Did Apple Just Kill iPad’s Chance For Success?

Late last week Apple pulled ~5,000 Apps alluding to sex or “adult” references.

Included in the list of removed Apps are all the Peekaboo apps developed by an iPhone “Japanese porn king” and Microsoft employee Eugene Lin, some of which were in the Top 10 Paid Apps in Japan’s App Store.

Of Rice and Zen writer Andy Heather comprised a review of what’s known thus far about the iPad. Based on the Japanese App Store he proposes to,

Do what worked for the printing press and the internet. Think about boobs. Take a look at the Japanese app and book stores on iTunes. The most popular downloads in those categories are almost entirely pornographic. Sign enough deals with distributors of hentai manga, sit back and watch Japan’s otaku pour yen into a profitable iBook store, at which point Japan’s publishing houses will sit up and take notice. Jobs need Japan’s otaku …

But Apple’s decision to pull these apps leaves a hole in the solution. If the “Adult” apps are not permitted in the App Store, what about soppy romance novels in the iBook Store? Will they also be blocked from sale, simply because a little kissing is involved and an image of a bare-chested man or a woman’s cleavage is on the cover?

The developers of iWobble have brought to light some of the loose rules that Apple playing fast and hard with:

No images of women in bikinis (Ice skating tights are not OK either)

No images of men in bikinis! (I didn’t ask about Ice Skating tights for men)

No skin (he seriously said this) (I asked if a Burqa was OK, and the Apple guy got angry)

No silhouettes that indicate that Wobble can be used for wobbling boobs (yes – I am serious, we have to remove the silhouette in this pic)

No sexual connotations or innuendo: boobs, babes, booty, sex – all banned

Nothing that can be sexually arousing!! (I doubt many people could get aroused with the pic above but those puritanical guys at Apple must get off on pretty mundane things to find Wobble “overtly sexual!)

No apps will be approved that in any way imply sexual content (not sure how Playboy is still in the store, but …)

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If anything Apple’s actions will give more business to MiKandi, an “Adult” app store for Android, and bring interest in jailbreaking so that you may install the apps you want on your iPhone.

If Apple’s new rules also apply to iBooks, the ladies and gentleman that enjoy a soppy romance novel will be stuck out of luck.. well there’s always the Kindle.