It seems that Apple doesn’t like it when developers mention Android in their app descriptions. As in, they won’t let Flash of Genius do it, even though it’s relevant and helps to increase sales of our app, Flash of Genius: SAT Vocab.
Today we got an email from the Apple approval process people:
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
I suppose it’s logical, and I’m not complaining; Apple is a wonderful company to work with. I took out the offending bit from the description.
Meanwhile, I wish there were a wording that would somehow allow us to leverage our Top 10 finish in the Android Developer’s Challenge in the app description, without offending Apple. Maybe I’ll email them.
RIP, old app store description:
[...] have just posted (on their blog) a letter they received from Apple suggesting they remove the mention of Google Android or else [...]
[...] have just posted (on their blog) a letter they received from Apple suggesting they remove the mention of Google Android or else [...]
LOL! Maybe is Apple the new Microsoft? It’s forbidden to say iPod in Microsoft documents about Zune.
[...] proof of Apple's highhandedness – http://flash-of-genius.com/blog/?p=8 [...]
[...] Flash of Genius: The Blog « Apple vs. Google, featuring Flash of Genius: SAT Vocab [...]
[...] have just posted (on their blog) a letter they received from Apple suggesting they remove the mention of Google Android or else [...]
[...] The application in question is Flash of Genius: SAT Vocab and the lines to be removed read: "Finalist in Google’s Android Developer’s Challenge!" Apple still approved the app which was available for a short period of time in the AppStore with the Android description, but went back on its decision and said that "to avoid an interruption in the availability of Flash of Genius: SAT Vocab 2.2 on the iPhone App Store" the developers should do well and remove those "extra" lines. (full blog post from the developers of Flash of Genius here). [...]
[...] Challenge!’ from the Application Description.” On its blog, Flash of Genius said it will remove the Android [...]
[...] have just posted (on their blog) a letter they received from Apple suggesting they remove the mention of Google Android or else [...]
[...] And while this is hardly an offensive move, it’s good to see the war trickling down through all the aspects of the business. [Flash of Genius] [...]
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[...] value and increase its iPhone-based sales. Apple evidently didn’t agree; Novikof says he received a notice from Apple’s app approval department that stated the [...]
Hah… I knew it… Apple will never mend their ways.
I am glad they’re afraid of the Android platform…
Now only if Google could emulate what Apple has done with its App Store… that would be a win for the Open Source community.
P.S. All the best for your app…
Cheers!
[...] And while this is hardly an offensive move, it’s good to see the war trickling down through all the aspects of the business. [Flash of Genius] [...]
Apple is making us eat shit.
>Apple is a wonderful company to work with.
But we are so afraid of them we don’t even dare to complain about it online.
Jezus, grow a pair, will you?
[...] have just posted (on their blog) a letter they received from Apple suggesting they remove the mention of Google Android or else [...]
Apple has always been “the Microsoft” even before Microsoft became “the Microsoft”.
Hmm. I don’t think you should have caved.
Apple is so fuckin lame. I will never buy one of their products.
Too bad, is there anyway you could embed it in like the credits of the app or anything?
Are you surprised? I mean, come on. This is Apple. They’ve always been the big baby of the tech world, along with Microsoft. For a bunch of LSD taking hippies, Apple sure are control freaks. I mean, seriously. Are you that big of babies?
Wow, thats like totaly incredible dude!
RT
http://www.internet-anonymity.se.tc
[...] It’s because of such stories that I’m going to end up dumping my iPhone: http://flash-of-genius.com/blog/?p=8 [...]
[...] לא ממש שמחה על האזכור אז היא דאגה שהמחלקה המשפטית שלה תשלח מייל למפתחי התוכנה הדורש מהם להסיר את השורה המדברת על האנדרואיד מתיאור [...]
[...] A developer whose app has been chosen as a finalist in a contest for the Android, wanted to leverage this fact in their sales pitch for the App in the iPhone App Store. However, as you can see from this blog post by the author, that was a no go. Apple wont have any part of it and seems to be taking an approach not unlike Microsoft of the 1990’s. Take a look at the post : http://flash-of-genius.com/blog/?p=8 [...]
[...] ze de nominatie als finalist op ADC2 in de App Store hadden vermeld, ontving de ontwikkelaar een brief van Apple. Hierin wordt aangegeven dat de app niet wordt goedgekeurd mits ze in de app SAT Vocab [...]
[...] value and increase its iPhone-based sales. Apple evidently didn’t agree; Novikoff says he received a notice from Apple’s app approval department that stated the [...]
[...] based on where you are. But base avarice alone can't explain this next tidbit: App developer Flash of Genius received a nastygram from Apple's legal beagles, insisting that they removed the phrase [...]
[...] impedire l’approvazione di un software in App Store è citare la concorrenza, non sia mai. Flash of Genius ha sviluppato un applicativo per Android ed iPhone/iPod touch denominato “SAT Vocab [...]
This is very, very, very silly. If Apple feels so superior to anyone else, they have nothing to be afraid about, or am I taking this wrong. The guys should be proud of their accomplishments, and yes, I as a iPhone user am I very interested on cross platform usage since I am not married to Apple. This apps policy scares me and IO close to throw away my Apple developer license and look for another freaky but open minded platform.
[...] son blog, l’auteur de Flash of Genius explique qu’il trouve cette décision logique, tout en [...]
[...] Android fans, right? Now if I were Apple, I would try to be a bit more vague about it. But Apple doesn’t pull any punches: Providing future platform compatibility plans or other general platform references are not [...]
I don’t think “it’s relevant and helps to increase sales” of your app. Anyone shopping in the App store owns a product that works with the App store. That same consumer could care less how well you fared in the Android Devloper Challenge. No one is buying your app because of that reason.
And, for that same reason, Apple shouldn’t care either. It doesn’t hurt them nor does it help you. “Irrelevant platform information” does seem to cover it though.