Apple Reconsiders, Approves NIN iPhone App

gyrogeerloose writes "According to MacRumors, NIN's iPhone application has been approved. Trent Reznor has reported via his Twitter account that the now-approved app was resubmitted without modification, which suggests that Apple reconsidered their initial rejection. This should really come as no surprise to anyone who follows Apple news since it follows the company's typical pattern of handing potentially controversial iPhone apps, especially when it concerns high-profile rejections."

Comments

I dont get it

[think_nix]

tfa:
"the band's own application was rejected due to "objectionable" downloadable content that wasn't housed within the app itself."

I mean it is their own content they are distributing so "NIN/Reznor" are ok with it. So why was this rejected in the first place ? I dont own anything with an i, but how many other apps out their download offsite content? Quite a few I am sure?

Re:I dont get it

[grausamaffe]

tfa: "the band's own application was rejected due to "objectionable" downloadable content that wasn't housed within the app itself."

I mean it is their own content they are distributing so "NIN/Reznor" are ok with it. So why was this rejected in the first place ?

You hit the nail on the head. Apple is arbitrarily rejecting apps by attempting to use the access to "objectionable" content defense. As many others here have pointed out, Safari will give you access to much more "objectionable" content than the NIN app. Apple's acceptance/rejection policy reminds me of something...hmmm Chewbacca is a Wookiee from the planet Kashyyyk. But Chewbacca lives on the planet Endor. Now think about it; that does not make sense!

Lemme make sure I understand

[MyLongNickName]

You buy a product. Apple then tells you what you can and cannot put on your product? If you really wanted an app on your phone, and it was not available at the Apple Store, would you be able to get it anyhow? Or are you out of luck?

And why in the hell would anyone buy a product where the company gets to treat you like a five year old?

Re:Lemme make sure I understand

[flahwho]

And why in the hell would anyone buy a product where the company gets to treat you like a five year old?

Apple is acting more and more like Microsoft

Re:Lemme make sure I understand

[0xdeadbeef]

3. Change Apple's behavior by
  a.) Educating people on how they're being controlled by Apple and making them ashamed of it
  b.) Making the hypocrisy of Apple's marketing message synonymous with the brand itself

The key point is that Apple "treats people like a five year old".

Re:No mention of parental controls?

[PopeRatzo]

The decision to approve the app had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that it was a high-profile app. They didn't reconsider just because Trent Reznor, with his celebrity status, bitched and complained and tried to Streisand the rejection.

So, not an high-profile app, but an high-profile submitter? Sorry, but the point remains, if Trent Reznor had not been involved, raising the profile of the app, it would not have been approved.

Thank god Apple had the wisdom to make themselves the gatekeeper of all iPhone apps. Who knows what kind of damage may have been done if the NIN app had been approved without this charade. Thanks, Apple, for keeping iPhone users all over the world safe.

Re:Not quite unchanged

[Minwee]

So, has Apple responded by removing 'The Downward Spiral' from iTunes, so that iPhone users would not be subjected to objectionable content?

Huh. I guess not.

Re:No mention of parental controls?

[santiagodraco]

Hmm, wrong.

First off you have NO idea why it was reconsidered. You can speculate all day long, but it's pure speculation.

Second 3.0 is in beta and is NOT released so it has no bearing on the "legal protection" Apple might have from it's parental controls. If that was the reason or concern you can damn well bet Apple would have waited until 3.0 is released before approving the app.

They reconsidered on the merits of the app and the validity of the initial rejection itself, nothing more.

I've always thought...

[Chris Snook]

...that Trent could use a warm blankie.

Re:No mention of parental controls?

[Red Flayer]

You don't get meta-humour, do you?

I do when it's, you know, actually funny.

Modding a humorous post "insightful" is not an example of meta-humor, for all values of "sense-of-humor" that are not drawn from the null set. Modding a post complaining about an insightful moderation "insightful" -- now that would be meta-humor.

Re:App store approval is completely random

[Cathbard]

I'm going to bookmark this post as a perfect example of why one should use gpl. Thanks.

Re:App store approval is completely random

[2short]

If he had used GPL, the other guy would have to offer the source for download somewhere, but otherwise could do exactly the same thing. Also, thanks to Apple, that source would not actually let others use the app for free; they'd still have to pay the other guy to get it on their iPhone.

If you don't want others using your code, don't release the source.