Open Radar

 
30-Mar-2012 07:24 PM Apple Developer Bug Reporting Team :
This bug has been closed as Duplicate. We are aware of this issue and are tracking it under the Bug ID listed below in the Related Problem section of your bug report. 

Marked as Dup of #10881195

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Summary:

iCloud Should Be Available for All Apps Not Just Mac App Store Apps

Steps to Reproduce:

Write an app. Distribute it outside the Mac App Store.

Expected Results:

The app should have access to iCloud.

Actual Results:

The app does not have access to iCloud.

Regression:

None.

Notes:

The Mac App Store is a good thing for many people. It's good for Apple, as you get a big cut of many app sales on the platform. It's good for many developers, who get an easy way to get their apps to users. And it's good for users, who have a great source for software.

That said, it's not for everyone. Some apps that are quite good for the Mac platform aren't acceptable under the current rules. Other developers don't wish to give up 30% to Apple, or have other reasons for wishing to sell their software outside the store. Heck, the fact that Apple has unveiled Developer ID makes it clear that Apple understands that the Mac App Store is not for everyone.

So why require that an app be in the Mac App Store to use iCloud? There's no engineering reason for it. Marketing reasons fall apart once you realize that free Mac App Store apps have access to iCloud. I'm open to explanations, but right now, it simply stinks. All apps should have access to the iCloud, at least from Dev ID identified developers.

This isn't Apple. It's not right, and Apple is better than this.