[Swordmaker]

This $450 million estimate is very doubtful. Pirated apps can only be used on jail-broken iPhones as iTunes will remove unauthorized apps. Plus the estimated average app price of $3 is way too high as most apps are 99¢. Who steals an app that would cost you pocket change to buy?

It is estimated that only 5% of iPhones are jail-broken... so how can they be using 75% of the downloaded apps which is what would be required to account for $450 million of lost revenue. The article is exaggerated FUD.

[Swordmaker]

This FUD is aimed directly at iPhone developers who are hoping to make money developing the next big iPhone app...PING!

Mac Ping!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

[pnh102]

This $450 million estimate is very doubtful.

I am going to assume this comes from the mythical "lost sale" argument trotted out by the movie and music industries and as such is completely arbitrary.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

This tears it.

We need stronger copyright laws that allow the App Software Alliance to kick in your door in the middle of the night and check all your devices for pirated apps and fine you $10,000 for each pirated app and ten years in jail.

Will that make you happy, Mr. Apple?

[Nervous Tick]

>> The article is exaggerated FUD.

Most piracy analyses assume that ALL pirated software WOULD have been purchased if not pirated.

This is simply false. The reality is, nearly all pirates would have simply foregone having the software if it couldn’t be pirated. Practically no revenue loss at all.

Piracy is still wrong and harmful, but these sorts of analyses are self-serving nonsense.

[darkwing104]

Apple App Store Has Lost $450 Million To Piracy

Even if Microsoft claimed that I would still have a hard time believing it.

[thefactor]

They lost it, or just didn’t make it?

[The Antiyuppie]

I, too, call bull****. Most apps (0.99-2.99) aren’t worth the effort to steal on a $200-$300 phone that costs $70+ a month to operate, jailbroken or not.

[Talisker]

Apple has a long history of... maximizing it's profits. There are plenty of former Apple employees who had the nerve to go independent and then try to develop their own software and hardware ideas... death by a murder of multinational lawyers is an ugly thing, and it has nothing to do with the law (or "protecting" innovation, for that matter).

[TheStickman]

This article makes little sense to me. Don’t see Apple letting that much cash get away from them quietly.

[The Truth Will Make You Free]

I've always considered those using pirated software are likely doing the vendor a favor. They likely wouldn't be using the software if it had to be purchased, and they are increasing market share for the product.

Even if the $450 million is accurate, that at least offsets some of the money Apple and app developers have taken for the purchase of apps where there no convenient or reasonable way to get a refund on a lousy product.

[antiRepublicrat]

Taking their numbers as true, that’s 5% not paid for. Not bad at all.

[TheBattman]

The numbers in this “article” just don’t add up. First is your correct assessment of app prices. I suspect that the supposed “average” weighs the relatively small handful of high$ apps much more than the massive library of free and $.99 apps.

The most expensive app I have was like $4.99.

I know a whole bunch of iPhone owners. I know zero who have a “jailbroken” iphone. I once considered going through the process (still not as simple as the article would imply), then became aware of the major issues many jailbroken iphones experience when new software comes out.