App Store Review Guidelines

Today, Apple posted guidelines for the App Store review process (requires developer login). This is a huge step in the right direction. The document still contains a lot of wiggle room and vague conditions and doesn't change the fact that Apple still has total discretion and can reject your app for new, currently unstated reasons if they want to, but it is definitely good guidance for App Store developers and should reduce the number of rejections for unknown reasons. If you develop for the App Store, you should read this end-to-end. Now.

Apple also issued a press release today that states that Apple is setting up a review process for rejected apps and also says that Apple is loosening the restrictions contained in several clauses of the Developer Program License (3.31, 3.3.2, and 3.3.9). I'm hoping that these changes will allow Briefs.app on the App Store, but I haven't heard anything yet from Rob to indicate that the review status has changed.

Fingers crossed for Rob and Briefs.app and kudos to Apple for listening and making changes.

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Posted in: App Review,App Store

Mea Culpa

The original version of my Briefs.app blog post contained a snarky comment about the Director of the App Review team and a link to a Wired article about his past. A friend of mine, who happens to work at One Infinite Loop, privately took me to task for including that link in my post.

It took me about two seconds, now that I'm a little further away from it and not as angry, to realize that he's 100% right. It was a dick move on my part and I'm sorry for it. I have removed the link and offer my apologies to Phillip Shoemaker. The fact is, I have no visibility into what's going on and don't know where the holdup is on Briefs.app. For all I know, Mr. Shoemaker could be valiantly fighting for Briefs.app against higher up forces in the company, so casting an ad hominem attack like that was juvenile and uncool.

My basic feelings about the matter are unchanged, however. It was uncool when Apple left Google Voice in limbo, but that was one small product from one very large company. In this case, it's the sweat equity from one individual developer who worked very, very hard, sacrificing sleep, family time, and entertainment to create something very cool. The impact is much greater and much more personal and it's hard for me not to get angry about it.

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Posted in: App Review,Apple,Rant