And by a large margin, Apple fans — and even some employees — hate it.
The concept for the reality TV show is something like “Shark Tank” meets “The Voice.” App developers come up with ideas for apps, choose a celebrity mentor like will.i.am or Jessica Alba, and eventually win $10 million in funding from Lightspeed Partners as well as premium placement on the front page of Apple’s app store.
“Developers, they’re the rock stars of right now,” will.i.am says in the trailer, while wearing gold boots. One contestant gives the one-liner, “We’re Ebay for the Snapchat generation.”
The show will air exclusively on Apple Music.
You can watch the trailer at the bottom of the page. Here’s what the Apple world is saying about it:
Paul Haddad, developer of popular iOS apps including Tweetbot:
It’s like a super cringe worthy version of Shark Tank. And why do all the “devs” look like they are 20?February 14, 2017
I can’t wait to see February 14, 2017
Sam Soffes, who previously developed popular apps including the top Bible app:
Got an email from Apple asking me to apply for this. So glad I passed. February 14, 2017
Real Mac Software founder Dan Counsell:
Apple should be producing amazing content like Netflix Originals does. Not this garbage. I am disappointed.
— Dan Counsell (@dancounsell) February 14, 2017
Renaud Leinhart, Home app developer at Apple:
Today, I am ashamed to work for Apple. This is embarrassing, and not what we work hard for.https://t.co/9O5mjEGElm
— Renaud Lienhart (@RenaudLienhart) February 14, 2017
Apple blogger and Instapaper founder Marco Arment:
I’m sure Planet of the Apps will be a great show for all of those people who bug developers with their awful ideas. February 14, 2017
Jake Frey, an app designer at Frey Labs:
Devs: Hey the App Store has a few problems and its hard to be discovered. Can you take a look?
Apple: Uh nope but that would make great TV! February 14, 2017
Dermot Daly, the founder of Tapadoo, an iPhone app studio, writes:
“Planet of the Apps. No. Just No”. February 14, 2017
But some are defending the show, pointing out that perhaps Apple fans and developers are not its target audience. Apple blogger Rene Richie:
Planet of the Apps: Not intended for “us” but for the mainstream. Or, now “we” know how cooks have felt about Hell’s Kitchen for a decade.
— Rene Ritchie (@reneritchie) February 14, 2017
“Developers are the rock stars of right now.” – @iamwill #PlanetOfTheApps is coming soon to #AppleMusic. pic.twitter.com/K0VIoRxOs9
— Apple Music (@AppleMusic) February 14, 2017
This article was originally published on Business Insider. Copyright 2017.
