Article by George Norman

On 12 May 2009

There has been quite a lot of talk recently about how Apple manages its app approval process, especially after Apple approved the Baby Shaker app, but rejected an update for the Nine Inch Nails iPhone app, on the grounds that it contains “objectionable content (details here). Today we take a look at two other iPhone apps that did not make it to the App Store: Me So Holly and Drivetrain.

Me So Holly is an iPhone app that allows you to take a picture of your face, or a picture of one of friend’s face, and put it on top of a portrait of Jesus, or other well known religious figure. The app was rejected on the same grounds the NIN (Nine Inch Nails) app was rejected: objectionable content as stated in Section 3.3.12 of the iPhone SDK Agreement: “applications must not contain any obscene, pornographic, offensive or defamatory content or materials of any kind (text, graphics, images, photographs, etc.), or other content or materials that in Apple's reasonable judgement may be found objectionable by iPhone or iPod touch users.”


Benjamin Kahle, the developer that came up with the Me So Holly iPhone app did not take the rejection kindly, and had to wonder what exactly does Apple find offensive about an religiously oriented app that is not violent and does not contain any obscene content whatsoever. “Our question is, is religion really to be placed in the same category as these violent apps? Sex, urine and defecation don’t seem to be off-limits, yet a totally non-violent, religion-based app is. We feel that Apple is being too sensitive to its perceived user group and are disappointed that this otherwise creative, freethinking company would reject such a positive and fun application. The message to developers is that they should think inside the box, rather than outside it,” said Benjamin Kahle.

Drivetrain, the other iPhone app that was denied by Apple’s app approval team, has been developed by Maza Digital so as to allows users to control their Transmission downloads remotely. Transmission is a multi-platform BitTorrent client, and Drivetrain is an iPhone app that according to its developers will provide “all the details of the web interface in a native iPhone app that’s easy to use”. Drivetrain was submitted for approval back in April, then resubmitted following minor UI changes. Apple initially responded by saying the approval process will take longer than expected. The verdict is now in, and Apple has decided to deny Drivetrain access to the App Store.

The official email sent by Apple is reproduced here: “We’ve reviewed Drivetrain and determined that we cannot post this version of your application to the App Store at this time because this category of applications is often used for the purpose of infringing third party rights. We have chosen to not publish this type of application to the App Store.”



Tags: Apple, iPhone, App Store, Me So Holy, Drivetrain

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