“Last week, Apple quietly stopped distributing NetShare, put it back up, and now appears to have pulled it again. But what could we expect? It was a piece of software allowing users to transform their iPhones into Wi-Fi hotspots,” Mark Wilson reports for Gizmodo.
“This weekend, however, with no notice to the developer or reasonable explanation, Apple has pulled the popular free movie finder app Box Office from the App Store,” Wilson reports.
According to the report, the developer of Box Office received no notice from Apple that the app would be pulled or had any response to emails asking what’s going on:
I’m in regular contact with all my data providers, and none of them have had an issue with my app. Indeed, the response was the exact opposite. They like my app and have even asked if i would do custom application work for them in the future. Furthermore, all the data I use is licensed by the owners as ‘free for non commercial use’. i.e. precisely what Box Office is. So I’m stuck here not knowing what has happened, or what i can do about it.
Wilson hypothesizes, “There must be something going on under the surface—an undiscovered security flaw, maybe.”
Full article here.
If it is a security flaw, and it gets fixed, would they relist it in the App store?
If Apple keep pulling Apps off the store like this, it will put people off making apps for the iPhone/iPod touch.
At least tell the developer why it was pulled.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”shut eye” style=”border:0;” />
How about violating the agreement with Apple and publishing the source code for the app? Is it a good enough reason?
Security flaw MY A$$
AT&T;has BANNED p2p traffic from it’s 3G network (laptop connect cards).
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6582213.html
So “Box Office” also is banned because it allows iPhones to be WiFi hotspots, increasing network traffic.
Comcast got into big trouble with the FCC for throttling bandwidth when it’s supposed to be “unlimited use” as well.
These companies know darn well what they are doing, they complain that a few are taking over 50% of the traffic to make more profits throttling folks usage.
Instead they need to increase their technology to handle the increase in population and new subscribers.
There are new network protocols that greatly increase the compression and allow very fast downloads of large files so there is no excuse for this sh*t.
This bad policy by Apple needs to change rapidly. I am not a proponent of hitting on Apple, as I understand marketing is 90% of why they do things, for momentary better or worse situations.
That said, with both Applications, Box Office and NetShare, Apple not giving the developer any information reveals devs worst fears – Apple will act as a tyranny, judge and juror in all iApp products, and need no answer to anyone.
This is not the way in which Apple should approach their developers – not even close. Apple should be full throttle on communicating issue and methodology was to why or why not applications are approved, not approved, pulled, etc…
I noticed that there is a “mobileInstall” framework from the Jailbreake community. You replace the original framework with this one and you can install application with iTunes with out using app store.
I believe that this “post unpost” applications has something to do whit this hack and may be Apple is pulling applications from the App store to make sure they do not work with any other framework (aka Installer 2.0).
upps!, sorry, that would be “installer 4.0” or Cidya.
And thus the big problem with having one company act as a gatekeeper for any software being added to a product purchased by consumers.
This is why I think the AppStore, as the *only* way to add software to an iPhone, is a horrible idea. If you’re so concerned about “legitimate” software, or “vetted” software, fine, buy only through the AppStore. But for other people, let them purchase or install software from where ever they want. It’s no different than our Macs. If Apple ever tried to force all Mac owners to purchase/install software only from an Apple Store, there’d be a revolt.
I just cannot understand why so many people think that having the AppStore be the only source for software for an iPhone is such a good idea.
@Raving MacHead
Box Office does NOT allow your iPhone to become a Wi-Fi hotspot. It allows you to find what movies are playing at your local Cineplex.
Pssssttttt!! Go have a look at this: http://code.google.com/p/metasyntactic/
Evidently “someone” didn’t like the “BoxOffice” name so it’s been changed to “Now Playing”.
Brocktoon, yep I meant to say Netshare.
But it’s the same thing, AT&T;GREED!!
BoxOffice is competing with the similar AT&T;paid service!!
Please
Some of you out there, least one or two
Must have gotten Nullsoft’s NetShare
During one of its appearances
Please, would you post it somewhere ?
Bittorrent or Usenet or even a www
Thanks, BC
Oh yes
And, let us know – here or someplace – where/when/etc
Again, TIA, BC
“Evidently “someone” didn’t like the “BoxOffice” name so it’s been changed to “Now Playing”.”
Probably HBO. You know, Home Box Office.
BC,
It won’t do any good to post it, since all apps are signed, it won’t run on anyone elses iPhone than the one that purchased it.
Tom
BC Kelly,
It’s already been tried.
http://www.macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/nullrivers_netshare_disappears_from_apples_app_store_again/
Read the comment by ‘David’ and the reply by ‘Predrag’.
Bottom of Page 1 and top of Page 2.
BC Kelly- Here’s one place:
http://www.demonoid.com/files/details/1572921/597809/
Not sure if you have an account, but it’s there for you.
Or maybe RottenTomatoes complained, or perhaps Metacritic complained, as Box Office, uses data from both ratings systems in its App. Give it time, and either the datalinks will be removed, or it’ll become clear whether Box Office can use them freely.
” it won’t run on anyone elses iPhone than the one that purchased it.”
Once again Apple says one thing and does another with DRM.
And this from the Nullriver site:
AUGUST 4TH, 2008
NETSHARE STATUS REPORT
“We still haven’t gotten any answer from Apple as to why NetShare was removed from the App Store. Calls to ADC yield wait times of a few hours and we’re forced to give up. E-mails to various contacts at Apple and the developer program have also given us no response. Is this acceptable business practice? We don’t think so. When an application fails to be approved or even more importantly so, when an application gets removed from sale, Apple should be required to provide a valid reason.”
http://www.nullriver.com/
“BOX OFFICE”?
What is that, a ap for homeless executives?
Don’t need it….
Now what if you lived AND worked out of the same box,
then would it be a home box office?
NullRiver is absolutely right. You know apple is going to ultimately turn developers away. I’m in the middle of developing an app and I feel very very wary about posting it. Apple’s removal of NullRiver NetShare will justify jailbreaking the iPhone and the touch.
How about most of you take a giant chill pill.
At last count, the App Store has over 1,300 apps and counting. I believe Apple has pulled 6 apps and reinstated 3 of them (based on an article I read). That’s a pretty small percentage. The service is all of 3 weeks old. Let’s wait a few days and see if some answers appear before we start wildly speculating and calling Apple evil.
fox/ign told apple to take it down for trademark infringement.