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Apple Rejecting Applications Based on 'Limited Utility'

RonCarr said:
First we complain about the **** apps in the store then when Apple decides to do something about by cutting out the useless apps people complain, probably the same ones. And to the ones who say they would PAY for it... that is BS. If that app made it to the store and had a price you would bitch about it. Grow up. The store was not made for grade school prank apps. Go Apple for taking care of this problem. :apple:
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Yes continue to praise censorship, great idea. :rolleyes:

Its very important for everyone, and I mean everyone, to take a step back here and realize that in a situation such as this there is no "please-all" answer that everyone is looking for.

This is the way it has to be: Regardless of what you personally believe the app store is for, the truth is that the app store exists for developers to release apps for iPhone and iPod touch. This app ( and others ) can be as useless as the day is long..........in your opinion.

Apple censoring app releases based on their opinion of its usefulness is wrong, and non one should be supporting, and certainly not praising such activity.

Maybe if the organization of the App store in iTunes (both desktop and mobile) wasn't terrible, there wouldn't be any problem with useless apps getting in teh way of useful apps?

Arn was absolutely right to bring this to our attention, as it is a bad bad bad precedent.
 
I think this is plenty useful. Good for a lot of laughs at parties. I really would like this app. In fact I have a whole screen devoted to silly apps just for showing people but are nothing but toys like Cowbell, phone saber, iPint and Rotarydialer. Come on Apple, let it in!

I really like the one with the with the girl and it let's out a more dainty fart.

:D
 
I want it! I was laughing already when watching the video, imagine if I had the actual app! I agree that Apple has no right to reject this, when far more useless apps are up there.

If you were going to offer it for free, any chance you could give it out ad-hoc?
 
Apple has ever right to deny access to the iTunes App Store.... BUT it is insulting because they have rigged the system so that it's App store or bust. This is what I've been afraid of from day 1 of the announcement. You are either doubly blessed to a) receive a dev cert and b) make it onto the store or you waste a lot of time spinning your wheels for nothing.

Ad-hoc is a joke and was probably an afterthought when Apple realized that devs would need testing before releasing to the public.

After being a pioneer for DRM free music* it's a disgrace to watch Steve sharecropping the iPhone/iPod Touch platform.

* at least in terms of major music labels.
 
"limited utility"

EricNau said:
I can understand Apple's decision. If left unmanaged, the app store could easily become overrun with useless apps, and cluttered to the point where finding useful apps becomes tedious. This could affect overall sales, as well as punish the developers who's apps were created with significant amounts of time and resources.

Besides, I think a clear distinction can be made between apps like koi pond and others of "limited utility" like pull-my-finger, whoopee-cushion, and the infamous I Am Rich.
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I totally agree with this users comments. There should be a "limited utility" section for the very simple usage apps. And Koi Pond should also be in that section.
 
hazmat said:
If you were going to offer it for free, any chance you could give it out ad-hoc?
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I can't see why the developer would offer it for free now: so many people seem to want it it's a sure-fire money spinner.

The problem with ad-hoc distribution is that it is limited to 100 devices.
 
I personally don't care for the app, but some like it. I don't see why it shouldn't be available for fun. Who cares if it's a little crude Apple? Such is life...a little crude. Why not have a little fun with it.

On the other hand - as much as I hate censorship and authority in general, I'd like to remind those who are complaining about the censorship issue, that Apple's itunes and app store are theirs to do with as they wish... and you probably agreed to a EULA somewhere that gave them the power to do with it as they see fit.

Now you make something and it gets rejected, well, stuff happens - yopu (as a dev) submitted/agreed to the process. If you don't like rejection, get counseling don't try and start a rebellion over a contract you agreed to.

Otherwise redevelop the app or develop in Open source.

What mountain out of a molehill we have here.
 
I think the solution is simple... category trees with very strict guidelines.

There's no need to censor stuff like this, despite how useless it may be.
 
Pull my Finger....Very Funny!!!!

I think the app "Pull my Finger" is great. It's so funny, it should be part of our ring tone applications.
 
Does Apple vet itunes songs for being of limited utility?

Wrong solution for the wrong problem. Apple is attempting to solve a self-imposed problem of centralized control of the inevitable onslaught of applications.

Like any other store however, shelf-space is a consideration with unpopular items replaced with the more profitable. Maybe Apple should give any application passing malware and other non-subjective tests, time on the shelf before rejection. After 90 days, if it's a dud, pull it. This way everyone has a shot. Who knows maybe the finger pulling app could have been a best-seller!!

If it's too much to handle, relinquish centralized control and allow us to acquire applications from any source.
 
And besides, how is this more of more limited interest than Wooo Button, iBeer, Crazy Laser, Crazy Lighter, and that one to see how long you can keep your finger on the screen? Is the PMRC in charge of app approval?
 
robbieduncan said:
I can't see why the developer would offer it for free now: so many people seem to want it it's a sure-fire money spinner.

The problem with ad-hoc distribution is that it is limited to 100 devices.
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I know, but at least some people could get it. Better than nothing I suppose.
 
outraged

this is pretty messed up.

first, there are more useless apps out there than we can deal with, some that charge, some for free. yes, i even have a couple.

one of them is slasher, a free app that's a knife that when you stab it makes the 'psycho' sound. while it is amusing to me, it is fairly violent to mock stabing someone, even virtualy. how does this make it and your's not?

second, the censorship issue is strange to me because, and stop me if i'm wrong, apple SELLS songs and movies on itunes uncensored with things like '****s' and farts. so why would they sensor an app?

i would do you best to get this out there somehow. good luck and keep us posted.

apple is starting to worry me.

justice is deserved.
 
You're Too Late!

Eric: I agree with you wholehearedly, but you're too late. If I see any more permutations of the Magic 8-Ball in the App Store I'll .... well...I'll probably have correctly predicted the future!

I think it's going to be a long time before the iPhone gathers any credible image amongst the business community, and for the distribution of more utilitarian, productive applications if the store is polluted with all of this crap which seems to multiply by the day.

I used to check in daily to see what new applications were added but with all of this sort of 12 year old foolishness I wonder if I'll live to see the day! How about an HSBC internet banking iPhone client? Hope springs eternal. Enough cheesy games...you've spent at least $199 plus tax (or at least your Mommy of Daddy have), don't you want more?

EricNau said:
I can understand Apple's decision. If left unmanaged, the app store could easily become overrun with useless apps, and cluttered to the point where finding useful apps becomes tedious. This could affect overall sales, as well as punish the developers who's apps were created with significant amounts of time and resources.

Besides, I think a clear distinction can be made between apps like koi pond and others of "limited utility" like pull-my-finger, whoopee-cushion, and the infamous I Am Rich.
Click to expand...
 
I'd buy that for a dollar!

I'd totally buy that.

What the hell, meng? I can understand them censoring for quality control, but who are they to say their customers won't like it?

They already have a clause that says you app will get pulled if X people don't buy it in a month (or is it X dollars? I dunno). Why should they also speculatively reject apps?

Fight the good fight, my man.
 
if they are going to do this, they should also remove dizzee rascal form the music store for limited comprehension.
 
spacetycho said:
one of them is slasher, a free app that's a knife that when you stab it makes the 'psycho' sound. while it is amusing to me, it is fairly violent to mock stabing someone, even virtualy. how does this make it and your's not?
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Slasher was pulled from the store quite a while ago because of its content.
 
Put it up on the store, I say. There's a ton of way-worse apps than that one (which appears to be very well done, btw) and this one clearly falls under the "Entertainment" category.

For those suggesting that it was good that Apple deny it because it is "vulgar" suggests then that Apple should remove all the "vulgar" music in it's music store too (good luck w/ that one).

Furthermore, if Apple is denying based on "limited utility" then what are the guidelines for meeting acceptable utility? Some of the most "limited utility" apps on my phone are the most used - by my 4 y/o - who loves apps like bubbles, Moo, PhoneSaber etc that do pretty much NOTHING but with one huge exception - THEY ENTERTAIN! How is this any different?
 
RonCarr said:
First we complain about the **** apps in the store then when Apple decides to do something about by cutting out the useless apps people complain, probably the same ones. And to the ones who say they would PAY for it... that is BS. If that app made it to the store and had a price you would bitch about it. Grow up. The store was not made for grade school prank apps. Go Apple for taking care of this problem. :apple:
Click to expand...

there needs to be some accountability for apps that are "useless" but I don't think it should be Apple's decision. Why not let all apps go up, useless or not, and if the app does not meet a certain threshold of downloads in a predetermined amount of time, the app is removed. apple could justify this by saying apps not selling don't need to be taking up space compared to those that are. this would let the market decide which apps are useful and which aren't.
 
Nobody can deny the fact there is useless garbage scattered throughout the App Store. Its time to step up development folks. Let's see more real applications.
I don't blame Apple for saying no to the finger. How many clown face lame type apps do we need?
 
I agree that there is way too much junk in the app store. It needs a major culling, otherwise no one will take it seriously. We need more useful, real apps.
 
I think this is a case of Apple starting to crack down on these types of useless applications. Maybe they've started to catch up on the approval process and have a little more time dedicated to filtering the utility and usefulness? There does seem to be a lot of complaints lately about all the crap on the app store. Apple's got itself stuck in the middle, regardless of what they do, there will people who think they are evil and those that'll think they did the right thing.

The fact of the matter is, if someone doesn't get the usefulness or entertainment value of a fart noise without the follow-up smell, then this application will indeed have limited utility. Obviously, the people running the show don't get it. Personally, if I made a device such as the iPhone, I wouldn't want someone to give it the ability to fart. LOL

As for the remarks about Koi Pond, I love that app! It's so relaxing.
 
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