Steve Jobs personally intervenes, approves Knocking streaming video app for App Store inclusion

“The impassioned pleas of one developer e-mailed to Steve Jobs resulted in a quick reversal of his app’s rejection. The launch of the app today is the first known approved app that can stream live video directly from one iPhone to another, and the first approval for an app with known use of private APIs. Apple’s change of heart came ‘directly from the top,’ and is a sign that real change in the App Store approval process is in the works,” Chris Foresman reports for Ars Technica.

“Knocking streams from one iPhone to another,” Foresman reports. “You simply launch the app and “knock” another iPhone user with Knocking Live Video installed. That user will receive the ‘knock’ via push notification. Once answered, you can then stream live video directly to them. An iPhone 3GS or iPhone 3G is required to transmit video, but other iPhones and iPod touches can receive and view the stream via WiFi.”

Foresman reports, “Pointy Head developer Brian Meehan explained to Ars, ”With Knocking people share what they are doing right now. Our testers have referred to knocking as a ‘visual tweet.””

Foresman reports, “The approval is significant for several reasons. It’s the first app with verified use of private APIs that Apple has approved for sale. It’s also the first app approved to allow live video streaming. Finally, it’s a concrete sign that Apple is indeed working to address developer concerns—though persuading Steve Jobs to personally approve an app is probably not going to become an official policy.”

Full article here.

The free Knocking Live Video app is available via Apple’s iTunes App Store here.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Edward W.” for the heads up.]