Saturday, February 6, 2010

Apple Takes the Word Android Out of iTunes App Description [Apple-google War]

Oh yes, here is a new chapter in the Apple vs Google war. iPhone app developer Flash of Genius claims to have received this mail from Apple demanding to take down any mention about Android in their app description:


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



The developer says that he doesn't mind, and that he understands Apple's demands. I have to agree with him: It's Apple's store, they can do whatever they want in it. Just like Google can do whatever they want with theirs—and, don't be fooled, that's exactly what they do. These two are capitalist companies, with not a single ounce of "don't do evil" when it comes to taking over the marketplace. Which is why they are fighting dirty, with large sharp knives.


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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