Apple backpedaling on some iOS development restrictions, will allow third party tools
Posted Sep 9th 2010 8:50AM by Paul Miller

Woah, who saw this coming? Apple has changed its super-controversial stance on third party developer tools for iOS apps, now allowing any and all comers (which would obviously include Adobe Flash CS5), "as long as the resulting apps do not download any code." Apple's also publishing its App Store Review Guidelines at long last, which will give developers a better idea of how their apps are going to be scrutinized by Apple before they submit them. We're sure we'll be hearing plenty in the coming weeks as developers and arm chair analysts rifle through Apple's so-far-secretive guidelines, but mostly we're just excited to see what sort of innovation and development accessibility we've been missing out on while these third party tools have been off the market. The full (and brief) release can be found after the break.

Apple's App Store Review Guidelines: 'we don't need any more fart apps'
Posted Sep 9th 2010 9:58AM by Nilay Patel

Apple definitely surprised us this morning by relaxing its restrictions on third-party iOS development tools and publishing its app review guidelines, but that's nothing compared to the almost shockingly blunt tone of the guidelines themselves. We're still poring over them and we'll post highlights as we go, but grab the PDF for yourselves at the source link now and we'll do this thing together after the break.

Okay, so while Apple's tone throughout the guidelines is extremely direct, the highlights definitely come from the introduction, where the company basically lays it down:
"We have lots of kids downloading lots of apps, and parental controls don't work unless the parents set them up (many don't). So know that we're keeping an eye out for the kids."
"We have over 250,000 apps in the App Store. We don't need any more Fart apps."
"We have lots of serious developers who don't want their quality Apps to be surrounded by amateur hour."
"If your app is rejected, we have a Review Board that you can appeal to. If you run to the press and trash us, it never helps."
"This is a living document, and new apps presenting new questions may result in new rules at any time. Perhaps your app will trigger this."
"If it sounds like we're control freaks, well, maybe it's because we're so committed to our users and making sure they have a quality experience with our products."
Harsh, but it's nothing we didn't already sort of know. The real action comes in the actual rules, which are written in an equally direct way. A few jumped right out to us:
"Apps that include undocumented or hidden features inconsistent with the description of the app will be rejected." This hits all those apps with game emulators hidden as easter eggs. Oh well.
"Apps that duplicate apps already in the App Store may be rejected, particularly if there are many of them." This is an interesting one -- obviously it touches on the fart app dilemma Apple's already worried about, but what aabout the proliferation of Twitter clients? Photo apps? Drawing apps? We're curious to see how this one is interpreted -- that "may" gives Apple a lot of wiggle room.
"Apps that browse the web must use the iOS WebKit framework and WebKit Javascript." Looks like there's still no hope for third-party browsers!
"Apps with metadata that mentions the name of any other mobile platform will be rejected."
"Apps which appear confusingly similar to an existing Apple product or advertising theme will be rejected."
"Apps that misspell Apple product names in their app name (i.e., GPS for Iphone, iTunz) will be rejected."