Another controversy is brewing fast against Apple’s nontransparent policy of reviewing applications. The most recent rejection of an application that has triggered the hottest objection against Apple is the rejection of Podcaster, an application that allows users to update their podcast subscription through Wi-Fi without syncing the iPhone to iTunes. A step ahead of Apple actually.
The functionality of Podcaster also includes the ability to to listen to podcasts without first downloading them to iTunes. Regarding the rejection Apple wrote:
Since Podcaster assists in the distribution of podcasts, it duplicates the functionality of the Podcast section of iTunes.
Surprisingly the icon of Podcaster looks the same as the App Store icon on the iPhone. This is some sort of a surprise. Looking the rejection from another angle, the iPhone comes with some built-in applications such as a clock, calendar, calculator, weather program, etc. In the App Store we find many applications that serves similar purpose like those built-in applications. Some might be even better than the ones that Apple gives by default. Why this rejection then? Is it because of the similar icon? Hopefully not.
Some developers are now feeling lost and angry because of the inconsistency of Apple policy of censorship. Some even have said they will snap all App Store relation. This is what Fraser Speirs (one of the angered delvelopers) has to say
Send the App Store Evangelist to every corner of the earth where iPhone developers gather. Unshackle them from the usual Apple constraints on public speaking. Get them on podcasts. For better or for worse, Apple has to start talking to the iPhone developer community.
The complains are valid as we can all see and the uproar can only be minimized if Apple can hand out a clear guideline of dos and don’t for developers. This will be a herculean tasks and is sure to attract more anger if a rigid directive is to be put in place. This is simply a stalemate situation and Apple, for the moment, is keeping silent. We might get a solution for this impasse soon, though we cannot say when as this is not a software problem.
As for the developer of Podcaster, he has chosen an un-App Store strategy to make the applications available to interested iPhone users. iPhone users can download this application directly from the developers’ site and pay the required donation. Even here Apple can catch you all and disable the application.
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The icon isnt the same its just the default icon for apps that pictures dont display in itunes like super monkey ball has the same icon in itunes along with many others but there own icons on iphone so apple chose that just to represent it as an app.