iPhone News Updated

iPhone Radio Station Apps Not Welcome Anymore

Apple’s become more relaxed about the iOS App Store recently, with policy revisions and the notable admission of Google Voice for iPhone, but that’s not stopping Apple from rejecting app categories that it simply doesn’t like.

The latest victims are single-station radio players, according to a developer who builds and submits these apps to order. Jim Barcus, owner of DJB Radio Apps, claims that Apple recently rejected 10 of his radio apps, on the grounds that they’re essentially spam and are no different than generic fart apps. He even appealed to Steve Jobs, who reportedly wrote back, “Sorry, but we’ve made our decision.”

I understand why Apple would want to cut off the flow of radio station apps. A city can have a dozen stations, and accepting every submission would crowd the App Store’s “music” section with a whole lot of audio feeds that very few people care about. I’ve noticed this myself when searching for music apps.

But hopefully Apple’s policy isn’t as ham-fisted as Barcus describes. Popular radio stations in major markets probably deserve a pass, especially if they add unique features beyond simple audio streams. I wouldn’t mind if local concert listings, song request forms, built-in alarm clocks and iTunes purchase links became prerequisites for App Store acceptance.

Barcus’ apps are much more generic. Although they allow you to request songs by e-mail, they don’t have any other advanced features and are virtually indistinguishable from one another. These apps could be bumping up against Apple’s anti-cookie cutter policy, which is meant to cut off websites from submitting glorified feed readers to the app store. Glorified audio feeds shouldn’t be allowed either, but a good radio station with great features needn’t be rejected outright.

[Thanks: http://technologizer.com]

SkyFire for iPhone Makes UK Debut

SkyFire for iPhone has finally made its way to the UK. The app was launched some three weeks back in the US. The app’s US launchwas kind of bumpy as the app took a long time to get the green light for its entry to the app store.

Once it was in the app store, the application was then pulled off without stating any reason. You can read about the not so smooth ride of the app here.

SkyFire basically converts Flash to HTML5 and thus lets you enjoy the flash content on your iPhone. HTML5 is Apple approved whereas Flash gets no such love from the Cupertino company. The app provides you multi tab mobile browsing experience and also offers Twitter and Facebook Quickview.

Anyways, the app has gotten over its initial hiccups and is now available internationally. Thanks to currency conversion, the folks in the UK will end up paying slightly more than their US counterparts. But €2.39, the app is still a good buy. So go ahead and enjoy Flash content on your iPhone. It would be like a cyber middle finger to a certain Steve Jobs.

[Thanks: http://www.gaj-it.com]