Apple Backs Off iOS App Developer Restrictions

September 10, 2010

Apple has backed off its decision to exclude Flash and other programming languages, and what kinds of data can be collected by developers and advertisers. Apple will also publish a list of app review guidelines for developers - something the company has yet to do.

The trouble began earlier this year when Apple released iOS 4 to developers and they started reading the fine print of the iOS Developer Agreement. Section 3.3.1 restricted developers to a certain languages such as Objective-C, C, and C++; this excluded popular languages such as Javascript, Flash and C# when developing native iOS apps.

Section 3.3.2 further limited the use of scripting languages to aid in development or to run in the app. Finally, section 3.3.9 strictly limited the collection of analytic information that developers and third-party advertising networks could collect.

But all of that is apparently water under the bridge. The war against Flash, as many developers perceived it, is over. Apple announced today that strong feedback from developers led to the prohibition of these restrictions in the developer agreement. An FTC investigation into the aforementioned restrictions probably helped Apple change its stance..

Source: Ars Technica

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Comments

Re: Apple Backs Off iOS App Developer Restrictions

Submitted by State on Fri, 09/10/2010 - 13:53.

Does Microsoft implement strict policies on its games for Xbox home developer program?

Re: Apple Backs Off iOS App Developer Restrictions

Submitted by nashligo on Fri, 09/10/2010 - 19:33.

Only if you want it to ever go ON the xbox. You can use the SDK to make windows games for yourself, but they're mostly strict over what avatars can and cannot do and only when it's put over on the xbox.

Also, there's not a lot of usage data or browsing data to collect off xbl users, whereas iphone apps and android apps have a lot of room to exploit us.

What will be interesting to see is how microsoft regulates XNA once phone7 comes out, since theoretically a game written for xbl will also work on the PC, zune, and phone7 via an apps market.

Re: Apple Backs Off iOS App Developer Restrictions

Submitted by MechaTama31 on Fri, 09/10/2010 - 09:08.

Good for them I guess, but it's sad that it took so much time and effort just to get them to loosen their iron grip just a tiny little smidgen.

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Shout box

Andrew Eisen: Well, the Xbox One reveal certainly had an interesting affect on the big 3's stock prices. https://twitter.com/AndrewEisen/status/33705126448977100805/21/2013 - 10:45pm

PHX Corp: http://kotaku.com/so-the-xbox-one-reveal-screwed-up-a-lot-of-peoples-kin-509179256 So The Xbox One Reveal Screwed With Some People's Kinects05/21/2013 - 10:36pm

Zen: On a funny side note...both of my boys have already voted NOT to get the Xbox One as soon as they found out Minecraft won't transfer lol. Some people have priorities damnit! ;)05/21/2013 - 9:27pm

Andrew Eisen: Here's the full quote on EA making Wii U games according to Neogaf: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56112105/21/2013 - 8:19pm

Andrew Eisen: Xbox One may not be always on but that doesn't mean you can use it without an internet connection. http://kotaku.com/xbox-one-does-require-internet-connection-cant-play-o-50916410905/21/2013 - 7:39pm

Andrew Eisen: Polygon says EA's CFO says it is developing games for Wii U but doesn't provide that quote. http://www.polygon.com/2013/5/21/4351844/ea-developing-wii-u-games05/21/2013 - 7:11pm

Andrew Eisen: Well, I was right. Both Sony and Microsoft's consoles will be out by the year's end and both will be significantly more powerful than the current gen.05/21/2013 - 5:06pm

james_fudge: thnx05/21/2013 - 4:47pm

Zen: Just to let ya know...you called it the "Xbox 260" in the backwards compatibility article lol.05/21/2013 - 4:26pm

Zen: @PHX Awesome, I will hit those up after class tonight. Going back to college finally! :) My kids have had a blast telling ME to do my homework now lol.05/21/2013 - 4:19pm

PHX Corp: @Zen I sent you a friend request on both PSN and XBL, just a heads up05/21/2013 - 4:16pm

Zen: I noticed it with the football players when EA showed off Madden as well.05/21/2013 - 4:11pm

Zen: Is it just me or is call of duty hitting the "uncanny valley" with their nicely modeled faces and dead looking eyes? I found it distracting and seemed actually "less" real to me lol.05/21/2013 - 4:10pm

james_fudge: it sounds like if you have an HD reciever you'll be able to use it with a pass-through cable... not 100 percent sure yet05/21/2013 - 2:41pm

james_fudge: happening now http://majornelson.com/2013/05/21/xbox-one-architecture-panel/05/21/2013 - 2:20pm

E. Zachary Knight: Some reading material for Microsoft on its used games blocks. That will hurt the console more than helping. http://ezknight.net/?page_id=20505/21/2013 - 2:18pm

james_fudge: yeah good luck with over the air TV05/21/2013 - 2:12pm

E. Zachary Knight: But what if I want to only watch over the air tv? I don't subscribe to pay tv. I never will. If that is a requirement, then MS wasted 45 minutes telling me how great TV will be.05/21/2013 - 2:08pm

james_fudge: EZK it will depend on your provider, just like HBO Go i'd imagine.05/21/2013 - 2:05pm

PHX Corp: @IanC there's also a chance that those titles might be Xbox one exclusive, but it's too early to tell afaik05/21/2013 - 2:03pm

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