Qik for iPhone Lands in the App Store — Without Live Streaming
Popular live video streaming app, Qik — previously available to Jailbreak users — has finally landed in the iTunes App Store… without its live streaming capability. This version of Qik (Free – iTunes link) records video from an iPhone 3GS which you can later upload via Wi-Fi. (A tragedy given how well the beta for the full version works!).
Boy Genius caught the story, and gets all up in Apple’s face about the continued crippling of applications, though we can’t help but wonder if this again falls into AT&T’s new prohibition against streaming apps, which saw SlingMedia Player relegated to Wi-Fi only status?
Apparently a 3G version has been submitted to Apple, but until and unless the FCC forces some answers, we may not see any movement on that either. Of course, the aforementioned, un-crippled Jailbreak version remains an option.
August 14th, 2009 at 8:48 am
this makes me so mad! I mean come on apple and AT&T!
August 14th, 2009 at 8:55 am
I have the jailbroken version and I streamed just fine..
another reason to jailbreak I guess!
August 14th, 2009 at 9:02 am
I think this is on ATT. They want to advertise unlimited bandwidth without actually having to pay to build infrastructure to support it.
My beefs with Apple are: why we can’t replace Springboard, or mail or Safari. Why can’t we decide what apps run in the background? Why can only Apple apps open files attached to email? Why do I have to use iTunes to sync and manage music? Why is there no capability to organize pictures into folders in the iPhone picture app? And above all, why am I limited to using the iTunes App store?
And just to anticipate, the answer is not jailbreak (although I have). Its my phone, I should be able to do all that without doing something Apple considers illegal.
August 14th, 2009 at 9:10 am
The answer for now is jailbreak, unfortunately.
Apple doesn’t allow any of these things because of the hold they’d have to release on you to allow this. It may be your phone, but it’s their OS, and they can do with it what they will.
August 14th, 2009 at 9:12 am
If you don’t believe me, read your license agreement again. It lets you in on the “licensed not owned” rights to their OS. Which, in the software world, isn’t too uncommon. Adobe’s creative suites do this as well.
August 14th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Not letting me modify their OS or see its source is OK/normal. Telling me which apps I can run on it is over reach. I’m not sure even IBM (originators of IT Evil) did that back in the day. I love my iPhone, its Apple I can’t stand.
August 14th, 2009 at 9:20 am
By the way, the Qik website has been crushed by response. I get 503 or very slow access.
August 14th, 2009 at 10:15 am
I’d love to see them update the jailbroken version and add the new features as well as higher the quality for 3GS users.
August 14th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Stupid question, I’m sure, by someone who knows nothing about jailbreaking…
When you jailbreak, are there any limitations after you do it (like syncing with iTunes, backing up, running app store apps, etc.)? Thanks.
August 14th, 2009 at 10:49 am
After you jailbreak all iTunes syncing remains the same, nothing is crippled
August 14th, 2009 at 10:54 am
@Maticek
Now that Qik is in the App Store, I doubt the jailbroken version will see more updates, as Apple could revoke the App Store developer license if they continue to be active on Cydia as well.
@jtz5 Jailbreaking does not impose any limitations, though Apple will refuse to service a jailbroken iPhone. You can unjailbreak your phone if you need service, or simply if you decide jailbreaking is not for you later. The forums here contain lots of good references on jailbreaking pros and cons.
August 14th, 2009 at 10:56 am
I knew this was going to be released. I was actually a beta tester for the BlackBerry Bold version on AT&T.
August 14th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Without streaming, how is this application different than the video camera on the 3GS?
August 14th, 2009 at 11:37 am
Thanks for the info. I was planning to jailbreak after 3.1 is released by Apple (for the voice over A2DP).
August 14th, 2009 at 11:46 am
I don’t know what’s going on here, but I think the answer has to be more than AT&T not wanting streaming video over its data network. Exhibit A is MLB At Bat, which allows you to stream live games and archived condensed games. Exhibit B is that you can stream podcasts of any size from the iTunes Store over the cell data network. There’s a significant piece of this puzzle that we don’t have.
August 14th, 2009 at 11:49 am
Current version available in Cydia/Icy is 4.02 don’t know how that compares with the app store version.
August 14th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
@fassy
Good point about the license. So no more live straming for the iPhone.
August 14th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
I am pretty sure that the lack of streaming doesn’t have anything to do with AT&T. Rather, there is no way to capture a live video stream while still adhering to Apple’s SDK guidelines. I will happily be corrected on this.
August 14th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Also, if it was an AT&T issue, they could have including WiFi-only live streaming.
August 14th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Remember that telling Apple is going to make more difference than posting in forums:
http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html
Don’t forget to thell them about GV while you’re at it
August 14th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
By the way, isn’t the iPhone SDK 3.1 going to allow for more video functionality?
August 14th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Totally disappointed. This was one of those apps I looked forward to because of its streaming ability.