[opendtv] Apple loosens its chokehold on app development
- From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: OpenDTV Mail List <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 9 Sep 2010 12:30:02 -0400
http://money.cnn.com/2010/09/09/technology/apple_developer_guidelines/index.htm?section=money_technology&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fmoney_technology+%28Technology%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
Apple loosens its chokehold on app development
By Stacy Cowley, tech editor
September 9, 2010: 11:55 AM ET
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Apple is loosening its grip on its app
development for its mobile devices, announcing Thursday that it will
drop restrictions on what programming tools developers can use to
create iOS apps.
The unexpected move means Apple is standing down in what had become
an increasingly heated battle between the company and the developers
who have created the more than 250,000 apps that stock Apple's App
Store.
"We have listened to our developers and taken much of their feedback
to heart," Apple said. "This should give developers the flexibility
they want, while preserving the security we need."
Apple's rule changes are quite technical, and developers raced to
pore over the fine print and figure out exactly what they mean.
But the practical upshot is that programmers will be able to use
tools from Apple's rivals -- most notably Adobe -- to build software
for Apple's iPhones, iPads and iPods.
Adobe's current Flash development suite includes a tool for
converting apps to run on Apple's platform, but the company said in
April that it would stop further development on that tool because of
Apple's restrictions and focus more on Google's Android operating
system.
Adobe did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
But Flash programmers were quick to chime in: "We're back in the
game," one posted in Adobe's forum right after Apple's announcement.
Veteran Apple developer Hank Williams, who strongly criticized the
company's previously policy in his blog, celebrated the new rules.
"I am ecstatic that competition from Android is forcing Apple to make
the iPhone a more competitive, more open, and therefore better
platform for users and developers," he wrote. "It is exceedingly rare
for Apple to capitulate, and it can only mean that pressure from the
popularity of the far more open Android has taken its toll.
Apple's previous policy of banning unapproved development tools had
drawn notice from federal regulators, who have reportedly considered
launching an antitrust investigation of Apple's software development
rules.
Apple also said it will for the first time publish review guidelines
to help developers understand how it vets the applications submitted
to its App Store. Developers have frequently griped about Apple's
opaque and occasionally drawn-out review process.
"We hope it will make us more transparent and help our developers
create even more successful apps for the App Store," Apple said of
its decision to release the guidelines.
Shares of Adobe (ADBE) jumped about 12% on the news in late morning
trading Thursday, to $32.69. Shares of Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) rose
1%, to $266.31.
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