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2010-09-10 05:43:28
iPad There are more than 250,000 programs in the App store
Apple has said that it will publish the guidelines it uses to determine which
programs it will sell in its App Store to appease critical developers.
The firm, known for its keen oversight of products, has been the subject of
complaints from firms who have had apps blocked from the store.
Some developers have complained that the company's rules seem inconsistent.
Some have found apps blocked after seemingly minor updates, or for having
content deemed inappropriate by Apple.
For example, the developer of Read it Later, an app that allows you to store
web pages and read them offline, recently complained that Apple's reasons for
rejecting an update to his app were "contradictory".
"For the first time we are publishing the App Store Review Guidelines to help
developers understand how we review submitted apps," the firm said in a
statement.
Relaxed approach
The introduction to the new guidelines - in theory only available to developers
- outlines Apple's thinking about apps.
"We view apps different than books or songs, which we do not curate. If you
want to criticise a religion, write a book. If you want to describe sex, write
a book or a song, or create a medical app."
The firm also outlined certain types of apps that it would not accept.
"We don't need any more fart apps. If your app doesn't do something useful or
provide some form of lasting entertainment, it may not be accepted."
The firm said it would also make changes to its licence that developers must
sign to submit apps to the App Store.
"We have listened to our developers and taken much of their feedback to heart.
"Today we are making some important changes to our iOS Developer Program
license... to relax some restrictions we put in place earlier this year."
Among the changes, the firm reversed an earlier decision to prevent developers
from using tools that quickly translated code written for other products, into
code designed to run on Apple devices.
At the time of the clampdown, Apple chief Steve Jobs said the tools could
result in "sub-standard" applications.
The decision effectively blocked developers from using programs that software
giant Adobe was about to release.
Following Mr Jobs decision and subsequent justification, Adobe CEO Shantanu
Narayen hit back, calling Mr Jobs' words a "smokescreen".
He said the decision had made it "cumbersome" for developers who were forced to
have "two workflows".
A spokesperson for Adobe said it was now "encouraged to see Apple lifting its
restrictions on its licensing terms, giving developers the freedom to choose
what tools they use to develop applications for Apple devices".
Jamie Lemon, a developer for Precedent, said that Apple may have relaxed the
rules because of increased competition in the smartphone market.
"Apple has realised it is in competition with [Google's] Android," he told BBC
News.
Recent figures from research firm Canalys suggest that shipments of Google
Android phones increased 886% year-on-year from the second quarter of 2009.
Apple showed 61% growth in the same period.
Mr Lemon said it would now be easier to develop for both Apple and Google's
Android operating system.
"You don't have to plump for one or the other - it's easier to deploy your app
across multiple platforms."
Analysis
Rory Cellan-Jones Technology correspondent, BBC News
On the face of it, this looks like an extraordinary U-turn by Apple, which has
until now refused to give any quarter in its battle with Adobe or in its strict
regulation of App Store developers.
It doesn't of course mean peace in our time - Adobe's Flash is still banned
from the iPhone or iPad.
But it does make it far easier for developers to work across different
platforms rather than be forced to choose between, say, Android and Apple.
Perhaps there is just a hint that Apple is worried about the advance of
Android, and needs to make its own platform a bit more open if developers are
not to decamp. Or maybe Apple was trying to head off any assault by competition
regulators.
But let's not exaggerate how far glasnost has gone in Cupertino - when I asked
Apple for a copy of its guidelines, I was told this was only available to
registered developers.