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Mention Android In Your Application And Apple Might Pull It From The App Store

By Alex Wilhelm
February 5, 2010
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app store Mention Android In Your Application And Apple Might Pull It From The App StoreApple is continuing unabated with its campaign to keep a rigorous reign over what is allowed into its application store.

Chalk up one more restriction to the list: mentioning Android is now a big no-go in submitted applications.

Tim, the founder of Flash of Genius, a test prep application company, received a threatening email from Apple recommending the removal of references of Android from his application. Either do that or face possible “interruption in the availability of Flash of Genius: SAT Vocab 2.2 on the iPhone App Store.”

Or in Apple-speak: pull the reference that your application was a  finalist in Google’s Android Developer’s Challenge, or we will pull your app at some point. Make you a little mad? Me too.

This is the offending application, with the problem text in the shot:

old screenshot1 Mention Android In Your Application And Apple Might Pull It From The App Store

Of course, it is Apple’s store, and they can do with it what they want. But with that, we still get to judge them for their actions. This level of censorship strikes me as more than a touch ridiculous.

We have included the full letter from Apple below. The original copy can be found here, on the Flash of Genius blog.

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

[emphasis by Flash of Genius]

Alex Wilhelm
Alex Wilhelm is a Chicago-based technology blogger and entrepreneur. He has worked for a number of technology companies in recent years, and has a particular interest in watching the social web monetize. Follow Alex on Twitter, or on Facebook. You can reach Alex via email at alex@thenextweb.com

  • The mail mentiones "inappropriate or irrelevant platform information" If the iPhone Version of the app is different from the Android version this might well be considered "irrelevant".

    With the information supplied you don't have a case.
  • The mail mentiones "inappropriate or irrelevant platform information" If the iPhone Version of the app is different from the Android version this might well be considered "irrelevant".

    With the information supplied you don't have a case.
  • SteelToad
    So, What would Apple do if Microsoft said that people writing Windows software could not mention that they make an Apple version of their software.
  • SteelToad
    So, What would Apple do if Microsoft said that people writing Windows software could not mention that they make an Apple version of their software.
  • Drew Caster
    The problem is that they're using an endorsement for the Android version as an endorsement for the iPhone version. It can be construed as misleading to customers.

    The code base is different between the two and there could be differences. Please pint out where Apple says they can't mention "Android"....
  • lsywlw00
    balenciaga and chloe lv handbag
    http://www.lookhandbag.com
  • Drew Caster
    The problem is that they're using an endorsement for the Android version as an endorsement for the iPhone version. It can be construed as misleading to customers.

    The code base is different between the two and there could be differences. Please pint out where Apple says they can't mention "Android"....
  • While I appreciate that they are trying to protect their brand, don't they realise that these things are likely to backfire in a big way? You would expect a social media-savvy company like Apple to realise this.
  • squeekythomas
    Is that Steve Jobs with a Swastika?
  • squeekythomas
    Is that Steve Jobs with a Swastika?
  • squeekythomas
    Is that Steve Jobs with a Swastika?
  • squeekythomas
    Is that Steve Jobs with a Swastika?
  • Oh dear, this is all getting too much like VHS and Betamax....
  • While I appreciate that they are trying to protect their brand, don't they realise that these things are likely to backfire in a big way? You would expect a social media-savvy company like Apple to realise this.
  • squeekythomas
    Is that Steve Jobs with a Swastika?
  • Oh dear, this is all getting too much like VHS and Betamax....
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