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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Sleaker: @PHX Corp, I can't take a person seriously that is less frightened at the possibility of privacy issues, and more scared about controller feedback technology05/25/2013 - 11:35am

PHX Corp: http://www.unwinnable.com/2013/05/24/trigger-warning/ Trigger Warning05/25/2013 - 6:37am

beemoh: Unless that pic of a Kinect taped to the underside of a phone is a joke05/25/2013 - 1:58am

beemoh: Kinect being used in prototype to stop people walking into people while texting: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-2263173105/25/2013 - 1:57am

Cecil475: @hellfire7885 - Makes me want to support Nintendo even more.05/24/2013 - 4:49pm

hellfire7885: Man, EA seems to be determined to destroy the Wii U ,and the evidently are so arrogant as to believe not making games for it will do that.05/24/2013 - 4:45pm

DorthLous: Pwahahahha http://www.destructoid.com/wii-u-sales-drastically-spike-after-xbox-one-presentation-254449.phtml#LlG8HEYbQj2krql5.0105/24/2013 - 2:23pm

james_fudge: she gets no credit until she employs some common sense. - 2 credits for her.05/24/2013 - 11:22am

Andrew Eisen: To Stender's credit, she did unmoderate my most recent comment within a day's time. There's even a couple other replies. None from her though.05/24/2013 - 11:18am

james_fudge: apparently gamers are all 14 - 21 years-olds living in basements according to her way of thinking...05/24/2013 - 11:11am

ZippyDSMlee: EZK: 0_o thier video card chipset is at the very least 3 versions behind the top PC video card.......05/24/2013 - 7:38am

MechaTama31: "You just wouldn't understand how my parenting preferences are more important than everybody else's freedoms."05/24/2013 - 7:37am

DorthLous: I love how she plays the "I'm a parent, you're a gamer, you couldn't understand" card... I'm a parent and I find her position despicable...05/23/2013 - 4:16pm

E. Zachary Knight: She didn't address your questions because she doesn't have any answers.05/23/2013 - 3:38pm

Andrew Eisen: I replied to her comment. Maybe in a few weeks I'll get a reply.05/23/2013 - 3:24pm

Thomas Riordan: @Andrew Eisen To what bowling alley does she go that puts sexual images in the faces of 6 year olds?05/23/2013 - 3:17pm

Andrew Eisen: Well, it took a month but Linda Stender finally replied to me... and didn't address a single one of my questions. http://aswlindastender.com/2013/04/23/follow-up-video-games-and-their-effect-on-children/05/23/2013 - 3:13pm

Imautobot: Also, from a tech perspective the PS4 is apparently already winning. http://bgr.com/2013/05/22/xbox-one-vs-playstation-4-specs/05/23/2013 - 3:12pm

Imautobot: Sony's PS4 motto should be "We play games." Microsoft's should be "We play games, when we're not rewinding your tapes."05/23/2013 - 3:11pm

Andrew Eisen: Oh look, Dying Light was just announced For Everything But Wii U. That's 73.05/23/2013 - 2:06pm

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