Cupertino, Calif. – Apple (NASD: AAPL) has relaxed some of the
restrictions placed on mobile developers creating applications for its iPhone
and iPad, and also for the first time published previously-secret guidelines on
how the company reviews submitted apps. Most notably, Apple has backtracked and
will allow developers to use Adobe Systems’ (NASD: ADBE) Flash platform to develop iPhone
and iPad applications — although the Flash video format will still not be
supported on the Apple devices.
"We are relaxing all restrictions on the
development tools used to create iOS apps, as long as the resulting apps do not
download any code. This should give developers the flexibility they want, while
preserving the security we need," Apple said in a statement.
Wired.com
points to games as a motivating factor for the move, as many titles utilize
non-Apple code.
As for the App Store review process, Apple is more candid in
its new guidelines as to why apps are accepted or rejected.
"We have over
250,000 apps in the App Store. We don’t need any more Fart apps," the
guidelines read. "If your app doesn’t do something useful or provide some
form of lasting entertainment, it may not be accepted…We have lots of serious
developers who don’t want their quality Apps to be surrounded by amateur
hour."
Engadget notes that the guidelines appear to still ban third-party
browsers; apps that mention any other mobile platform in their metadata; those
that misspell Apple products or are confusingly similar to existing Apple
products; file-sharing apps; and those that contain "frequently
pornographic (ex ‘Chat Roulette’ apps) content."
Apple said that
developers have to date received more than $1 billion in payouts from sales of
their applications at the App Store.
Related Links:
http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/09/09statement.html
http://tinyurl.com/2by68g2
(Wired.com)
http://tinyurl.com/38eec4n
(Engadget)
