It's almost January 1st, 2010 is creeping up on us and there are only a few days left to enjoy the wonders 2009 brought to us. We saw the iPhone 3GS being released with thousands of new APIs for developers and whole set of new functionalities for us, the users. We celebrated together as the AppStore hit its 1 billionth download milestone. Now, the AppStore holds over 140,000 applications and games. There's much to be proud about what Apple has done with iTunes. But remember one thing Apple! Nothing would have been possible without independent crafty developers, dedicated teams and first and foremost all the hundreds of thousands of anxious users that cross the iTunes' gates every single day, and 28 times as much on a holiday.
So, instead of preaching about Apple for much longer, I dedicate 2009 to you! You, the avid iPhone gamer. You, the productive businessman using apps on the go. You, the creative artist who craves for inspiration from applications. You, the dedicated developer providing that inspiration. You, the average user that's always on the lookout for the new, the bold, the creative. 2009 was about us, about me and about you, and I am proud I played a role in it.
It's hard for me to think back to eight months ago when I was only imagining talking directly to thousands of iPhone gamers and avid app users such as you and me. I have been playing games on the iPhone ever since the launch of the AppStore. I've seen thousands of them, and yet I call myself a simple user, such as yourself. I like to see innovation as much as the next person. And it's only when I realized that communicating ideas and thoughts with others that shared my interests was simply missing from my life, that I wanted to create perhaps not something different, but something I could call my own. That's how Appbite got started, but it has failed to meet my initial goal. I can no longer call it my own. Appbite is yours as much as it is mine, and I am glad it is so. But it makes me proud to think that eight months ago I was looking at a website and now, at the end of '09, I am talking to a community.
Appbite has much to look forward to for January 1,sup>st 2010. We are celebrating our 8th month of existence and counting both good and not so good things that 2009 brought. We've had our ups and downs, we've worked hard to stabilize and set a course. A course that would most benefit you in the end. We are still developing great services for both users and developers. We are still amazed at the applications that reach our iPhones, and we've been working hard to deliver those much needed reviews to you.
To my greatest content, we are still lucky and able to call ourselves a dedicated and consistent community. Our numbers are growing on all levels, and I see only one who can benefit from this. Interestingly enough, it is also the one I have to thank for everything that has happened with Appbite in 2009. And that's you! So, here's to you! I raise my glass of champagne in your honor with a big "Thank you" and great expectations that next year you will continue to trust us with reviewing your iPhone apps!
I also wish to thank the team behind Appbite that's made so many wonderful things possible. It's simply great to see how much they have evolved and how much this community appreciates that. I wish them and you a Happy New Year, happiness and luck in the year to come!
We will see you soon in 2010!
Cheers,
Bogdan Lazar
Appbite Community Manager
