Podcaster.fm, a pod-catching App designed to help you stream podcasts via WiFi or cell data, should you find yourself away from iTunes and unable to sync, has been denied entry into Apple's App Store -- the exclusive venue for legitimate iPhone distribution:
Today I finally got a reply from Apple about the status of Podcaster.
Apple Rep says: Since Podcaster assists in the distribution of podcasts, it duplicates the functionality of the Podcast section of iTunes.
The developer finds this odd in light of the multiple calculator, weather, and other duplicative apps already in the App Store, as well as the dedicated pod-catchers from Digg and Mobility Today.
Apple does deny iPod App access via the SDK (likely for industry demanded DRM reasons), but this is new -- and uncomfortable -- ground Apple's treading, if the denial is indeed upheld. Daring Fireball links to Steven Frank's nightmare scenario to try to put things into a grander perspective:
Apple makes code-signing mandatory for desktop Mac applications. You can now only buy them through iTunes. Think it can't happen?
It could, but as with the great app blacklist debate, I think the repercussions from the community would be near-nuclear, and I think Apple knows that.
(Via Ars)
Reader comments
Podcaster Denied! No App Store for iPod-alike App
This makes me not want to start programming iPhone apps. I guess apple is scared?
It might be a move to push consumers toward the 16gb iphone. I have so much media that I have to play tricks with smart playlists to get things on the 8gb. Having an easy native app that streams the podcast frees up a lot of space on my iphone and keeps the pressure off to get a larger drive.
Fraser Speirs, the developer of Exposure, said App Store: I'm out as a result of this decision. His reasoning is simple -- what rational developer is going to invest their time and money with something that can be flatly refused for unspecified reasons at the 11th hour, after that time/money investment has been made? As long as Apple reserves the right to reject any application for any reason, after the developer has invested their time and money, without spelling out their rules beforehand, only hobbyists (who do not mind spending their free time and money) and big companies (that can wrangle assurances from Apple beforehand) are going to devote the resources needed to make quality applications. Decisions like this are going to kill the iPhone software ecosystem
He points out a few changes that Apple could make that would bring him (and, presumably, developers like him) back into the fold; hopefully somebody in Cupertino is reading.
No surprises here - Herr Jobs wants everything to go through iTunes, and if there's a way for people to avoid iTunes, Apple will step on it's neck till it dead.
AppStore - the worst thing to happen to computing in 30 years.
I am having massice iPhone 3G AT&T signal problems tonight. Manhattan, new york, NYC September 14, 2008. Anyone else?
Half of the apps available duplicate the functionality of a pile of s hi t!
What a horrid company Apple is.
I was wondering what was taking so long for a podcasting application. This is extremely disappointing to hear.