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delirium · Feb 5, 2010

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/02/05/apple_slaps_iphone_app_for_mentioning_google_android/

Apple has told a tiny mobile software developer that its application cannot be included in the iPhone App Store if it mentions Google Android.

Flash of Genius offers a mobile app aimed at students preparing for their college entrance exams. "Flash of Genius: SAT Vocab" debuted on the iPhone, and at the end of last year, a version was introduced for Android as well.

The app's Android incarnation was recently named as a finalist in Googles Android Developer Challenge, and when it came time to submit an updated app to Apple's iPhone App Store, Flash of Genius mentioned this simple fact in the product's description.

But as the startup announced yesterday in a blog post, Steve Jobs and company did not respond well to this updated description. Apple soon sent an email telling the startup that the description contained "inappropriate or irrelevant platform information."

"Providing future platform compatibility plans or other general platform references are not relevant in the context of the iPhone App Store," the email read. "While your application has not been rejected, it would be appropriate to remove 'Finalist in Googles Android Developers Challenge!' from the Application Description."

Per usual, Apple is using its own definition of rejected. "Please log into iTunes Connect to make appropriate changes to the Application Description now," Apple's email continues, "to avoid an interruption in the availability of Flash of Genius: SAT Vocab 2.2 on the iPhone App Store."

Flash of Genius has complied. And founder Tim Novikoff tells The Reg he was happy to comply since the App Store accounts for the vast majority of its revenue. But he did so with some regret. Novikoff argues that the mention helped put his application among the App Store's top sellers.

Perhaps so. But Steve Jobs now hates Google. And it can't help matters that Flash of Genius includes the word Flash

"That's a nice app you have there, shame if anything where to happen to it."

Isn't this kind of anti-competitive? The same thing Microsoft was fined for?

GhettoGamer · Feb 5, 2010

I dont see nothing wrong hell i work for coca cola and pepsi is a no go

StoOgE · Feb 5, 2010

You can't really blame Apple for not wanting to market the competitors product on their own app store.

Nintendo games used to prevent you from naming your character after Sega characters.

delirium · Feb 5, 2010

GhettoGamer said:
I dont see nothing wrong hell i work for coca cola and pepsi is a no go

Kind of different here. It would be if Microsoft banned programs from mentioning Apple or Mac in their software.

PflargBlarg · Feb 5, 2010

GhettoGamer said:
I dont see nothing wrong hell i work for coca cola and pepsi is a no go

And this guy works for Apple right? No, no he doesn't.

StoOgE · Feb 5, 2010

delirium said:
Kind of different here. It would be if Microsoft banned programs from mentioning Apple or Mac in their software.

But it's not the game. It is the description of the game that appears on Apples marketplace.

You don't see Microsoft mentioning the PS3 version of games on xbox.com

usea · Feb 5, 2010

Assuming you're cool with the idea of apple deciding what's allowed on their store, then I don't see anything wrong with this. The story is really trying to spin it for more than it is. It honestly does sound like pretty irrelevant information for the product description.

And this is definitely not control-freak to "new levels."

Vinci · Feb 5, 2010

usea said:
Assuming you're cool with the idea of apple deciding what's allowed on their store, then I don't see anything wrong with this. The story is really trying to spin it for more than it is. It honestly does sound like pretty irrelevant information for the product description.

And this is definitely not control-freak to "new levels."

Considering that Apple is essentially handling the marketing of this particular app, yeah, I think it makes sense that they wouldn't want it highlighting a competitor's product. If the guy wants to put that information on an external website or in a Youtube vid or whatever, that's cool.

sooperkool · Feb 5, 2010

Is just Jobs being a pussy, he's trying to hold on against the onslaught that Android is planning to unleash.

StoOgE · Feb 5, 2010

Yeah, I would think your first complaint should be that the iphone is a closed end system that requires you to either jailbreak the device or only play apps approved by apple.

I mean, this is really really minor compared to the base concept of the app store.

Draconian distribution center uses it's unlimited power to do what it wants: news at 11.

numble · Feb 5, 2010

delirium said:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/02/05/apple_slaps_iphone_app_for_mentioning_google_android/

"That's a nice app you have there, shame if anything where to happen to it."

Isn't this kind of anti-competitive? The same thing Microsoft was fined for?

Anti-competition is really going to kick in when you have a majority of the market.

But anyway, it would be if Apple told the developer he couldn't make the same app for iPhone OS if he put it on the Android. And the fact that iPhone OS is a closed ecosystem, different from Mac OS or Windows, makes it a harder case for that. When you sell stuff on the App Store, you're in a contract with Apple to take 70% and 30% and I think even free apps are subject to the same "revenue-sharing" contract. Otherwise, the extreme would be Android supporters flooding the App Store with free apps that just advertised Android. It's different from the podcasts in the Itunes Store, which anyone can make and don't share money with Apple--you can advertise Android and diss Apple all you want there.

delirium · Feb 5, 2010

Vinci said:
Considering that Apple is essentially handling the marketing of this particular app, yeah, I think it makes sense that they wouldn't want it highlighting a competitor's product. If the guy wants to put that information on an external website or in a Youtube vid or whatever, that's cool.

Displaying a description in their app store = marketing now?

So Google could remove all videos that mention Apple or iPhones in YouTube if they wanted to?

mrkgoo · Feb 5, 2010

Exhibit A:

Radiant:

http://appshopper.com/games/radiant

Edit: it's not even banned, right?.

GhettoGamer · Feb 5, 2010

Wormdundee said:
And this guy works for Apple right? No, no he doesn't.

He mention competion on an apple store. Companies are dead serious bout competors. Hell the plant manager dont want us eating at resturants that only serve pepsi products, even when we are off the clock an not in uniform

Bugbite · Feb 5, 2010

GhettoGamer said:
He mention competion on an apple store. Companies are dead serious bout competors. Hell the plant manager dont want us eating at resturants that only serve pepsi products, even when we are off the clock an not in uniform

On the clock or in uniform, I understand. But off the clock and out of uniform? Fuck that guy.

Tobor · Feb 5, 2010

sooperkool said:
Is just Jobs being a pussy, he's trying to hold on against the onslaught that Android is planning to unleash.

:lol

Vinci · Feb 5, 2010

delirium said:
Displaying a description in their app store = marketing now?

Considering that's often the only visibility an app can get, and the only locale for it to basically sell itself to the public? Yeah. Like I said: If the guy wants to mention the Android thing via a method not controlled entirely by Apple, that's fine and they wouldn't be able to say a thing about it.

So Google could remove all videos that mention Apple or iPhones in YouTube if they wanted to?

Sure, but they don't want to.

Liu Kang Baking A Pie · Feb 5, 2010

Epic thread title change accurately sums up situation.

rezuth · Feb 5, 2010

delirium said:
Displaying a description in their app store = marketing now?

So Google could remove all videos that mention Apple or iPhones in YouTube if they wanted to?

This is pretty far from being the same.

delirium · Feb 5, 2010

rezuth said:
This is pretty far from being the same.

Doesn't Google reserve the right to remove videos which promote the competition?

KHarvey16 · Feb 5, 2010

Are we comparing Google video with the App store? Really?

GhettoGamer · Feb 5, 2010

Bugbite said:
On the clock or in uniform, I understand. But off the clock and out of uniform? Fuck that guy.

Lol yeah its that serious when it comes to these companies, that why i understand the apple situation. But in his defense he did say if we did go try ordering tea or any non pepsi products :lol

numble · Feb 5, 2010

delirium said:
So Google could remove all videos that mention Apple or iPhones in YouTube if they wanted to?

http://www.youtube.com/t/terms

You agree not to use the Website, including the YouTube Embeddable Player for any commercial use, without the prior written authorization of YouTube. Prohibited commercial uses include any of the following actions taken without YouTube's express approval:
sale of access to the Website or its related services (such as the Embeddable Player) on another website;
use of the Website or its related services (such as the Embeddable Player), for the primary purpose of gaining advertising or subscription revenue;
the sale of advertising, on the YouTube website or any third-party website, targeted to the content of specific User Submissions or YouTube content;
and any use of the Website or its related services (such as the Embeddable player) that YouTube finds, in its sole discretion, to use YouTube's resources or User Submissions with the effect of competing with or displacing the market for YouTube, YouTube content, or its User Submissions. (For more information about prohibited commercial uses, see our FAQ.)

Mecha_Infantry · Feb 5, 2010

sooperkool said:
Is just Jobs being a pussy, he's trying to hold on against the onslaught that Android is planning to unleash.

:lol http://www.pcworld.com/article/188639/nexus_one_sales_slow_month_is_no_surprise.html

Nothing to see here anyway, The Register are so anti-Apple it's a joke

ToxicAdam · Feb 5, 2010

Many radio stations edited a Black Eyed Peas song (Boom Boom Pow) because it had the words "satellite radio" in it.

delirium · Feb 5, 2010

Are you really going to say if YouTube did what I said, there wouldn't be any uproar over it?

numble · Feb 5, 2010

delirium said:
Are you really going to say if YouTube did what I said, there wouldn't be any uproar over it?

Are there any videos on Youtube that promote youku, dailymotion, vimeo, or any of the other competitors to youtube? I think they are in fact removed.

Tobor · Feb 5, 2010

delirium said:
Are you really going to say if YouTube did what I said, there wouldn't be any uproar over it?

Post an video ad for Vimeo on Youtube and see how long it lasts.

Vennt · Feb 5, 2010

I think this has run it's course, retarded thread is retarded, news at 11.

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