Though personally, as an independent developer my current qualm about the app store is not the approval process: far from it. It’s the fact that the market is so saturated, getting that one hit wonder so hyped about during the early days is all but impossible.

Which is all to be expected: now just like any other platform, one needs to get a real marketing machine together to promote an app. As Benjohn says, “it’s not a get rich quick scheme”…

I just can’t help but feel a little bit of inevitable disappointment.

We’ll have to see what happens with Android and the lack of control that Google or anyone else has on apps there. I’ve ported 3 of my iPhone apps there already, one of which was rejected by Apple. I’m not gonna stop developing for the iPhone and going through the process, but I’m going to also develop for Android and promote it heavily in the hope that it has a real impact on how Apple treats developers.

You also need to come to grips that just because you created an “application” for the iPhone doesn’t mean its worthy of being published on the App Store. Maybe it was rejected, not because they are unfair or inconstant, but because your app simply stinks.

I think the core of the complaints are from bruised egos. If you want to survive as a developer in the App Store or in the real world you had better grow some thick skin. You should also realize that its Apple’s App Store no matter how you slice it. You have to play by their rules even if they don’t make sense. As long as the rules make sense to them and they are meeting their business goals why should they care about what you, I – or even Matt – think.

No one’s pointing and saying, “see, Apple is wrong and they will fail in the end.” One person took a stand against the often illogical and nonsensically designed review process and by doing so became a martyr for everyone he left behind still battling these frustrations.

In your post, you present yourself as some sort of righteous crusader for the cost-benefit truth of the situation, one that is already crystal clear to the remaining 99,999 developers — those that haven’t taken a public stand. You should be thankful to this individual, not using his efforts to self-inflate your own allegiance to the App Store.

Take your dick out of your ear.

Unlike others I have hope that this will eventually happen, but until then we can only say “Yes developing with the iPhone SDK is great, but the deployment process (App Store) has it’s pro’s and cons.” The bigger point perhaps is this on the Mac I can genuinely say “Yes anything is possible, there is nothing to stop you from getting your app out there!” On the iPhone you can say that but you have to put an asterisk on that statement.

Your right there is FUD about the iPhone Development process, unfortunately right now it’s originating from how Apple conducts itself, and the developers are merely amplifying it. Really in order to significantly counter all this press Apple would have to do the thing it doesn’t do… be transparent (or at least significantly more transparent than it is now.)

Don’t get me wrong I want to develop on the iPhone, but I am also a realist about the downsides of the process.

And while we’re at it – big shocker, it’s not a get rich scheme either! No, it’s actually real life, where you can put in some significant effort, and you can make some money. If you want a get rich scheme, go buy a lottery ticket – it’s about as likely to work as any other you can find.