Apple Allows Camera+ Back onto App Store After 4 Month Removal

[MacRumors]

App store developers TapTapTap have re-released their popular iPhone camera utility Camera+ after an involuntary four month absence from the App Store.






In August, TapTapTap had written a blog post explaining that one of the features they called "VolumeSnap" had been the reason for their latest update being rejected by Apple. The feature allowed the user to remap the iPhone's volume button to trigger the iPhone's camera shutter. The developers were not surprised to find the feature rejected as it was explicitly prohibited in the App Store's terms of service. While they removed the feature from the next update, they hid it as an easter egg which was easily turned back on.

The app was quickly removed from the App Store for this violation despite being ranked #3 amongst paid apps at the time. That sort of App Store position typically reflects over 10,000 sales a day. With the reapproval, TapTapTap has, of course, removed the easter egg but added over 50 new features (including new filters, shooting modes) and dropped the price from $1.99 to $0.99 [App Store].

Article Link: Apple Allows Camera+ Back onto App Store After 4 Month Removal

[SkippyThorson]

Woohoo! I think Christmas came early. Too cool.

[nostaws]

... Let me remap my button!

[Krafty]

Finally they got rid of that dumb intro sequence with the camera viewfinder.

[SgtDecimal]

Awesome! I really enjoyed this app and glad they added some new stuff.

[iMJustAGuy]

It's against the agreement so I understand that it should have been removed but why does Apple care about something like this.

[rorschach]

Awesome...I'm going to have to download since I missed out last time.

(I find it funny that it Apple claims remapping hardware buttons will "confuse" users...but they themselves just did it with the iPad orientation lock. )

[Matthew Yohe]

Originally Posted by iMJustAGuy

It's against the agreement so I understand that it should have been removed but why does Apple care about something like this.

Because they don't want people remapping those buttons?

[vincenz]

A slap on the wrist by apple and you learn your lesson

[ziggyonice]

I still have the original app (with the remapped volume button). I don't think I want to download this version because it'll get rid of that feature.

The remapped volume button is great, especially when you want someone else to take a picture (if they've never used an iPhone before).

[QuarterSwede]

All Apple needs to do now is open up the HDR API and I bet taptaptap will add that functionality. A movie mode would make this take the place of the default Camera app on my iPhone.

Originally Posted by nostaws

... Let me remap my button!

Jailbreak your phone and you can with SnapTap.

[Consultant]

Originally Posted by ziggyonice

I still have the original app (with the remapped volume button). I don't think I want to download this version because it'll get rid of that feature.

The remapped volume button is great, especially when you want someone else to take a picture (if they've never used an iPhone before).

What's so difficult about "tap the camera icon"?

[weckart]

Originally Posted by Consultant

What's so difficult about "tap the camera icon"?

Consider for a moment why cameras have a physical button rather than requiring you to tap the viewfinder.

[batchtaster]

So, they knew it was wrong right from the beginning, they did it anyway, they got told off, then they did it again more quietly, and they get told off again.

A four year old learns faster than that.

[QuarterSwede]

Originally Posted by batchtaster

So, they knew it was wrong, they did it anyway, they got told off, then they did it again more quietly, and they get told off again.

A four year old learns faster than that.

And now it's hurting them because no one (at least in the ratings) understands why that functionality is gone. It's sad really.

What I'd like to know is why it took them so long to bring it back.

[dreamsburnred]

Better changed then not allowed.

[uaecasher]

wow, 10,000 sales a day would bring a lot of money (0.70*10,000 = $7000 a day)

[QuarterSwede]

Originally Posted by uaecasher

wow, 10,000 sales a day would bring a lot of money (0.70*10,000 = $7000 a day)

Why do you think app devs want the number one spots? That's real money in their pockets and food on their tables.

[caliguy]

Originally Posted by uaecasher

wow, 10,000 sales a day would bring a lot of money (0.70*10,000 = $7000 a day)

It says in the article that it was $1.99. $1.39*10,000 = $13,900!

[CplBadboy]

Apple, you listening to this?? It makes sense for the shutter button to be one of the volume buttons. It makes for a more stable photo when shooting. just because you tits didnt incorporate this feature into the phone in the first place doesnt mean you should penalise other developers who come with a solution to a rather annoying problem that is having the shutter function on the screen.

Just goes to show that Apple couldnt give a fat rats a$$ about what its customers want or ironically give them something that 'just works'.

This bully boy tactic only shows that Apple are becoming increasingly blinded by dollar signs and long gone the days of satisfying customers and giving them the option on how they choose to use their devices!!!! Bah humbug

[oban14]

Originally Posted by Matthew Yohe

Because they don't want people remapping those buttons?

Yes, it would be horrible to allow a software company to give customers what they want.

[res1233]

Originally Posted by CplBadboy

Apple, you listening to this?? It makes sense for the shutter button to be one of the volume buttons. It makes for a more stable photo when shooting. just because you tits didnt incorporate this feature into the phone in the first place doesnt mean you should penalise other developers who come with a solution to a rather annoying problem that is having the shutter function on the screen.

Just goes to show that Apple couldnt give a fat rats a$$ about what its customers want or ironically give them something that 'just works'.

This bully boy tactic only shows that Apple are becoming increasingly blinded by dollar signs and long gone the days of satisfying customers and giving them the option on how they choose to use their devices!!!! Bah humbug

You're a "Customer" not "Customers". What you want isn't going to be what everyone else wants, and I can tell you right now, I don't care that much where the button is, even when I take photos. A physical button would be nice, but lets analyze that for a second.

Lets say the volume buttons are remapped, and I'm listening to Pandora in the background. I would have no way of changing the volume, without leaving the App, which would be extremely annoying, and would pretty much defeat the purpose of multi-tasking.

Lets say the Sleep/wake button is remapped. I would have no way of turning the phone off without waiting for it to do it itself, which is inconvenient.

Lets say the home button is remapped. Well, anyone who doesn't understand why this would be problematic has never used an iPhone.

No matter how you look at it, remapping the buttons is a problem and not a solution. Apple could add a programmable button that does nothing but let itself be mapped, I had a palm phone that had that, but remapping an existing button is bad news.

[OceanView]

I had this app before and after the easter egg and I can tell you that using the volume buttons is so much better than trying to tap on the screen.
Apple should give the option to use these buttons if a user so desires.
All they have to do is allow it as an option that a user can switch on or off.

[CplBadboy]

Originally Posted by res1233

You're a "Customer" not "Customers". What you want isn't going to be what everyone else wants, and I can tell you right now, I don't care that much where the button is, even when I take photos. A physical button would be nice, but lets analyze that for a second.

Lets say the volume buttons are remapped, and I'm listening to Pandora in the background. I would have no way of changing the volume, without leaving the App, which would be extremely annoying, and would pretty much defeat the purpose of multi-tasking.

Lets say the Sleep/wake button is remapped. I would have no way of turning the phone off without waiting for it to do it itself, which is inconvenient.

Lets say the home button is remapped. Well, anyone who doesn't understand why this would be problematic has never used an iPhone.

No matter how you look at it, remapping the buttons is a problem and not a solution. Apple could add a programmable button that does nothing but let itself be mapped, I had a palm phone that had that, but remapping an existing button is bad news.

You to are a customer so lets look at your idea that if you listening to Pandora you cant do this or that.

If you look at when the camera is used overall I dare say that we shutterbugs arent listening to music while shooting. Whos to say that pressing the volume buttons would even affect the music listening? Could it not be mapped so that while the camera is in use volume is unaffected?? There Ive just answered your question. the fact is that the app was incredibly popular and that a lot of customers where peeved that Apple removed it. So as for it just being a customer opinion please read the story and I say it pissed of a lot of customerS and not just little ole me. That on screen button is a pain in the ass and its about choice. Apple seem to be running a dictatorship these days nit a customer orientated business.

[res1233]

Originally Posted by CplBadboy

You to are a customer so lets look at your idea that if you listening to Pandora you cant do this or that.

If you look at when the camera is used overall I dare say that we shutterbugs arent listening to music while shooting. Whos to say that pressing the volume buttons would even affect the music listening? Could it not be mapped so that while the camera is in use volume is unaffected?? There Ive just answered your question. the fact is that the app was incredibly popular and that a lot of customers where peeved that Apple removed it. So as for it just being a customer opinion please read the story and I say it pissed of a lot of customerS and not just little ole me. That on screen button is a pain in the ass and its about choice. Apple seem to be running a dictatorship these days nit a customer orientated business.

You misread what I typed. I meant it would be inconvenient to not have any easy way of turning the volume up and down. That is something you can't argue. I didn't say anything about it affecting the music in any way. Reading comprehension is a useful tool.