Being a parent of 3 daughters, I well remember the “terrible two’s“. Well, another child that many people play with daily has hit that milestone, the iTunes App Store. As Apple blows out the candles, I thought it important to recognize this event, especially as we move towards the “thirsty three’s“.
The iTunes App Store is just starting to assert itself and throw some tantrums in the process. Recently, there have been some malicious developers who are managing to “hack” into some iTunes users’ accounts and charge for other apps. But, it is showing some progress as well. There are huge amounts of developers and applications and now with iAds as a new “toy”, some of those developers are reaping the benefits of the new year.
This next year will be the “thirsty 3’s” in my opinion, as Apple (and developers) work to quench their thirst for (even more) revenue through Application sales, iBooks, and iAds. But, as a parent, I know that the tantrums don’t stop after the two’s…they go on for many more years, so let’s be ready for a few more “time outs” in the process!
“Welcome to the terrible twos: Happy 2nd Birthday, App Store!”
As all parents know, a two-year-old is a distinctively different creature than the giggly, adorable infant and winsome, inquisitive toddler that precedes her. She has moods; she begins to articulate wants and needs with a precision bordering on the frightful; she can peel the paint off the walls with a stubborn tantrum or amaze with a clearly expressed insight. For the two-year-old, its the beginning of understanding that the world doesnt always conform immediately to her desires — and man, is that ever a giant buzzkil. Its a challenging, sometimes deeply trying transition from babyhood to being a kid. Its the terrible twos.You could argue that the App Store ages in Internet time its like dog years, only slightly faster, so in terms of its mental age it might be closer to a gawky adolescent than a human two-year-old. Nevertheless, as we mark the 2nd anniversary of the launch of the App Store back in July of 2008, in some ways it is remarkably like seeing an individual personality emerge from an immature, unfinished baseline. It may be a personality with a fondness for bathroom humor and some disturbing control-freak tendencies, but its something.
Thanks to TUAW for the Birthday announcement: Welcome to the terrible twos: Happy 2nd Birthday, App Store!.
HTD says: What should the iTunes App Store get as a birthday gift?
