Apple's "Anti-Competitive" iPhone App Store Draws Developer's Ire

This controversy is overblown, but Apple's (AAPL) got a problem nonetheless.

Apple's iPhone App Store is facing developer fury after news emerged that the company rejected a program that competes with one of Apple's own applications

The uproar mushroomed after iPhone developer Fraser Speirs announced in disgust that he would no longer write applications for the platform.

"I will never write another iPhone application for the App Store as currently constituted," Speirs wrote after news emerged that Apple had rejected a program called Podcaster, because "it duplicates the functionality of the Podcast section of iTunes."

As it turns out, Podcaster was actually superior to Apple's own offering, because it allowed users to update their podcast subscriptions wirelessly, as opposed to having to plug the iPhone into their computer.

As a result, Apple was lambasted for stifling innovation in favor of its own competitive interests. Reaction from the tech blogosphere was swift, and furious.

"Apple has gone too far," wrote O'Reilly's Paul Kafasis. "Rejecting an application because it might compete with Apple is simply indefensible."

Daring Fireball's John Gruber wrote that thanks to the ambiguity of Apple's App Store rules, "something is seriously wrong."

"Let's be clear: forbidding 'duplication of functionality' is forbidding competition," Gruber wrote. "The point of competition is to do the same thing, but better."

But some commentators called the flap a tempest in a teapot.

"Of course you'll keep developing for the iPhone," headlined TechCrunch's Michael Arrington, noting that the iPhone's explosive success will prove too tempting for anything resembling a widespread boycott.

Comments

[Kontra:]

“Some developers demand Apple try to communicate better, lest they assume the worst of the platform vendor. While that sounds plenty reasonable at face value, given the curatorial demands on the fledgling state of the App Store platform and Apple’s overall reliance on product-plan secrecy, we shouldn’t realistically expect Apple to ‘open up’ anytime soon,” as I explain in:

Resolved: Apple is right to curate the App Store
counternotions.com/200.../

2008 Sep 16 06:40 AM

[vassar:]

Apple gets slammed if they let a stupid App on the App Store and they get slammed if they remove a stupid App off the App Store.

Next topic please!

2008 Sep 16 09:39 AM

[RLLH:]

Looks like a good time for RIM to run a TV ad about lemmings following Apple off a cliff. When is the Superbowl?

2008 Sep 16 11:33 AM

[sgmsg:]

I don't understand, why Apple don't let compete on Appstore. They make 30% anyway. If the new prog is better, it take place on the Apple one. If is as good as Apple one, then user can choose wich he prefers. Sometimes user gonna buy both prog and Apple make more money.

?

2008 Sep 16 12:05 PM

[iNeal:]

We'll, I personally haven't seen this guy's code. It could be full of security problems for all we know. This is an old story about one programmer.

2008 Sep 16 12:19 PM

[J Rizzo:]

What's keeping Apple from integrating this "better functionality" into their own applications?

2008 Sep 16 03:22 PM

[zoooomer:]

forbidding 'duplication of functionality' is forbidding competition," Gruber wrote. HELLO? no one is forbidding competition, this developer is free to take his app and offer it anywhere he wants. Any company that offers an open avenue to others and does NOT protect its own product will not be in business long. stupid article. who give 2 shiots about the tech blogs anyway? or any blog for that matter.

2008 Sep 16 03:25 PM

[shaftedbyap...:]

Apple has always used people for its benefit. Nothing is different here. Apple has a long history to abusing anyone that has helped them. Sooner or later they turn on the hand that feed them. They did that to many developers, dealers and partners. They are the evil empire disguised as the good guys. They are no better then Microsoft used to be.

2008 Sep 16 11:20 PM