The Road to iPad Launch Gets Rocky

Apple has announced that they are now accepting submissions for possible iPad applications, which will likely be reviewed and approved before the iPad’s formal launch next week.  Most apps that have been developed for iPad, however, have only been tested in the emulator, so whether they would function on the final version of the tablet is unclear.  The deadline for submitting apps in time for the grand opening of the iPad Apps Store is on March 27 at 5PM PST.

In the meantime, things are not going smoothly between iPad and content providers.  According to CrunchGear, Apple has been getting into “some last-minute trouble” convincing content providers to supply for the iPad.

Apple had wanted to offer TV subscriptions, making every episode of your favorite shows would automatically be downloaded to the iPad.  The problem, however, is that networks are afraid that providing subscriptions to iPad would endanger their relationships with cable companies and other traditional TV outlets, or that Apple may eventually go on a deal that would put them on a losing end.  Apple has tried to solve the problem temporarily by lowering the price of TV shows from US$2.99 to 99 cents.

Newspaper companies are also having second thoughts in providing content for the iPad mainly because of iPad’s lack of Flash support, which most digital newspapers need.

Source:  Engadget , CrunchGear

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