“Developer ChilliFresh, creator of the ‘Wobble iBoobs’ application removed from the App Store last week due to ‘numerous complaints’ from users, claimed that a discussion with Apple revealed the company removed more than 5,000 offending applications from the App Store,” Marsal reports. “The total number of removed applications is said to have amounted to roughly 3 percent of the entire App Store.”
MacDailyNews Take: So, for some perspective, since it was so totally lacking in so many quarters for so long: Apple has just thrown out five times the total number of apps available for beleaguered Palm’s webOS today.
Marsal reports, “ChilliFresh claimed that an Apple representative said images of both women and men in bikinis are inappropriate, as are words that have a sexual connotation. Apple allegedly is not allowing applications that can be ‘sexually arousing,’ or that imply sexual content.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: We must have missed the press release; when did Apple hire Ed Meese?
So there’s only 135000 apps now.
Again, it’s Apple’s right to not sell an app as it is a physical store’s right not to sell a product. If this offends you so much, don’t buy from the app store.
Actually, I *do* agree about not wanting to see images of men in bikinis.
Good for Apple. They should also purge the fart apps and similar ilk. Far too much junk at the store.
That last MacDailyNews Take screws up my “MDN is a right-wing conspiracy” theory almost as much as facts screwed up our “man-made global warming” get rich quick scheme.
@democratpartyoperative
I catch the sarcasm, but please no politics. Most of us are sick of it.
Everyone censors really.
Disney doesn’t make porno, and Apple wants to make sure that the iTunes store doesn’t have a red light district.
If you own a magazine stand, and you choose not to carry adult material, are you censoring or just telling the general public to go elsewhere for that sort of content?
There must be at least as many religious ones to purge out too…
I agree with Zach. Go away.
Did Marvin Gaye’s song “Sexual Healing” get cut too?
just my $0.02
GOOD!! Apple has the right NOT to peddle porn. It’s Apple’s store, and they can choose what they want to sell. Or should we give up that freedom too??
Good ridance!
Hands up from those who have begun searching for this stuff on iTunes since this initiative by Apple began !!!
I know I have
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Ok, so, Disney hires slave labor, so does apple. Maybe they should purge themselves from the app store?
Do these standards apply to ad dispalyed on free apps? I work at a Catholic girls’ school. I had to remove an application that kept displaying ads with poorly veiled sexual innuendoes from all of the iPod touches we use in out world languages lab. It was a great application, but the ads were offensive.
Getting dark around here!
I guess Apple is going back to the Dark Ages too meet up with the religious nuts already there.
When Apple removes Safari then I’ll worry about missing any intarweb prons.
I think, Jobs does it mainly, bcause of the children using the iphone! Thats certainly an other reason for ditching flash…
CENSORSHIP, 1984 STYLE.
I find it funny that Apple removed some of the apps but not all. I all so find it funny that when Apple needs to have a large number of app’s it was all good. I all so find it funny that it was all good at one point to have on there but now they are getting rid of them I find that very hypocritical of Apple to do that. The people that defend this are really great and you really are fools.
“So, for some perspective, since it was so totally lacking in so many quarters for so long: Apple has just thrown out five times the total number of apps available for beleaguered Palm’s webOS today.”
Which tells you how much total crap is in Apple’s App Store.
Sounds good to me do we really need all that trash on our phones as well as plastered all over the Internet? Bravo Apple!!!!
“Sounds good to me do we really need all that trash on our phones as well as plastered all over the Internet? Bravo Apple!!!!”
Ah, so ‘that trash’ gets on your phone without you having a choice in the matter? Wake up.
There’s an app for that? Not any more apparently, since Apple got so bible-belt puritanical all of a sudden. What’s behind it?
Good riddens apple! I applaud the removal of filth!
Americans are such profound prudes.
My wife and I visited Ibeza, Spain, where women sunbathe topless on the beaches there. It doesn’t take long to get used to it.
My well-traveled friend was at an open-air conference in a park where they had setup some temporary toilets. He thought he was in the “men’s” toilet and was standing at a urinal doing his number when some old Belgian lady wearing a beret came out of one of the stalls. “Bonjour”, she said, as passed by on the way to the exit. Unisex bathrooms. Women sail on by the guys at the urinals to reach the toilet stalls. Yes, men and women hear each others’ ‘plot-plop, fiz-fiz’ in the stall next to each other (don’t sue me if you pass out reading that).
In short, Americans are such damned prudes, I find myself rather embarrassed about this shortcoming. Guess what, America: men and women look at each other in sexual ways and men and women are built differently. No kidding—really.
I know… shock, shock shock.
Maybe it’s a Lent thing.
Yeah, Grigori; Lent 24/7 for silly prudes who blush when they even <u>hear</u> that other people have access to a harmless little program that makes women’s clothed breasts wiggle.
It must be some gene passed down from the Puritans: “Women make me feel fuuuuuuuuneeeee.”
The ones who are upset are probably the users of these male enhancement thingies they’re always advertising at dinner-time.
Oh my! It’s been this way for more than 4 hours — MEDIC!!!!!
Aww, come on. The USA has to make itself feel morally superior to the rest of the world somehow. Try to understand, you commie bastards.
I’m sick of all the pseudo-intellectual references to “puritan.”
As for the App Store, it’s fine if Apple ditches the CrApps. Without intervention, stupid peepshow apps could make up 50% of the entire store.
The problem, again, is the lack of clarity for developers. What’s allowed? What’s not? The guidelines need to be clear.
I’m an atheist and I have notice several apps with religious themes appearing on the site but it doesn’t make me run screaming to jobsey to “remove that filth from before my eyes!” each to their own. Yes there were too many chick apps appearing but it still seems a bit over the top the way they’ve gone about it.
I guess it boils down to this.
Do you have a choice as to where you can purchase apps. If yes then do so. If not and you want these apps then it raises a number of issues.
1. Is this an example of monopolistic behaviour
2. Could the issue be dealt with another way
3. If it was a game with no sexual behaviour that was being
banned would you feel the same way?
4. Is this an admission that Apple’s ratings system can’t
overcome these issues? If the rating system has problems
then why have it in the first place?
5. If on the basis of the above should you choose an “open
system” phone instead Apple’s iphone/touch?
the new disney apple should by dis
steve gets pixar back
I’m still hung up on Rob’s statement: “I work at a Catholic girls’ school.” Does that make me a pervert?
Yeah violence murder, blood splattering brains …… Ooooooook!
Booooobies in bikinies….. Noooooooo!
Apple is trying to get the Amish to adopt the iPad, that must be it.
Ever heard of an adult section?
For God’s sake, don’t anyone tell John Gruber about this – he’ll be writing about it for MONTHS.
I liked Apple better when it was run by barefoot hippies.
I never saw any of these apps. 5000?? Since i didn’t see them, it is hard to decide whether Apple’s move is overkill. The Apple products accessing the App Store are in the hands of lot of young ones. I don’t think one is a prude simply because they want their kids to be sexualized while they are still children. Apple obviously want to keep the App store family friendly.
@Greg L: We have nude beaches in America too. I’ve enjoyed them myself. A nude beach is a natural and (usually) wholesome environment where you let your whole body enjoy some rays. I can’t say the same for what one can see in some software titles. It’s one thing for kids to see the human body and appreciate its beauty and variations, but they don’t need to exposed to prurient images, sexual objectification, and low brow sexcapades. Let them just be kids for a while. Besides, there are plenty of other sources for sexually related content other than the App store.
In regards to the unisex bathrooms: one of the funniest lines I ever heard was from Paul Lind. When asked if was true that the National Parks were going to allow women to use the men’s urinals, he replied without hesitation, “No, the women won’t stand for it.”
It’s funny because most people think of me as conservative, but I think this is a bad precedent from Apple.
Being a free market capitalist I don’t have any problem with Apple deciding what to put in their store. However, I think not allowing free porn apps would have been sufficient. Also, changing their policy like this affects hundreds or thousands of developers who have invested their money based on the previous policy. It might cause more developers to pause and think about the investment they want to make in the Apple ecosystem, which is bad for us consumers and lovers of the Apple world.
‘Wobble iBoobs??? That would have been funny to see.
In anycase, Apple can choose to do what it wants to sell. For all you censor weenies, if the gov’t told you you had to sell something in your store that you didn’t want to (for whatever reason) you’d be pissed. Wh is this any different.
Apple should put out an Advert to parents….if you want your kids to look at smut, buy them a Palm Pre. They have an app for that….we don’t.
edster,
Unlike you people do not consider me a conservative (or a radical for that matter) but I agree with wholeheartedly.
To others,
Look I don’t have an iPhone or iPod Touch but I am seriously thinking about an iPad (whenever it hits the market). Now would I be buying a sexual app, no I wouldn’t because it just appears somewhat tacky.
However, I do take a strong view over censorship and I was always of the view that this is the preserve of governments and I do feel uncomfortable about a company imposing their moral view on adult buyers.
If there is another source to purchase apps from then there is no problem but when there is only one source to purchase these apps and a company imposes their view then this goes against everything I believe in.
I repeat my point, that whether these apps are at the store or not will not affect me because they’re just too tacky. However, any company, Apple included, that tries to impose their will on someone who is old enough to choose or not to choose to purchase a product then I won’t be purchasing that product and I’m talking about the iPad. Sorry Apple, but as a long term Apple user (17 years) I can’t support Apple on this one.
P.S. Most of this post will be sent to Apple as a protest over this decision.
I’d just like to add that if there was a choice of where to buy apps for an Apple mobile device then Apple taking such a stand wouldn’t be a problem but when the option is jailbreaking or nothing then I have issue with such a policy.
Why not just heavily protect young users from accessing such content instead of such a heavy-handed approach.
It’s time for the whiners to realize Apple doesn’t have to sell every goddamned thing they might want to buy.
Sorry, Apple, massive fail on your part. Not because you *choose* to do this, it’s your store after all so whatever, but because you do it in such a clearly nepotistic, uneven and corporate way.
Hot bikini babes and titillating pictures not allowed? I’d like Steve to get rid of the Maxim, Playboy, and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition apps as soon as possible then.
Oh? What? Owned by major media conglomerates like TIME INc and Playboy Enterprises? Can’t risk offending those people. Those apps stay while others get the boot. If Apple wanted a squeaky clean Disney store online for apps then they need to apply the rules to *everyone* fairly.
Otherwise it would appear that they’re simply doing to us what we all wanted to do to those bikini babes.
The app store is getting BURIED IN B.S. APPS! Bout time they took a stand on this! Quality control will maintain the quality of the App Store. Nuff junk out there already. The app store can quickly become like Nintendo D.S. Lots of users, and lots of CRAP APPS (cartridges in Nintendo’s case) that “junk up the (app)store(s)”
Its their store, their quality control. I like the fact that we can have some faith in their ability to filter some of the junk apps right outta there!
Apple flags certain music as explicit (meaning inappropriate for people under a certain age).
Is there some technological reason(s) they can’t do the same for apps?
Actually this is just a rhetorical question as I already know the answer is no.
Zach said
“Again, it’s Apple’s right to not sell an app as it is a physical store’s right not to sell a product. If this offends you so much, don’t buy from the app store.”
” If this offends you so much, don’t buy from the app store.”
Yeah, and how exactly are iPhone/iPad/iPod touch owner supposed to do that?
Jailbreak?
JKPinPDX,
Get rid all the “B.S. APPS” not just one group. Get rid of all the junk games that are B.S., religious apps that are B.S. all the cooking apps that are B.S. etc ad infinitum, ad nauseam. My point is where does it stop.
What might be considered as junk to some might not be seen that way by others. So who the hell is the gatekeeper at the app store, who makes the decisions and what are the rules. We can’t answer any of these questions and as for the rules we don’t know what they are either because keeps changing the goal posts.
Addendum to last line:
“…we don’t know what they are either because keeps changing the goal posts.”, should read “…we don’t know what they are either because Apple keeps changing the goal posts.”
CRAPPLE cares about quantity over quality in apps they accept in their inferior application stores. Good thing I don’t buy their products lol.
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http://www.bing.com When it comes to decisions that matter, Bing & Decide
Torn Jeans:
Save it, moron.
“I guess Apple is going back to the Dark Ages too meet up with the religious nuts already there.”
So porn advances society?
In what way?
“It’s my App Store and I’ll do what I want to. Do what I want to…..”
— Steve Jobs (singing)
Kenh,
It makes 89% of us have stronger right arms.
Cubert
That’s why laptops have been selling so well.
Free love!
“(applications have been) removed from the App Store last week due to ‘numerous complaints’ from users”
Let me guess, none of those users actually bought those applications, bastards. The price of controlling everything that goes into those phones.
On the other hand, I like the fact that . . .
1. I don’t have to worry about viruses or security holes.
2. I can download (or let my kids download) anything without worrying about #1.
3. I can let my kids browse anything without worrying about those 5,000 apps above.
If I want complete control I can always buy one of those iPhone killers. I knew what I was getting into when I bought the iPhone.
There’s always web apps for iBoobs.
As has been said, Apple has every right to do this. And like any decision, they’ll suffer the consequences … or not if this in fact brings more positive response.
I’m happy they’re taking out the filth. “Freedom of speech” or “puritans are boring” arguments don’t make sense here — this is a private store and people have all the opportunity they could ever want in various places to peddle sewage.
However, this is an interesting lesson for developers. Be careful if you play on the edges… Apple can quickly and easily kick you out. I’m sure this has disrupted several people business models.
I’m glad Apple has done this, the Hong Kong store always had Big Asian Boobs, Asian hotties etc in the 10 ten – It was embarrassing to show people the App store full of booby pics. It would have been better if Apple made an adult section and none of them turned up in the top ranked apps for kids to see.
There is difference between woman in bikini and porn is a big diffrence. Also pictures of dressed good looking women must be banned. I knew a few that can arouse me too.
Where to draw the line. It makes me think of the Spanish Inquisition.
Apple are simply following the American stereotype that the country is puritanical about sex and bad language … but violence is perfectly acceptable form of entertainment.
This again shows the direction where Android the “porno phone” should go.
‘Good thing I don’t buy their products lol.’
Just shows how much of a douche you are.
LOL… nice going! what’s next? games that depict minor violence to cartoon animals?
I think it was the right move. Regardless of political correctness, when viewing and learning about all the new apps, it feels uncomfortable to me all the bikini icons amongst
all the others. Maybe if it had it’s own category…I think it degrades the app store and Apple made the right choice.
Left-wingers can scream all day, but it was not a positive thing or a positive influence. Lawsuits begin.
Zach: “If this offends you so much, don’t buy from the app store.”
I think that’s the problem, there is no other place to buy apps than the app store without jailbreaking your iPhone or iPod touch.
It’s like being stuck to shop at Walmart unless I illegally leave the country.
Too bad, Apple needs to have an adult section, with credit card approval and drop down box to enter your age. Apple shouldn’t be taking it upon itself to police or parent our kids. That’s your job. A lot of adults use these devices but are being treated like kids with no parents.
This is just getting silly and it can’t continue forever like this.
I think it’s even sillier the people that champion Apple for removing this stuff for them so they never have to see it. Really? You rather have someone else make your decisions for you instead of these apps being herded into their own category?
Pansies.
It’s “riddance” you morons.
Glad some company in this world still has good taste with a class act behind it. Obviously Hollywood and the many others do not.
I want to “own” the hardware I buy, which is why I’m staying out hardware with a lock on software. So what if my cellphone ain’t smart or particularly powerful; it’s smaller, cheaper, and doesn’t distract me.
ALLAH AKHBAR!
I have no objection removing “apps” that aren’t really apps since all they do is show girls with boobs in bikinis.
These should be in the adult magazine section and are not apps.
Just like I don’t want to Wade through 200 books when searching apps.
So Apple get ur @together. It’s not that hard.