The Word “Android” Banned From the App Store
Apple continues to show vindictiveness and a draconian, perhaps even Godlike attitude in their App Store approval process. Since the App Store and the iPhone are the big guns among app phones, Apple pretty much feels it can do whatever it wants to, and gets away with it.
It’s this type of behavior, however, that is starting to drive end users to the brink of change, particularly when other app phones are now a threat, not to the iPhone’s dominance, but at least to some of it’s market share.
Here’s what happened: the developer of the app Flash of Genius, Tim Novikof, thought it might help sales if he mentioned that the app was a finalist in Google’s annual Android Developer Challenge. Upon seeing the word “Android” in the app’s description, Apple turned red.
Dear Flash of Genius, LLC,
Thank you for submitting Flash of Genius: SAT Vocab 2.2 to the App Store. During our review of your application, we found that your application contains inappropriate or irrelevant platform information in the Application Description and/or Release Notes sections.
Providing future platform compatibility plans or other general platform references are not relevant in the context of the iPhone App Store. While your application has not been rejected, it would be appropriate to remove “Finalist in Google’s Android Developer’s Challenge!” from the Application Description [Emphasis added].
Please log into iTunes Connect to make appropriate changes to the Application Description now to avoid an interruption in the availability of Flash of Genius: SAT Vocab 2.2 on the iPhone App Store.
Regards,
iPhone Developer Program
Don’t worry: we get it. It’s obviously not in Apple’s best interest to have a reference to Android in their App Store. That’s not the point. The point is, when you add this along with all the other things that Apple prevents from being in the App Store (Google Voice) and all the other decisions it makes (no background processing), to some, including me, it’s getting close to the final straw.
It’s not as though the iPhone is the only game in town. It’s also the case that while the iPhone has far more apps than other app phones, when it comes to truly useful apps, perhaps the difference is not as great as many think.
Additionally, take a look at the apps only available for jailbroken iPhones at the Cydia store or at RockYourPhone.com. When you realize just how many useful apps don’t make the cut in the App Store because of Apple’s policies, and realize that Android’s store isn’t like that, it makes the issue all the more clear.
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