Apple opens the iPhone to lotteries
iLostItAll
Apple has modified the iPhone SDK terms to allow lottery-style applications, so now you can lose your shirt from anywhere.
Until now lottery addicts have been limited to applications that listed the winning numbers, or been forced to run up the browser to buy themselves a piece of the dream, but now lotteries and sweepstakes can be embedded in the application itself thanks to a change in the iPhone SDK.
The new rule is unambiguous:
"3.3.17 Your Application may include promotional sweepstake or contest functionality provided that You are the sole sponsor of the promotion and that You and Your Application comply with any applicable laws"
The only limitation is that developers must "clearly state in binding official rules for each promotion that Apple is not a sponsor of, or responsible for conducting, the promotion". Which seems fair enough.
So we could see a deluge of such applications, and indeed the first one, called "KaChing Button" is already in the Application Store and offering $1000 a day to someone selected randomly from those who download the app and press the big, red, button which comprises the application's only functionality (other than the accompanying sound effect).
Making the noise of a cash register is probably marginally less annoying than a farting noise, and the potential to win a grand is significantly motivating, but we´ll be waiting to see what other applications turn up in the iTunes store now that Apple has loosened the rules. ®
COMMENTS
Stupidity tax
I already paid mine when i bought an iphone.
"promotional sweepstake or contest" only
They don't allow gambling in most US states so they more than likely wont allow a true gambling app.
A promotional sweepstake or contest says to me that you arn't allowed to charge people to enter.
Don't worry
I'm sure some iTard will be along shortly to tell you that their iPhone works fine and that you don't recognise a great device when you see one.
I'm /almost/ with you. I just missed the initial iPhone purchase.
Seriously, what is Apple's problem?
Are Apple trying to make a point of showing us a distopian anarchic future? We already have pr0n apps cluttering up the appstore, now we'll get WIN!WIN!WIN! apps everywhere too.
At the very least could Apple create catergories for these - 'Pr0n' and 'Crap' for a start, or maybe just one catch-all category - 'SHITE'
It does work.
"Not sure how this company is going to make money, unless it's a scam. Either they need to ensure that 1000/x people buy the application every day of they need to expire the application and force people to rebuy it often enough that sales each day are above 1000/x"
Believe it. Nothing sells better than advertising you're giving way free money. The fact you have to pay a mere $1 for the chance to enter into this wonderful game is immaterial to the end users who have become so gamble crazy they just don't care anymore.
Where's the dollar sign and Katching! noise?
