up to REALLY serve the customers.
since "we never stop working for you" company is dragging America into wannabe America's most reliable network, we as customers have to stop support this evil CDMA company.
How about a little more competitive CDMA structure in America? I think it's really a monopoly in CDMA world.
About 3 years ago I was showing my friend Opera mobile on my Sprint phone and how sweet it was. I told him it worked for any carrier and he'd be able to get it on his VZW phone. Wrong. We could never get it installed because VZW did something funky to the link. If that was 3 years ago I can only imagine what they'd do now to lock up their crappy phones. Not only do they dress every phone to look just alike they have to gimp not only the phones but also the service.
I have Opera and Skyfire on my phone and have played with a few other browsers.
I bet Sprint is LOVING this announcement. I would guess their stock price went up today. Sooner or later, consumers will have "enough" of Verizon's anti-consumer behavior (like AT&T's) and they will realize that there are networks just as good, at half their price elsewhere. Personally, I'd base my bets on Sprint and the Palm Pre.
Verizon is the American version of China Mobile :(
Oh gosh. Verizon and their locked up the ass phones sucks? Really?
I don't see what the problem is. It's not forcing users to only buy from the App Store...for now.
Verizon = Fail
CEO " hey guys lets block the bluetooth, limit the ram, and lock down the phone, and then make a app store no one wants, sound good? at least we have a blackberry storm"
Ugh that is SO verizon. For real.
Guess what Engadget, at least it's able to have other app stores...you know, unlike the iPhone.
It's always something with Verizon trying to cripple smart phones in some way. Then we have to complain for a year before they'll give in. But this one doesn't sound like a big deal as long as they don't block access. If I can't install the apps I want, I'm not paying for a smart phone.
glad i moved off of verizon to sprint.
Verizon... we never stop screwing our customers.
"its shop will house content from all the major platforms under one roof"
Which makes adding those platforms separately REDUNDANT. That's what doesn't make sense. Verizon's store already provides access to the content from the others, and there's no mention of an additional markup.
Think it through.
can you imagine what Verizon will say to apple about the iphone that everybody thinks will come in January,,