Last Friday Apple decided to insult most of their customers, and the funny thing is that most of them did not even realize it. Apple has unilaterally decided to remove all "adult oriented" applications from the App store. Not only that, but it seems that to Apple a woman in bikini is considered adult material unsuitable for the Apple store.
Am I nine years old again?
I am the only adult owner of an iPod touch or iPhone that finds it extremely insulting to be treated like a 9 year old? I am 34 years old actually, and I feel that I can decide what level of sex I want on my iPod, thank you. Apple apparently does not allow anything that can be "sexually arousing". When did I allow Steve Jobs to decide if I could be sexually aroused or not? Beside that, women in bikini may seem "arousing" for a 9 year old, they are nothing especially new to me. Speaking of which:
Apple insult women
Apparently Apple considers that a woman in bikini is an unacceptable sight. As someone pointed out, what should the women wear in video games following Apple censors, the Burqa? In a country where women are fighting for the right to go out topless (like men) I would find it very surprising if most women did not find Apple stance on the issue insulting.
Apple insults our freedom of speech
A more important issue here is that Apple want to limit our freedom of speech. Yes, in my opinion video games and applications are a form of artistic expression, and they should be protected like movies, songs and books. When an institution appointed by our elected representatives apply some censorship at least there is some form of democratic control on what is censored, but when it is done by a private organization like Apple there is not control. Steve Jobs and Co are free to decide what you should and should not see, this is almost Stalinian and is completely unacceptable in a democratic country.
I didn't know I purchased a $300 toy
The only justification Apple seems to be able to come up with is that they want to protect the children. First, it is not their Job to protect the children, it is the parent's job. Second an iPod touch or an iPhone are pretty expensive items, not toys. The design as well as the location where these are sold clearly make them adult gadgets. If this happened to a Nintendo DS I could understand because the Nintendo is clearly marketed as a toy: It is sold in toy stores at a toy price. An iPhone is sold in the Apple store, not in the Toy'r Us.
My last Apple purchase
I think that the iPod touch will be my last purchase from Apple, personally I am too disgusted by their behavior to still purchase anything from them. Thankfully I puchased an Android powered HTC Magic as well as an iPod touch when I realised that I could have both for the price the iPhone is sold at without contract. I will focus on the Magic (despite Android current flaws) and just let my wife play with the iPod, but I will probably never buy anything from Apple again until they start treating me like an adult.
9 Responses to "Apple insult their customers, women, free speech":
Where was your outrage when it was Apple vs. BOOKS over a year ago?
Apple Forfeits eBooks By Banning A Comic Book!
Does anyone really care? Did any of these apps add anything to the iPhone experience/ecosystem? Will you miss any of them?
Apple's job is to maximize the value of the ecosystem for its customers and developers. I'm one of both, and I think this move was exactly the right thing to do.
"Free speech"? That line of argument is not even vaguely relevant. You have Safari, right?
I'm no prude. I don't believe in making value judgments against the content here, but if I want to be titillated by softcore crap, I know where to go and it ain't the app store.
I stopped at "The right to be topless"
Really,
Why I should buy a sex oriented app if Internet give me all that I want on sex free of charge?!?
I'm joking, of course, but I think that this is typical American Style banning system. You have a country where you should buy guns and whiskies as you buy breads, but you have to have 21 years old to go in a discoteque....
It's an "americanata"! Please speak about Apple technologies and innovations, this is really important.
Regards.
RobyAva
http://robyava.blogspot.com
You do not understand freedom of speech. The 1st ammendment states "CONGRESS shall make no law..."
Unless you are saying that Steve Jobs and Apple are congress then the free speech argument has zero validity.
@Anonymous with first amendment reference:
Amen, brotha.
Fuck you, OP. Don't bring legal issues into business, the two shouldn't intersect.
Vote with your dollar instead of whining to a congressperson, getting them to make doing business illegal. If enough people agree with you, Apple will see a decline in sales and make an adjustment. This was likely an informed decision from Apple to try to promote sales amongst parents.
That being said, I wish they didn't make the move. I'd like it if my iPhone could dispense MDMA and a Thai hooker.
Above commenters all make good points disecting the OP rant. BUT, his core statement is without flaw. Apple is in the business of making choices for you. It used to not be so pronounced, now it seems as though its the only way to differentiate their products.
I completely agree and do not purchase any apple products for this reason.
P.S. screw bottom liners
@ Anonymous
The "vote with your dollars" argument could help when it comes to new purchases, but it does not help the millions of people who purchased their devices under Apple former App Store rules and are now stuck with a limited device.
@ anonymous
About the "right to be topless" it may look like an extreme example, but it is not really. In many European countries topless women have been tolerated on beaches and around hotels swimming pools for a very long time. When I was twelve (like 20 years ago) my friends and I sometimes had a competition for the one who could spot the most on the beach. This is to show the size of the disconnect between Apple policies and what many people would consider real life.
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