Maybe. Though Apple gives you a lot of tools to help you make good (though simple) looking applications. UIKit is pretty detailed.

Here is my simple design advice if you don't know how to design:

* Use the provided UI elements, they look great.

* Choose a primary color and an accent color, don't get carried away.

* Make sure everything lines up. Choose a number (10 pts) and align everything off of that. Aligning your UI elements will go a very long ways to make everything look good.

* If you have paragraphs of text set the line height to around 1.5 (depending on the font).

* The only thing provided by Apple that is Ugly is the UIButtons. Draw a simple, clean button or ask someone to make one for you.

If you follow these simple ideas you can make a pretty good looking application without knowing how to design.

Also, a programmer who can't design is able to release an ugly, but functional application. A designer who can't program will only make a beautiful but useless design. In this case I think the programmer has the advantage.

Though my philosophy is to learn both.

> Though my philosophy is to learn both.

How many of your friends are designers or artists?

I have a couple friends who are designers. But many more who are programmers.

This is true everywhere, not just the app store.

A well-designed, but poorly coded site is going to do a lot better (generally), than a well coded, but poorly designed site.

This is why I'm trying so hard to level my design skills.

This is why, as a developer, I married a designer.

Ok, that's not the only reason why, but it's worked out really well.

Now that is a clever idea.

Very true. I think that it is because of the form factor (small screen, full touch) that design is essential. Fortunately there are some great designers out there for programmers to hire. I've had my most success with iOS apps where I hired a designer (I'm a programmer).