Apple unbans Tweetie

It’s now safe to make Twitter apps on the iPhone again. Really, Apple’s approval policies wouldn’t be such an issue if the company wasn’t so arbitrary and capricious about what it lets in from one day to the next. [Venturebeat]

1. [Seg]

   The iPhone App approval system needs to provide a list of guidelines for content approvals. This would follow suit with video game console approval processes. Even though not all iPhone applications are games, there are lessons in the video game biz that apply to iPhone apps in general.

   Each video game console has a list of guidelines where if the game (or app in this case) doesn’t meet all of the outlined rules, it’s rejected. The kinds of rules on these guide lines range from “must not crash” to “must display the Home menu when the home menu button is pushed”.

   This allows EVERYONE to know the expectations of the application in every direction. There’s always discussion and wiggle room to be made, but at least everyone knows the rules of engagement. Everyone knows what will pass and what will fail. This reduces failed submissions as devs know what would automatically fail. Currently it seems like a crapshoot which wastes everyone’s time.