Comments on: The Broken Record Keeps Playing: Why Apple’s App Store Approval Process is Broken

By: Holes in the Walled Garden: Has the App Store Been Hacked?

Holes in the Walled Garden: Has the App Store Been Hacked? — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 19:46:04 +0000

[...] holes in the curated “walled garden” and that the overall problem of the app store, the approval process, is still broken. How can these crooked, worthless apps get in, when some truly useful apps do [...]

By: Pezholio » Blog Archive » An iPhone app in 5 days?

Pezholio » Blog Archive » An iPhone app in 5 days? — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 12:14:04 +0000

[...] few weeks, if not months (Apple’s approvals processes to get an app into the app store are notoriously strict) but I’m reasonably hopeful. I’m now looking at porting my code to Android phones, with [...]

By: Howling Moon Software

Howling Moon Software — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:18:36 +0000

[...] In order to organize any sort of a release, you have to be able to have a set release date. For all the many problems with the App Store review process, Apple could arguably be doing their best. [...]

By: Is Facebook Pulling an Apple With Its Ad Guidelines? | Tech Newz

Is Facebook Pulling an Apple With Its Ad Guidelines? | Tech Newz — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 01:55:08 +0000

[...] and its platform strategy — just look at the outcry over Apple’s refusal to explain why it’s rejected certain apps from its App [...]

By: Apple Silences Google Voice On the iPhone

Apple Silences Google Voice On the iPhone — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:34:56 +0000

[...] Voice application.” Apple has bandied about the feature duplication defense before, when they rejected Podcaster prior to releasing their own integrated podcast direct search and download section to the [...]

By: Mohd Aika Abdullah

Mohd Aika Abdullah — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 10:33:50 +0000

The solution is simple and has always been part of the software engineering process.

Apple needs to add an additional approval step based on submission of product goals, descriptions and some preliminary design specifications even BEFORE development starts. This way, Apple still has control; only now, since no code is even written yet, an app can be declined without a life-altering negative impact on the developer. Designs can be altered and can be resubmitted. When the product description, goals and specifications are approved, then development can begin!

No more spill, no more mess! A win-win situation.

By: andrew Wulf

andrew Wulf — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:25:25 +0000

I wrote on this exact title:

http://thecodist.com/article/the_app_store_is_a_classic_example_of_a_broken_business_process

By: Step by Step: Apple’s App Store Approval Process | World Boxx

Step by Step: Apple’s App Store Approval Process | World Boxx — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 22:03:52 +0000

[...] make about as much sense as any other explanation the iPhone- and iPod-maker has offered for why it seemingly rejects some apps for no reason, while letting other similar ones pass without question. Additional mobile software [...]

By: Apple Approves Podcaster App, Provides Another Ray of Hope - TheAppleBlog

Apple Approves Podcaster App, Provides Another Ray of Hope - TheAppleBlog — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:01:12 +0000

[...] was the rejection heard ’round the world when Apple’s reviewers rejected the user-favourite Podcaster app, citing as the cause the [...]

By: 5 (Yes, 5) Landscape Email iPhone Applications Released

5 (Yes, 5) Landscape Email iPhone Applications Released — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:20:11 +0000

[...] approval process, possibly caused by an internal decision on what exactly exactly constitutes “duplicat[ing] the functionality” of Apple’s own [...]

By: Matthew

Matthew — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:45:08 +0000

I often browse the different categories each day to see the new apps available (because the ‘new’ area is never up-to-date) and noticed that the application “Trapster” was recently released. This application is meant to avoid speed traps, traffic cams, etc and even says in the description:
“It’s FREE, and might save you a lot time, embarrassment, and money spent on traffic violation fees and increased insurance premiums”
Does this mean that, because Apple reviews all these applications before release, that they condone law breaking and traffic violations?

How is it that application such as this get approved and ones such as the one Orb.com is trying to release get delayed or rejected (they’ve been waiting on approval for several weeks now)?

AND get this! 4 apps just came out in row that do the EXACT same thing! All version 1 and all but 1 is the same price! The apps are in the productivity and give users the ability to write emails in landscape mode… Mind you a good idea but I thought Apple was supposed to minimize duplicates? (*cough Sudoku *cough)

By: Jan Erik Moström » Sigh, Apple what are you thinking

Jan Erik Moström » Sigh, Apple what are you thinking — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:09:07 +0000

[...] theAppleBlog: The Broken Record Keeps Playing: Why Apple’s App Store Approval Process is Brok… [...]

By: Apple Covers App Store Denials with NDA | The Apple Blog

Apple Covers App Store Denials with NDA | The Apple Blog — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:20:45 +0000

[...] compound frustrations by the rejection of seemingly useful applications like Podcaster for example (and some not so useful apps like Pull My Finger, which I totally would have paid $.99 [...]

By: Organizing Apps on the iPhone | The Apple Blog

Organizing Apps on the iPhone | The Apple Blog — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:34:26 +0000

[...] flexibility in the way I’m able to situate and thumb through the applications on my iPhone. (Think Apple will allow someone to develop something to manage interface tweaks and sell it in the Ap… Me either.) Before I detail the interface customization items I hope to see on the iPhone, I think [...]

By: Daily Apple: iPhone MMS, New Harddrives, Front Row Update | The Apple Blog

Daily Apple: iPhone MMS, New Harddrives, Front Row Update | The Apple Blog — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 23:40:47 +0000

[...] in response to claims that the Podcaster app’s rejection should have been expected. I’m with Gruber on this [...]

By: Glenn

Glenn — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 11:55:22 +0000

Roughly Drafted.com has an article that pretty much puts this argument to rest. Apple clearly states in the SDK what apps can and can not do. Evidently some developers don’t read the SDK rules, or go ahead and create the app and then complain because it was rejected “after all the hard work we did in creating this app”. Either way, it is NOT Apple’s problem that it was rejected. If you read and agree to ALL the terms of service of the SDK, which you are supposed to do BEFORE downloading and using it, then don’t bitch because you went off and created something that does not conform to those terms and Apple rejects it. Evidently the creators of the thousands of other apps Apple has allowed are just fine with the process.

Regarding the fart application, I believe Apple was completely proper in not allowing it. As an example, 99.999% of people would consider it “rude, crude, and socially unacceptable” to sit in church at a funeral and use an application like that. It’s something you just DON’T do. Arguments about “pushing the envelope”, “cutting edge”, etc etc just don’t wash in some situations, and if Apple doesn’t want their phone to be a part of acting like that, that’s just fine with me!