Apple removes $1,000 featureless iPhone application

(Post updated at 1:04 p.m. with Heinrich's response about the validity of the negative review.)

(Post updated at 8:45 a.m. with response from Heinrich about compensation from Apple.)

Eight iPhone owners have joined an elite clan: Their Apple gadget is running a program that cost nearly $1,000.

When the iPhone first hit the market in June 2007, those who paid the $499 entry price -- and signed the two-year AT&T contract -- owned a status symbol. A year later, we have the iPhone 3G, Apple's speedier, sleeker and, most important, less expensive smart phone, which introduced a section for downloading third-party applications. Now that the phone is affordable enough for a wider audience, a new status symbol has emerged: a seemingly useless application called I Am Rich.

Its function is exactly what the name implies: to alert people that you have money in the bank. I Am Rich was available for purchase from the phone's App Store for, get this, $999.99 -- the highest amount a developer can charge through the digital retailer, said Armin Heinrich, the program's developer. Once downloaded, it doesn't do much -- a red icon sits on the iPhone home screen like any other application, with the subtext "I Am Rich." Once activated, it treats the user to a large, glowing gem (pictured above). That's about it. For a thousand dollars.

Apple apparently had some problems with I Am Rich. After initially approving it for distribution, the company has since removed it from the store. Heinrich, a German software developer, has yet to hear back from Apple concerning the removal. "I have no idea why they did it and am not aware of any violation of the rules to sell software on the App Store," Heinrich said in an e-mail with The Times today.

But Apple couldn't pull it down before curious aristocrats -- eight of them -- had purchased it. Six people from the United States, one from Germany and one from France dropped a grand for the gem in the first 24 hours it was available, Heinrich said. That's $5,600 in revenue for Heinrich and $2,400 for Apple, which collects 30% of each sale for "store upkeep."

In the e-mail, Heinrich said there seemed to be a market for the program. "I am sure a lot more people would like to buy it -- but currently can't do so," Heinrich said. "The App is a work of Art and included a 'secret mantra' -- that's all."

A possible explanation for its removal: A screen shot of an App Store review that has been circulating around the Web recently, showing a user's complaint that he purchased it accidentally. "I saw this app with a few friends and we jokingly clicked 'buy' thinking it was a joke, to see what would happen. ... THIS IS NO JOKE...DO NOT BUY THIS APP AND APPLE PLEASE REMOVE THIS FROM THE APP STORE," it read.

I Am Rich isn't the first software that has been removed from Apple's store. Box Office, a movie showtime resource, and NetShare, which let users connect a computer to the Internet using the iPhone's 3G wireless data service, disappeared without a trace. Apple did not respond to phone calls for comment.

UPDATED: In a follow-up e-mail, Heinrich said he had not yet received his $5,600 check from Apple, which has a policy of paying developers at the end of each calendar month. He's unsure how the app's removal will affect the payment process.

"I've got e-mails from customers telling me that they really love the app," adding that they had "no trouble spending the money," he said.

UPDATED: Heinrich confirms the validity of the review pictured in the screenshot, and Apple has refunded his and another buyer's money. "I don't want to collect money from people who did this by accident and I am glad that Apple returned the money for two orders," Heinrich said.

-- Mark Milian

Milian is an intern at latimes.com.

Images courtesy of Armin Heinrich

Comments

[oldcrone]

please tell me this is a joke. people are such a-holes

[Mr. Hand]

I am convinced the whole world is on dope.

mac users are stupid, point proven

[Not Impressed]

If everyone who wants this application sends me $999.99 instead, I will be rich, and your money will be better spent, signed, your nearby local Children's Hospital

[amuzed]

And to think people say the Germans have no sense of humor......

[AntiApple]

| yes you are right lol agree with you

[Jim McDosh]

Ah man, I was going to buy it. Where did it Go? LOL

JT
www.Ultimate-Anonymity.com

[BS]

you still have to type in your iTunes password before purchasing, so it's extremely unlikely anyone purchased it accidentally with a swipe.

[Briana Smith]

I don't think there is a problem with this application at all.. so what its a grand... if you can't afford it don't buy it... and don't click buy because you think its a joke... like apple has time for that kind of crap???

Stupid People...

Apple I hope you keep this app up and I hope you make lots more money from it..

[Hypercrypt]

What is this "I bought is as a joke"? Why would it be a joke? How are you risking a grand on a joke?

[John C. Randolph]

"I am convinced the whole world is on dope."

Out of a sample of several million iPhone owners, eight of them were stupid enough to blow a grand on a useless "product".

Doesn't exactly fill me with dread for the future of our species.

-jcr

[Dragos]

So ridicoulous. And that's money!

[erik Parker]

"mac users are stupid, point proven"

not only mac users use the iphone

i use a macbook and i do not have an iphone

don't be such a small minded fool

[Nick]

What right does Apple have to remove the app if it wasn't violating any of their terms? Just because it's a bit silly and there are sillier people willing to part with $1000 for the app doesn't mean anything. And we shouldn't judge either. Who really cares? Who needs protecting from their own stupidity by a company like Apple? Do you?

[Matt Moriarity]

"mac users are stupid, point proven"

umm...where is the evidence that the people who bought this are mac users? ignoring the sweeping generalization, all 8 of them could easily be windows users for all you know. remember, the iphone is not a mac-only device.

[James]

As said on other sites, this developer is smart and created an app that im sure most people wish they had thought of and implemented. He made his money but it would of had better reviews if the developer gave half or more away to charity. If it was sold that way then it makes your phone have the status symbol and it has a good meaning behind it aswell.

[gaspah]

well the IQ required to spend uber-$ on a mobile phone in the first place can't be much higher than required to buy a useless app for $999.99

iphone user avg IQ = 50
iphone user with 'I am rich' app = Paris Hilton

[Nik]

Some idiot buys it with "one click" and tries to blame apple and the writer. Take responsibility for your actions and don't buy it if you don't want it.

It's a great work of art. My guess is it will increase in value and was a bargain at 999.99.

[Janne]

"mac users are stupid, point proven"

How do you know that the eight people who bought the app were Mac-users? Most iTunes-users use it on Windows, and the iPhone works just fine with Windows.

[Legs]

"mac users are stupid, point proven"
Not all iPhone & iPod/iTunes users are Mac users, genius. So, the only point proven is that you're a Windows user, you're not very bright & quite bitter about something you don't have the slightest clue about.

[Legs]

Matt Moriarity, you're completely right.

[mike]

"It's a great work of art. My guess is it will increase in value and was a bargain at 999.99."
Are you fu**ing kidding me.. you mor*n

[aixsir]

you realise that using an iphone makes you a mac user, so you can all stfu

irly !!

[Aaron The Young]

I think someone should develop the "I am poor application" and post it in the free section. I'm not sure what it should look like though. Maybe a budweiser beer can or a plain label beer bottle? Maybe, just some dirt.

[M.Free]

For serial though. Those 8 people bought something useless as a status symbol and now those 8 people are the only in the world to have it. Just got a lot bigger of a status symbol than they expected/paid for.