“Apple Inc. removed Blockchain, an application for iPhones used to send and receive Bitcoins, from its App Store, the developer of the program said,” Carter Dougherty reports for Bloomberg.
“Blockchain.info, the developer of the software, received an e-mail from Apple saying that the app was withdrawn ‘due to an unresolved issue,’ Nicolas Cary, chief executive officer of the London-based company, said,” Dougherty reports. “As a virtual currency, Bitcoins exist only as software and transactions are completed via computing devices. With merchants from car dealers and Web stores accepting the digital money, mobile apps have become a popular commerce tool. At the same time, some governments including China and India have questioned Bitcoin’s legal status.”
“Since Apple requires apps to be legal in all territories that they’re offered, many Bitcoin-related programs for Apple’s iOS mobile software don’t offer the ability to send money,” Dougherty reports. “Tom Neumayr, a spokesman for Cupertino, California-based Apple, declined to comment.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Tommy, the ever-silent spokesman. Nice work if you can get it!
I’ve often wondered how much an Apple Spokesperson gets paid to say “no comment.”
No comment
Apple built its reputation on going against the grain and bringing innovation to areas that badly needed innovation. Yet, it has now removed all the Bitcoin apps from the App Store, apps that allow people to use this innovative new form of currency.
That is very worrisome to me. I fear that Apple is going from innovator to enforcer of the status quo.
It is very, very difficult not to become a cheerleader for the status quo when you have become as wildly successful as Apple has.
Well, one point of view I can understand is that the anonymous nature of Bitcoin has allowed some businesses and people to become drug kingpins on the Internet. A couple of them were busted just this past month. I know there will always be controversy about legalizing ‘illicit’ drugs. But clearly there are many drugs that should never be available (ahem, heroin). That Bitcoin has its reputation ruined by parasite drug pushers will never be a good thing.
Apple doesn’t want to be blamed (or sued) if the house of cards comes crashing down.
Bitcoins make no cents.