Apple is rejecting [certain] single-station iPhone apps | #pubradio

Developer Jim Barcus reported that Apple is now rejecting single-station radio apps for the iPhone:

Nov. 10 represents the date that Apple started rejecting apps. We have talked to many Apple reps about this, but they appear to have a script that they all read from saying that a single-station app is not an enriching end-user experience. ...  ¶  Apple implemented a new rule that says “developers ‘spamming’ the App Store with many versions of similar apps will be removed from the iOS Developer Program.” Furthermore in the same document, they compare these apps that spam the App Store to Fart apps.

Link:  Radio World.  Thanks to Pete Loewenstein for the tip.

Update 24 Nov. 2010:  But also see Trevor Long’s post on this, Apple vs the Radio Industry? Not Quite.  Seems Apple is targeting near-clone single-station apps in which only the logo and stream address are changed.  Link:  Your Tech Life.  Thanks to @novaktually for the tip.

Update 30 Nov. 2010:  Mark Ramsey says the ban on near-clones helps radio.  Apple helps Radio by Banning "Bad" Apps.  Link:  Mark Ramsey Media.

  --Dennis

Comments

[Andrew Kuklewicz]

The safety issue is that the user was doing anything on their iPhone while driving (please be at a stop light at least, I hope).

There are also solutions to this besides saying every station must have an iPhone app for safety reasons.
An aggregator app can have presets/favorites, and restart your last station when the app starts up (as the Public Radio Player does).

[Radio Driver]

This is a safety issue. Many people like single station apps because they can launch them right from their main screen while driving. It's convenient and a user doesn't increase their distraction fumbling around a directory app while driving.

Shame on Apple for not thinking about their customer's safety.