The development toolchain is crap [state of the art for, like, 1987] and the cut Apple takes out of your net is disgusting.
How's this for evil: you want to develop an app to be used by you and only you, on your own phone? You must pay $100. Oh, plus $99 for the developer program. Or maybe $299 if you're a corporate developer. Or maybe, even more if your corporation provides your phone, in that case you must be bound to their B2B program for putting an app on your own phone. Oh yes, and by the way, you may not develop this app on anything but a Mac. Even a virtual machine running OSX will violate your developers agreement. If you criticize Apple for making you do that? It also violates your developer's agreement.
Essentially, if you develop for iOS, you become Apple's cubicle slave. If your software company develops for iPhone, they become a subsidiary of Apple.
Response from the fanbois: "There's nothing wrong with that. If you don't like it, don't have an iPhone." OK, that's just one of the many, many reasons that I don't.
Yet here you are on a thread that has zero interest for you.
Not according to the other developers I know. They say it is far easier to develop on iPhones and iPads than on other the platform. You are throwing FUD. Apple provides many things already programed for the developers to use that have to be programed by the developers on other platforms. Again, you don't know what you are talking about.
How's this for evil: you want to develop an app to be used by you and only you, on your own phone? You must pay $100. Oh, plus $99 for the developer program. Or maybe $299 if you're a corporate developer. Or maybe, even more if your corporation provides your phone, in that case you must be bound to their B2B program for putting an app on your own phone. Oh yes, and by the way, you may not develop this app on anything but a Mac. Even a virtual machine running OSX will violate your developers agreement. If you criticize Apple for making you do that? It also violates your developer's agreement.
Apple keeps control of what is developed. It keeps the junk down and enhances the security of the entire ecosystem. You don't like it? Don't develop for Apple. The prices you cited are small potatoes. Chickenfeed. If you want to develop outside of Apple's App store go for it. But you can only sell to people who have Jailbroken their iDevices. There are a lot out there. So AGAIN you are spouting FUD.
Essentially, if you develop for iOS, you become Apple's cubicle slave. If your software company develops for iPhone, they become a subsidiary of Apple.
MORE FALSEHOODS. A subsidiary of Apple means a wholly owned company. That could not possibly be true. MORE FUD.
Apple charges 30% of the sales price of things sold through their App store for the services they render. If you were to sell in normal channels the BEST you'd be able to do is sell your product for maybe 50% of the retail, which is what the standard mark-up used to be, if that. If you sold it to jobbers, then you'd be selling it for even less. YOU'D be responsible for sales, advertising, shipping, delivery, etc. Instead, Apple is. For that Apple covers it all for a mere 30%, not 50%. You REALLY don't know what you are talking about.
You don't like the money you are making? Raise your price. Response from the fanbois: "There's nothing wrong with that. If you don't like it, don't have an iPhone." OK, that's just one of the many, many reasons that I don't.
You claim to be a developer on iPhones but you don't own an iPhone. . . and you obviously do not own any Apple Macs. So, more falsehoods.
YOU obviously suffer from MAPS.
Swordmaker's and Kathy's proposed diagnosis for the new ICD-10 addenda:
90210 iOS Munchausen's Apple-Plexy Syndrome (MAPS), The overwhelming compulsion to post negative, judgmental, aggressive, and false commentary on any website thread related to Apple products wherever found, including phobic reaction to projected Apple user euphoria. First and subsequent encounters.
I work with someone who develops apps for iOS and Android in her spare time. She absolutely hates the Android IDE and has told me repeatedly how much easier it is for her to develop for iOS. And she isn't a long-time Apple devotee but rather a Windows programmer by day.