During the demo of iOS 6, Apple unveiled a new iOS application called Passbook. By now I’m sure most of you know what Passbook is, but for those that don’t it’s basically a virtual pocket. It stores things like movie tickets and gift cards. It’s also got some pretty nifty GPS-based features built in, but honestly the moment it was announced I knew instantly that it wasn’t something I was going to use. In fact, that’s the way I’ve felt about a lot of Apple’s iOS applications.

Now don’t get me wrong, many of the stock iOS apps play a vital role in my iOS use. But what bothers me about Passbook and Apple’s approach to developing its own iOS apps in general is that many of them are forced upon us. I’m not going to use Passbook, nor have I ever used Compass, Game Center, Stocks, Reminders, Weather, Newsstand, or YouTube, yet they’re stuck on my iOS devices anyway. In some cases, like weather and YouTube, there are third-party applications that are far superior to Apple’s versions. In others, like Compass or Stocks, I simply do not need them. Currently there’s a folder on my iPhone called Blurg dedicated solely to hiding away all the apps that Apple has loaded on my phone that I’ll never use.

I’m sure some people find the Stocks app very useful, but I know for a fact that there are many that do not. My problem is that Apple develops these applications and forces them upon us without the option to remove them. Why should I have to have a folder dedicated to stuff I don’t want? Passbook is an excellent example of this. This is an application that certainly doesn’t appeal to everyone. It seems like it would be much more logical to offer this application in the App Store. That way the people that want it have the option, and so do the people that don’t.

Do you guys agree that, when Apple develops apps like these, they should go to the App Store and not our home screens? Let me know in the comments section below or on twitter!