Warning: New photo app LOMORA, read carefully before buying
Wednesday, July 7, 2010 at 6:19AM | Glyn Evans Today my attention was drawn to a new photo app that appeared in the AppStore, but for all the wrong reasons. I'm not going to post the apps description, because I want to draw your attention to the following key elements of this app.
First off the app is described as "a revolutionised lomo camera app. Basically this app is in between real film lomo and digital lomo. The way you interact with this app is like you will never get from other camera app". This last part of the statement is very true, as you will discover by reading on.
The description then goes on to say "LOMORA provides it's own store, which call the LOMORA Store", in other words, in app purchases, where "Each film is just sold at $0.99. The film will run out after 36 taken photos". Now it is this section that you should read very carefully, as you will discover as reader SCW did, that each film you buy for $0.99 will only let you shoot 36 photos before running out, just like real film, and just like real film, you will have to buy it again and again, now if this is not a money making opportunity, then I don't know what is.
The developer then goes on to say "Actually, the selling of film is not all about earning money only" (which it clearly is), adding "Imagine what's the benefit of selling film just like in real life. You might own films that your friend doesn't have, you can either share to them, or discuss with them about what film is good to capture what scene or you can also show off to them"
The developer then finishes off by saying "For those who don't have enough budget to play lomo in real life, this app is definitely your next best choice", which at $1.99 for the app and endless $0.99 per 36 exposure films, is far from a cheap alternative to the real thing, and as SCW pointed out, the resolution of this app is only 681x1024.
My advice is avoid this app like the plague, but if you do buy it, beware of what you are buying in to.
UPDATE @ 18:00 GMT on 8th July 2010: I just got word that Apple are investigating this app, so let's hope the do the right thing.
AppStore Link: LOMORA
Reader Comments (18)
thanks for the warning. i saw that app too and crossed my eyes.
It's $1.99 for app & 1 default film.
10 other films at $0.99 each & also Flash films are $1.99 each (possibly 10 of these films too). You can only use each film 36 times & it expires null & void. When you buy a film from in-app purchase the Buy type icon doesn't go away ohhh no you can buy it over & over again at $0.99 - $1.99 a pop!
No restore purchases option NOPE buy all over again in this CA$H COW! The full resolution (aka 24x36) = 681x1024 on my 3GS WTF? The UI is the worst, most awkward, most ridiculously hard to use unfriendly Apps UI I've ever had the misfortune of using.
I bought this app $1.99 + 2x $0.99 films = $4.00
BUT I also bought his other app PhotoEditor (that claims to let create your own Filter effects) pure crap! It's a POS as well & that was $2.99
So Marvin Lee... I'm $7.00 in the whole with your useless photo apps & honestly I've never been so bluntly scammed & ripped off in my life!
*Yes I knew LOMORA was a 36 use, one time app BUT I at least expected it to be useable... Nope it's pure & utter crap!
DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTACES JUSTIFY YOUR CURIOSITY & WASTE A PENNY ON THIS P.O.S... Unlike Myself !!!
- So let's do a little math here: *ALL FILMS ARE 36 USE ONLY PURCHASES
$1.99 App w/ 1 default 36 use film (.05¢ per photo good or bad NO retakes)
$0.99 Color Film x 10 = $10
$1.99 Flash Film (if there is 10 avail) x 10 = $20
Total: $32.00 to have the whole shabang!
Then once you have captured 36 photos with each film you can RE-PURCHASE all over again. But then you will have to buy the default originally included film again which should be $0.99 so you will add another $1 to the pot!
No this is no mistake or misunderstanding as many originally had thought when Hipstamatic came out that their in-app extras were a per purchase deal BUT turned out to be sold in packs that really only cost the user about $5 & NO LIMITS OR EXPIRED FILM USAGE!
So I was a little blown away by how bluntly Marvin Lee was about shafting the entire iPhone community & iPhoneographer here with such an obscenely ridiculous release. Personally I suggest reporting this app to Apples CEO's etc for this is a brutally honest scam & by honest I mean SCAM!
I must also point out that there is not one ounce of craftsmanship within this app, the UI is so badly done, the absolute lack of knowledge of any user friendly layout, feel, movements, tabs, buttons, features, settings, gestures... anything what so ever here seems to be done be an out right moron. It's at a kindergarden level with the scam level of an adult. One reason why morons look at the AppStore as a gold-mine. Quality, & honest hard work was not even on the list when this app was conceived.
PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS, RE-BLOG, RE-TWEET, WHATEVER IT TAKES SPREAD THE WORD TO ANYONE & EVERYONE YOU THINK MIGHT WASTE ANY MONEY ON THIS P.O.S !!!
SCW
Good grief. If for no other reason, I wouldn't buy it simply because the author of the wording doesn't have even an elementary level grasp of English grammar! Come on! I wonder how much money he/she will make off this app before it's pulled or riddled with so many negative reviews that no one will purchase it anymore. Thank you SO much for the warning!
I'd rather give money to complete strangers phishing from Nigeria.
this all stinks. no website and also not for his other app PhotoEdit. Geez, how did Apple approved this ??!!
Thanks for the head's up. This is really disheartening to hear that yet another developer is focused on quantity of $$ and not quality of his app. The spin of "buy unique films!" sounds like totally bull and a very thin cover up for "give me more money!"
Ha! Ha! Ha! Am I the only one who finds this funny? This is basically the same concept as the camera only apps that don't let you use the photo album feature of the iphone for perceived puritanical reasons. There is also little difference between this and apps like Hipstamatic that force you into a ridiculously awkward workflow for the sake of "authenticity". This just happens to be a more expensive form of authenticity, depending on how much you use the app, of course.
I find it unfortunate that the app probably wasn't really created as an ironic conceptual art piece.
@ Jon,
Actually, i think this is quite different. You are comparing the interface of one app to the price gouging of another app. It's one thing if you don't like the way Hipstamatic behaves (i.e., I think you are referring to the slow "developing" time adn the small in-app photo preview), but yet another to try to compare it to in-app purchases that require you to continuously purchase them in order to work the app. Hipstamatic behaves differently than LOMORA and in fact, should be an example as to how LOMORA should operate.
Glyn, Pat, thanks for posting the warning!
=M=
@Miki,
Sorry I wasn't clear. My point was that this is the ultimate example of an "authentic", old school user experience gone bad. In this case, having to pay for each "roll of film", in Hipsta's case, a hodgepodge collection of lenses, film, lights, etc. that are just as tedious to implement and as unforgiving (can't retake the shot) as the original. I don't mean to single out Hipsta in this regard, there are lots of other apps out there that don't take full advantage of the iPhone's capabilities. I just used them as a popular example and I wasn't even referring to their in-app purchases "feature". This isn't about the money for me.
This resonates particularly loudly for me because I've used this very concept of forcing the end user to pay for each "roll of film" as an example of the potential danger of putting authenticity of experience before utility and functionality when pleading with devs to support the iPhone's Photo Album.
A typical answer is, "we wanted to create a user experience as if one were using a real camera, not a "Photoshop" filter". My response is typically, You _are_ creating a filter, it is just happening in real time, if you really want to copy the experience of a camera and ignore the benefits of the platform, why not go the extra mile and charge people for each 24/36 pictures they take?
As I mentioned above, I don't think this was done as a conceptual art piece, demonstrating how far an authentic user experience could be taken. I think it was created to bilk people out of their hard-earned cash and I find that despicable!
@Jon,
Ah, thanks for the clarification! I agree with your stance on the issue, especially the part about how the "authenticity" of LOMORA's film-limit was probably inspired as a way to cover up for the developer's greediness. And as SCW stated earlier, the app is a piece of junk even before you get to the film limit issue.
I was keen on another camera app and didn't read the description properly. I just read the word "store", thought it was kind of like Hipsta's store and pressed "buy". And that's been bugging me the entire day. Let's all tell this greedy developer that's we're not gonna accept it. The only way he could start to make up for this robbery, is to update the app with everything free and for keeps. But from what I've seen of the one one-use film that's was included, it still probably wouldn't be worth it.
Thanks for the warning. The developers need to understand that pissing on our legs and telling us it's raining isn't going to work. Are they so stupid to realize that blatant thievery will eventually be exposed. Especially by dedicated iphoneographers??
But does Apple care???
I wonder if they do--they probably don't as long as they get their cut.
This sounds GREAT. Get the feel of REAL photography guys & gals and wince everytime you press that shutter release knowing that it's costing you money. Bet it improves your photography. No more snap, snap, snap everywhere and at every angle ("I'll sort it out on the computer later") crap. Now you'll have to actually THINK about what your taking. Before you know it, you'll be buying into REAL film photography.
I definitely blame the developers for this outrage too. I mean, what's wrong with good old ID11/D76 or maybe Rodinal. Never had any problem with them.
Lomora is a brilliant app. Users craving an "authentic" lomography experience will be pleased to learn that the app mimics the shoddy craftsmanship of toy cameras by ceasing to function after an arbitrary interval; and, in addition to paying for new "rolls of film" after every 36 exposures, users must actually drive to the nearest photomat and wait no less than an hour before actually seeing their "prints" for the low cost of $6.99. Imagine the fun!
On a slightly different note, I would love a photo app to have an in app purchase available to me that would allow me to pay for and order prints of my digital shots. Think about it, you shoot pictures on your camera,order the prints and either have them mailed to you or pick them up at a local affiliate.
Wow this PoS is now on the app store featured page here! And has only one-star reviews LOL. Apple really doesn't care as long as they are apps that make them get a goo cut of the sale.