Breaking!: Apple Allows Non-Apple Dev Tools, Publishes App Review Guidelines

Looks like Apple has finally realized that they need to treat app developers better if they want to hold on to their crown for having the largest catalogue of mobile apps. Today Apple issued a press release saying that they are making changes in their iOS Developer Program License. They have specifically mentioned two very important changes relating to the app approval process and the dev tools used for making apps.

So far, Apple has been very tight fisted about their approval process and ever since the inception of the App Store and the developer program, the approval process has been shrouded in mystery. In those early days, the only way we go to know about the way it worked was through app rejections that were talked about their developers. Sometimes surprised, sometimes outraged. Apple then came under a lot of criticism for their staunch gatekeeper attitude, even banning political humor.

Apple did relax a little later and publish some pointers about their approval process but most of it was still quite mysterious. And today, Apple finally announces that they are releasing a set of guidelines for App developers to better explain how they go about their (no longer) super secret approval process. This would be a welcome change for a lot of existing and aspiring iOS developers who have so far been frustrated and agitated at the lack of transparency with the process that decides the fate of their hard work.

But the other announcement they made was even more momentous. Earlier this year in April, Apple made the decision to ban all other developer tools that app makers could use to compile iOS (then iPhone OS) apps. This decision created a large amount of outrage in the market and it resulted in a lot of bad press for Apple and its totalitarianism. But nothing could make them budge from their decision to make their developer environment closed.

Now, it looks like it didn’t take them too long to reverse their decision. It is the beginning of the month of September and they have announced that they are opening it up again in response to what the developers had to say. That is what Apple says every time they have to reverse a decision or do something against their will thanks to market pressure. So the story is always something else.

Lets rewind a little and see what the scenario was for Apple when the App Store was new. They were head shoulders above all else when it came to new-age smart phones. The idea of the App Store seemed almost revolutionary even though it was just an adaptation of existing business models and distributions systems. Apple could do whatever they wanted.

Then came Android and although slow to start, won a lot of followers through their perceived openness (it is not all that open either). Then came very late in to the game Windows Phone 7. And Apple’s timing is very interesting considering the fact that rumors are rife in the market that the first Windows Phone 7 device might be out as soon as this week. Also, late last month around the same time as the iPod event, Windows Phone was reported to have achieved Golden Master status and was apparently being sent out to manufacturers.

So Apple probably realized that the only way to ensure developer retention amidst all this distraction was to allow them to have whatever developer tool they wanted. This important because there are tools that allow you to compile the same app for multiple platforms. Now that there are two other viable platforms in the market, Apple is wise not to force developers to choose only one; hoping that it would be iOS.

[PR]