UPDATE: Apple has Stanza App Remove DCIM Work-around for USB Sharing
UPDATE: PatternMusic reveals that the issue is (mis)use of the DCIM folder (digital camera image folder — where your camera roll pictures are stored) to transfer non-image related files.
Apple, however, precludes apps from reading or writing data files to any other place except the app’s “sandbox” document folder through their developer agreement.
ORIGINAL: TechCrunch reports that the latest update to the Amazon-owned Stanza eBook reader [Free - iTunes link], version 2.1, removed USB sharing as demanded by Apple’s iTunes App Store:
Just for your reference: the feature enabled users to transfer books in the ePub or eReader format to their mobile devices using a USB cable.
I’m sure Apple has good reasons to prevent people from being able to transfer files to iPhone and iPod Touch devices using a USB cable, and I believe this isn’t the first time they’ve asked developers of apps with this or similar features to remove them for new users. That said, I’m not 100% certain which rules were broken here, and since Apple requested Lexcycle not to discuss specifics we’re left guessing why Cupertino had an issue with the USB syncing features.
Existing Stanza owners who want to keep the feature should, of course, ignore the update. Give us your take in the comments!
(Thanks to Fassy for the tip!)
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APPLE SUXXX BALLZackx… jus playing
Updated the post. Turns out using the DCIM folder for anything other than its intended use (camera roll images) is forbidden under the SDK, and some apps were doing just that to get around the sandbox.
I have no problem with WiFi transfer whatsoever, so why would I cry?
Thanks for the warning!
There are a lot of apps that allow sharing into their own sandbox via a built in web-server, so I hope this restriction does not spread to those apps as well.
QuickOffice and the recently reviewed Qik Video come to mind.
Yeah, Amidio and Intua’s Music apps were recently forced to remove a similar function which allowed them to cross-communicate (Noise.io, Hexatome, and Beatmaker). This really sucks since this work around is what makes some of these apps trully useful on a mobile device. If I have to upload my file to a computer then open the second app and download the file back to my device it’s really annoying plus requires me to have a computer with me to do just that.
Isn’t the iPad going to support an official shared folder? Is that just the iPad?
@thekevinmonster I also heard something about a shared folder in passing, but no details about how it would work. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was severely limited in its utility, as giving 3rd party app developers full access to a shared folder would be so out of character for Apple
I think Jobs (Satan himself) is over stepping the way an owner uses their device they bought and paid for.
In fact I thought Jobs died a couple years ago! or maybe he is walking dead.
Dropbox lets you simply transfer anything to iPad, I find. Simples.