Apple says no to farting iPhone on 'utility' grounds

Stephen Withers
Friday, 05 September 2008 04:01

Business IT - Technology

Apple's policies concerning the criteria for including iPhone software in the App Store are coming under fresh scrutiny, with suspicions that a rejection based on lack of utility may be a smokescreen for an arbitrary decision. Various beer and light sabre applications have been accepted, and even the notorious I Am Rich got through initial screening.

The app in question is a rendition of the old 'pull my finger' gag: dragging along a finger shown on the device's screen triggers various flatulent sound effects.

The developer tipped off MacRumors and the story spread.

"Anyway, Apple rejected it not because it was obscene or problematic like that, they just said that they didn't think that it appealed to a broad range of iPhone or iPod touch users," the unnamed developer said in a YouTube video.

But the rejection letter from Apple that the developer forwarded to MacRumors refers to limited utility rather than limited appeal: "We have determined that this application is of limited utility to the broad iPhone and iPod touch user community, and will not be published to the App Store."

"I know it's a juvenile application," admitted the developer.

Apple could have cited other grounds for the rejection. According to the developer, the iPhone vibrates while the sound effects play, which is apparently a breach of user interface guidelines enforced by the App Store.

But "limited utility"? The top paid application in the App Store (both US and Australia) at present is Koi Pond - a reimagining of the aquarium simulator that was a popular Mac and PC screensaver a few years ago. Or there's Rubberduck - push the picture of the rubber duck, and it squeaks.

In what sense do they have "utility" that Pull My Finger lacks? Please read on.