"Santa Live", an iPhone app that was launched into a storm of controversy back in mid November, has been pulled down from Apple's wildly successful App Store by developer Adam Majewski after a recent string of complaints by users over the apps' inclusion of the song "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer".
The 'Santa Live app' contains a series of 3D animated videos featuring Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and his elves viewed through North Pole web cams. The app began updating on Thanksgiving Day, releasing a new clip that would peep into Santa's daily activities right up until Christmas morning when Santa settles down for a long overdue nap.
Shortly after 'Santa Live' launched in the App Store on November 14th, Wired's Gadget Lab posted a report entitled; "iPhone Developer May Be Bribing Reviewers", alleging that developers, the Casual Game Network, may have paid reviewers to give the application glowing reviews on the App Store. Several more posts followed on highly visible tech sites like Gizmodo and Ars Technica.
"The developer of Santa Live, a jokey iPhone app for kids, appears to have posted a listing on Amazon's Mechanical Turk offering to pay $4 for the highest-rated reviews on Apple's iPhone App Store." Source: Gadget Lab
Majewski indicated in a brief phone interview that he was inundated with dozens of negative emails from iPhone users who took great personal offense to reports of payment being offered for positive reviews of his app. It appears that cult of iPhone faithful may have felt duped by old Saint Nick.
One email had this to say; "So, you're paying for reviews? You fu**ing piece of SHIT!" Another said; "I think you are a douche." and yet another, "Don't be surprised if your app and your account are revoked."
This morning Majewski started receiving a new chain of email complaints after users heard "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" in the December 5th episode "Santa Checking Mail". Parents took exception to the song, claiming that a three year old wanted an explanation as to why Grandma was killed by Santa's reindeer. Heaping even more heartache onto the developer after the wild flurry of controversy had finally calmed down.
An email stated; "My 3 & 9 year old can't wait to hear the message from Santa every day, and this morning, we heard "Grandma got run over by a reindeer." One has to ask, "What the hell were you thinking? I fear that tomorrow we might see Santa & Mrs. Claus doing the nasty."
It's unfortunate that an iPhone app aimed bringing holiday cheer to kids has ended up mired in such a harsh storm of controversy. As a result, the Santa web cams have been shut down for any new subscribers wanting to provide their kids a sneak peek into the North Pole. After a disappointing number of downloads and a pile of electronic hate mail, 'Santa Live' is now officially dead.
Adam Majewski is hoping to put the entire ordeal behind him, believing he can still salvage Christmas for his own family after absorbing such a huge financial loss from his iPhone app making debut.
The process of developing an iPhone app has proven to be a more harrowing first time experience than Adam Majewski had ever planned for. Providing a painful 'behind the scenes' look into developing for the Apple app machine. Adam's unrecouped costs for Santa Live remains at over $12,000 dollars. The education gained from all of this? Priceless!
"This is all lies.....Santa Live is a great application.....I don't see why anyone has to put up a big stink about it anyway." said one Gadget Lab commenter.
Anyone who's already downloaded the 'Santa Live' app can expect the remainder of the episodes to continue as promised, according to Majewski. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! (Santa Live coverage below on NBC-DFW)
Why would it cost $12,000 to develop this app?
Posted by: Art Vandelay | December 07, 2008 at 04:42 AM
That really is unfortunate as it was a great app
To have and it was really well made.
Posted by: Je2180 | December 07, 2008 at 10:42 AM
Leave it to the billions of crazies in the world that can't parent their own children to ruin yet another thing. How hard is it to tell your spoiled pig-child that "its just a song suzy, a silly song" ?
Posted by: crazies | December 07, 2008 at 02:26 PM
I don't think that the app needed to be pulled but I did find the song placement odd. What I found wrong was that they charged for this crappy app. The (web cams) were merely chopped up videos of a bad cartoon. The live part was basically a bad video running for 24 hours. Your big mistake was charging and not creating a lite free version to review fir free. Lesson learned.
Posted by: j102 | December 07, 2008 at 07:32 PM
Lofty attempt for a "first app". I think the dev bit off more than he could chew. I thinks apps that are simple are best. Santa got a raw deal in all this.
It's too bad the dude had to fold like a lawn chair. Loss for the kids really.
Posted by: jamesQ | December 07, 2008 at 07:40 PM
To answer Art's question on cost. The developer said he spent a huge hunk on the original 3D animation. It was like over 900 seconds of animation at rates from top companies at about $100 a sec to on the low end $25 a sec to create. The costs really skyrocketed once he got into it.
Posted by: iPhone Savior | December 07, 2008 at 07:45 PM