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Apple Publish App Store Guidelines for Developers, Relax Rules and Provide Review Board

Thu, Sep 9, 2010 | by Andy Boxall

App Store, Apple Inc.

Apple Publish App Store Guidelines for Developers, Relax Rules and Provide Review Board

Apple have obviously been listening to the criticism of their app submission process, resulting in the publication of a set of guidelines, a key reversal on a previous rule and the creation of an MPAA-style App Review Board, where disgruntled developers can voice their concerns directly to Apple, instead of to the press.

Probably the biggest change is the App Store Review Guidelines paper, which lists the do’s and don’ts of developing for the store.  A simple press statement announcing the document added that they’re hoping the guidelines will ‘make us more transparent and help our developers create even more successful apps for the App Store.’

The document itself is for developer’s eyes only, but Engadget has kindly added a PDF to their post on the subject so us mere mortals can all have a look.  It opens with an explanation that they see apps as different to other media, in that if you want to say something controversial or about sex, say it in a format Apple don’t regulate.  If you’re happy to continue, they list some ‘broader themes’ to pay attention to before getting into the meat of their requirements:

  • We have lots of kids downloading lots of apps, and parental controls don’t work unless the parents set them up (many don’t). So know that we’re keeping an eye out for the kids.
  • We have over 250,000 apps in the App Store. We don’t need any more Fart apps. If your app doesn’t do something useful or provide some form of lasting entertainment, it may not be accepted.
  • If your App looks like it was cobbled together in a few days, or you’re trying to get your first practice App into the store to impress your friends, please brace yourself for rejection. We have lots of serious developers who don’t want their quality Apps to be surrounded by amateur hour.
  • We will reject Apps for any content or behavior that we believe is over the line. What line, you ask? Well, as a Supreme Court Justice once said, “I’ll know it when I see it”. And we think that you will also know it when you cross it.
  • If your app is rejected, we have a Review Board that you can appeal to. If you run to the press and trash us, it never helps.
  • This is a living document, and new apps presenting new questions may result in new rules at any time. Perhaps your app will trigger this.

There are 22 further sections covering Apple’s stance on everything from metadata and location to personal attacks and pornography.  The guidelines close with a promise to update the document as things change, a rallying call to ‘go the extra mile’ and that Apple are ‘ready to help.’

If a developer still manages to enrage the beast and get their app rejected, they can stand before Apple’s App Review Board and appeal the rejection of an application if they ‘believe that the functionality or technical implementation was misunderstood.’  It will be fascinating to hear from any developer who actually goes through this process.

Finally, previous restrictions on certain development tools have been lifted, allowing developers to use previously problematic software to create apps and then convert it over for use in the App Store.  The press statement highlights that apps still mustn’t download any code.  According to Business Insider, this news has seen Adobe’s stock leap 9%.

Does this bring about a new era of openness in the App Store’s short history?  Probably not, but it should assist developers in getting their apps accepted first time without having to second guess the system.

(source: Macworld)

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