The list of apps and games banned from Apple’s App Store is a fascinating one, ranging from bizarre Super Mario / Pokemon ripoffs to blatant bragging ammunition and everything in between. One of the more high-profile games to be banned by the tech giant is S.M.T.H., or Send Me To Heaven.
For those of you who haven’t heard of it, S.M.T.H. has a simple premise; throw your phone as high as you can. The app features local and global leaderboards showing who has managed to hock their €700 smartphones highest. S.M.T.H. is dangerous and, frankly, stupid. While it’s available on Google’s Play Store, it never got approved for Apple’s App Store. I’m sure you can intuit why.
However, there is one way that iPhone aficionados can play the infamous game. Petr Svarovsky, CEO and founder of CarrotPop, has placed his iPhone, the one used to develop S.M.T.H., for sale on Etsy. That’s right; for the low, low price of 277,008 Norwegian Krone (that’s €27,731.30 as of the 12th of August) or US$30,000, you, too can chuck an iPhone into the sky.
Going Once, Going Twice…
- Other features include;
- A heavily cracked screen (from testing S.M.T.H.)
- The developer’s ex-girlfriend’s phone number (and his dentist)
- Pictures of Svarovsky’s cat
- Some heavy metal tunes he listened to while developing the game
A bargain at any price!
Since the game debuted in 2013, numerous nay-sayers have criticised S.M.T.H. for being dangerous, futile, and downright stupid. Like many things, however, S.M.T.H. is more than it appears. Svarovsky has a clear intention when developing the game, telling The Independent shortly after the game’s release;
“[It] makes people do exactly what I wanted them to: Be funny again. Stop watching small screens, jump around and show some entertaining actions. Be inventive, construct slingshots, make rockets and try to be the best in the world“
Art, Censorship and Gaming
S.M.T.H. being banned by Apple was a controversial decision. Censorship in this digital age is a thorny topic, with some people rallying against it in all forms, whilst others believe censorship is necessary to protect people from violent, controversial or unsettling content. It’s clear that by auctioning this iPhone, Svarovsky is trying to send a message about capitalism, censorship and art. He is no stranger to exploratory and experimental art – his other company, Silver, touts itself as being “in a zone between art, technology and science, in new media and beyond”.
Is this auction a piece of performance art, or just something trying to make a quick buck? Let us know what you think. And, as always;
Stay tuned to GamEir, and if you’re interested, chat with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir). Check out our videos on Twitch (GamEir) and YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content.
Leave a Reply