There is a connection between disgruntled developers and a preponderance of low-quality applications, because the better developers are among the first who can migrate their skills and energy to another platform. This goes for companies as well as for individual developers.

For example, there are several apps in the App Store that use BBC content, but nothing from the BBC itself, despite the fact that they have some very talented developers on staff, and would in all likelihood make something far, far better than what is out there. However, they feel they cannot make apps for the iPhone while Apple's developer terms and conditions remain as they are:

http://paidcontent.co.uk/article/419-bbc-hovers-on-iphone-apps-due-to-apple-terms/

Om Malik http://gigaom.com/2009/02/11/my-big-iphone-break-up/

Steven Frank http://stevenf.tumblr.com/post/152606616/im-furious-with-apple-and-at-t-right-now-with

First off, for the record, the ******** was not the F-Bomb. I wrote "scre_wing". I think I came across as being angrier than I really am.

Secondly, perhaps an open letter isn't required. Perhaps this isn't as big an issue as I've been thinking. I think thousands of developers will continue to developer for the iPhone, and millions of customers will continue to enjoy downloading these apps. And Apple will continue to rake in profits.

What WILL change for sure though, is that the iPhone will cease to be the best.

Right now, the iPhone is the best phone on the US market (Yes, I am arrogantly stating this as fact). I maintain that this kind of policy from Apple will severely hurt them in the long run. This matters to developers (see Steven Frank) as well as the tech industry's thought leaders (see Mike and Om). These people realize that openness wins out in the end. The reason they (myself included, so 'we') are so distraught is that the iPhone had the potential to be great, instead of just groundbreaking. Apple's overly controlling methodologies provide a lot of room for a competitor to come in and trump it (Android) by being more open.

@evilhomer, see the three links above

@Jack Dodson. How are legitimate concerns being expressed by anxious developers being discredited?

In your haste to post did you fail to read past the first sentence in the article? Like, all the way up to the SECOND sentence?

Apple was making money hand over fist when each of those open letters were published in the past.

Start reading articles that are popping up everywhere about Apple. And before dismiss them like Jack did above, remember that this is not Microsoft they are talking about, its APPLE, the company that could do no wrong, the company that always got a free pass in the press for every transgression, the company that was the darling of the press for 20 years:

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/Apple-and-Google-on-Brain-Vacation-67817.html

Evil Steve is back: http://tinyurl.com/lejhg6

FCC new handset Rules: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/10/business/10wireless.html

People are getting pissed.

I think Apple takes a lot of shots that should be aimed at ATT, but its still their fault for letting ATT tell them what to do.

Comments like 'Apple is losing support and losing it fast. They’re ******** over developers and users, and the only way to stop the bleeding...' are nonsense. There is no evidence to support any suggestion that store submissions are dropping off. Quite the opposite. Various major developers have announced their plans for upcoming iPhone apps. These wild-eyed comments only serve to discredit the legitimate concerns expressed by anxious developers.

Apple needs to revise its procedures. The recent improvements (in communications options) show they are listening and moving in the right direction. Hopefully the annual September announcements will bring a major revamping of the whole process.

I would argue that this matters only for developers.

Sting7k has a better feel on things. There are too many junk apps in the store to dig through. That's the real problem.

When Apple has a solid approval process that looks at programming more than content they'll do better.

Even Jobs' detractors acknowledge the man has power and charisma. An "open letter" from him that offered a concrete set of steps for the App Store would succeed wildly, and re-energize disaffected developers. A purely symbolic letter, on the other hand, saying they want to delight developers without at least outlining a skeletal plan how, would backfire badly, as developers would have to assume Apple is planning no more than lip service to their concerns.