![]() ![]() As a result, the story barely got traction and, while Apple may have avoided an onslaught of bad press, the damage was done. The developers worked through the night, resubmitted their apps and many were back on the App Store by the next morning. There was no imminent threat or emergency that made Reddit clients any more a threat than they were twelve months prior, but nonetheless Apple summarily pulled them and offered to reconsider the apps if the developers resubmitted. What bothers me the most about this incident is how Apple implemented its policy change. And as Federico noted, it’s not like this is an isolated story, it’s one of a long string of similar stories that make developers jumpy. ![]() In the absence of meaningful communication by Apple of its intentions, it’s stories like the Reddit client take-downs that shape developers’ behavior. I can imagine that some at Apple may roll their eyes at this as an overreaction, or be a little offended at the implied lack of trust, but step into developers’ shoes. This is where my my app dies.’ That may sound a little dramatic, but read the results of Graham Spencer’s poll of developers - the feeling is real. I don’t know a developer who hasn’t had a run-in with App Review and wondered, ‘Maybe this is it. Consider these responses to Federico’s tweet from Bryan Irace and Matt Bischoff, both formerly of Tumblr: This sort of out-of-the-blue, unilateral action legitimately strikes fear into the hearts of developers. But the implications of the shoot first, ask questions later approach to App Review bear further examination because they has lasting negative effects on the developer community and, ultimately, Apple and its customers. This particular story came and went quickly, in part because the developers affected scrambled to update their apps and Apple expedited review. The only thing that changed was Apple’s interpretation of its own rule.įederico wasn’t joking when he tweeted that he feels like he’s writing an App Review story every week. These weren’t new apps pushing boundaries, these were existing approved apps. ![]() The part where Apple decided that a feature that was in some of these apps for over a year violated rule 18.2 and then immediately pulled them off the App Store. You can argue with the policy choice Apple made and rightly point out that every browser violates Rule 18.2 if Reddit clients do, but it’s that last bit of the quote above that’s been bothering me. Apps with sexually explicit content are not appropriate for the App Store.” About 15 minutes afterwards, we received notice that the current version of our app has been removed from the app store. Today, we received notice that our new update with a lot of great new features was rejected under the App Store rule 18.2: “Your app contains a mechanism to enable or disable Not Safe For Work (NSFW) content, including pornographic content. Narwhal’s developer who spoke to Gizmodo said: Sounds awful right? It turns out that what Apple didn’t like was that these apps had a NSFW switch in their settings that allowed you to block (or show) NSFW content. That evening, Apple pulled several third party Reddit clients for violating App Review rule 18.2 which says that:Īpps that contain user generated content that is frequently pornographic (e.g. Something has been bothering me since last week that I can’t shake - the Reddit debacle that unfolded last Monday night. You can access past issues of MacStories Weekly, including Ongoing Development, and enjoy other perks by becoming a Club MacStories member.] Previous installments have covered topics like app marketing strategies and making the time to tackle new projects. Ongoing Development focuses on issues facing app developers and others in creative fields that rely on the web to reach an audience. This installment first appeared in MacStories Weekly #28 and is being published here at the request of Club members. [ Editor’s Note: The following is adapted from Ongoing Development, a column by John Voorhees published 2-3 times a month in MacStories Weekly, the email newsletter sent to Club MacStories members. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |