Apple denies yet another app from entering the iTunes App Store
Apple has found itself in another bit of a controversy with denying entry to the App Store for yet another application.
An iPhone and iPod Touch application named iSinglePayer was rejected for being "overtly political" by Apple, and will not be allowed entry into the iTunes App Store. The application was submitted on Aug. 21st, but the rejection did not appear in the system until Sept. 26th when the developer received a phone call from Apple explaining the situation to him. He did also request a written version of the rejection, but to date none has been received.
The application was an informational app to explain the merits of a single payer insurance option in the current national debate over health care. The app was also designed to use the iPhones GPS feature to calculate your Congress people so that you could call them to express your support or opposition to the single-payer option, and as one last bonus it would also show you how much money your political representatives had received in donations from the health insurance industry.
While these rejections have proven to be interesting, it is also worth keeping in mind we only ever seem to hear one side of the story as Apple is notoriously secretive. Also, with over 75,000 approved apps, the process can’t be that rigorous. This isn’t to say Apple was right or wrong in this particular case, but they are factors to keep in mind each time one of these stories come out.
Is the Palm Pixi launching on October 20th?
It depends on who you ask, but the second webOS device from Palm may be launching this month.
This week has seen the date of October 20th being floated about as a potential launch date for the Palm Pixi, the second device to use Palm’s new webOS. However, that date was later crushed by the folks over at Engadget, but they are saying it will still be some time prior to the holidays.
While the Palm Pre has been having some success, it is still just one device on one carrier, so it has been difficult for developers to go wild over working on it. (never mind the iPhone was in the same situation … pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!) While the Palm Pixi will still be attached to just Sprint for the moment, a second device should help to greatly expand the market for apps on webOS.
A second factor for the Pixi is that with the Pre dropping to $79, and the Pixi is supposed to be its cheaper cousin, you have to wonder just how cheap it will be, and how many users that will lure in. My personal guess is you will see the Pixi be $49 or $59 with a two year contract, and that could make this a very large temptation for people who want their first smart phone.
Acer changing its focus to Android-based smartphones
While Acer has been tight with Windows Mobile for some time now, they are going to be throwing a lot of weight behind Google’s Android OS in 2010.
According to DigiTimes, Acer is planning to shift about half of its smartphone output for 2010 from the Windows Mobile platform over to Google Android. While this is not official yet, and has only been credited to "industry sources", it seems pretty realistic as Acer is already preparing its first Android-based phone, known as the A1, for release as early this coming November.
Considering the number of new Android phones we have reported on as of late, it is looking like this OS could be having quite a successful year for market penetration in 2010.
The Apple iTunes/Palm Pre game of cat & mouse continues
Palm releases the Pre with iTunes syncing capability … Apple closes the door … Palm reopens it … Apple closes it … Palm … Apple … Palm …
On Saturday, Palm released webOS 1.2.1 and, yes, it re-hacked iTunes so that you could once again sync your Palm Pre with it. I would imagine by the time you read this article the door will have already closed, or be darn close to closing.
This never-ending game of cat & mouse between these two companies is getting to be a bit tiresome. If I had a Pre I think I would just ignore that this "feature" even exists because it is obvious Apple doesn’t want it to exist. Why go through the hassle of getting it to work when you know in just a couple of days it won’t work, and then you’ll have to wait for another update from Palm … and then the whole cycle will begin again.
If you want to jump through the hoops, make sure you have iTunes 9.0.1 and webOS 1.2.1, and enjoy your couple days of use! And if you doubt that it will again be cut off, All Things D has this quote from Apple:
As we’ve said before, newer versions of Apple’s iTunes software may no longer provide syncing functionality with unsupported digital media players.
In other words, iTunes 9.0.2 will break it again.
Analysts say the iPhone could double market share is Apple would just give up AT&T exclusivity
When Apple launched the iPhone, it was exclusive with one carrier in just about every country, and in the United States that bit of luck landed on the shoulders of AT&T.
While many people would like to have an iPhone (myself included), they simply refuse to be tied down to a contract with AT&T (myself included). Considering that even Apple employees admit that AT&T drops upwards of 30 percent of calls in a city as major as New York, you have to wonder why any one would want to be tied to this company.
Well, seeing as even analysts are now saying that Apple would be better off without AT&T, possibly even seeing its share of the smartphone market double if it would end exclusivity. Rumors have already circulated that this might very well happen in 2010 when the current contract with AT&T expires, but it is looking more and more likely considering how much more money the company could make based just not on sales of the handset, but also the App Store.
If the iPhone was to double its market share, you think 75,000+ apps is a lot now? Just you wait.
[...] Mobile Monday: Mobile App News for Week of September 27th [...]
[...] Back on Sept. 27th we told you that Palm had once again hacked iTunes so you could update your Pre with iTunes version 9.0.1. Well, on Thursday of this week, Apple released iTunes 9.0.2, and any one want to guess what happened? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? [...]