Apple's iPhone-App-Approval Mouse Falls Off Treadmill: Buy The $1000 App That Does Nothing

[meegbear]

http://static.10gen.com/www.alleyinsider.com/~~/f?id=4898e42414b9b97500845c38&maxX=263&maxY=184

Update: The app has been removed from Apple's store. More here.

While many of the apps in Apple's (AAPL) iPhone App Store are useful, some are utter crap. And the latest, spotted by John Gruber, is an insult to all the well-meaning developers that Apple made wait/are still waiting to get into the iPhone developer program.

Behold: "I Am Rich," a $999.99 app from Armin Heinrich, which just displays a red gem on the phone's screen -- nothing else.

"The red icon on your iPhone or iPod touch always reminds you (and others when you show it to them) that you were rich enough to afford this," the app's information page says in iTunes. "It's a work of art with no hidden function at all."

The upside for Apple: $300, or 30%, of all purchases. The downside: Good luck enforcing that "all sales final" policy on this scam.

http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/8/apple-s-iphone-app-approval-mouse-falls-off-treadmill-buy-the-1000-app-that-does-nothing-aapl-

[Kutjara]

1. It also relies on the fact that many iTunes users...

...switch off the "are you sure you want to buy this" nag messages, so that clicking on the "Buy" button automatically charges their credit cards. Because the prices of most of the Apps on the iTunes App Store are so low, I'm sure many people don't even look at them. This kind of environment is tailor-made for a scam like this.

Why the hell did Apple approve this app, anyway?

[DS1]

2. Since when would Apple not approve selling something shiny and overpriced?

:D


/bring it!

[Kutjara]

3. Good point.

:hi:

[NYCGirl]

6. Sorry to ruin your fun, but it's been removed. NT

[Mojambo]

4. I think people are crazy to switch off that nag message

I'm constantly accidentally hitting the "Buy" button by mistake.

[Kutjara]

5. I agree, but many people are very "popup" averse.

Personally, I view every obstacle between a company and my credit card as A Good Thing.

[Ian David]

7. What a fucking douchebag

[NYCGirl]

8. UPDATE: App has been removed

http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/8/worthless-1000-i-am-rich-iphone-app-disappears

The $1000, zero-utility "I Am Rich" app for Apple's (AAPL) iPhone and iPod touch has been removed from the iTunes App Store.

It no longer appears in searches, coder Armin Heinrich's list of apps, or the most-recent apps list.

We don't know if Apple removed it or if Armin did -- either is plausible -- but we'll update if we find out.

While we're asking: Did anyone buy it?