macnn
08/08/2008, 3:15pm, EDT
Friday, August 8th
PhoneSaber pulled from App Store
A fourth known app has been delisted from the iTunes App Store, it has been revealed. PhoneSaber -- a free title that imitated the lightsabers from Star Wars -- has been pulled, despite being a popular choice of early adopters of the iPhone 3G and/or iPhone 2.0 firmware. The disappearance marks the fourth such prominent withdrawl in a short space of time, following I Am Rich, BoxOffice and NetShare.
In contrast to other incidents however, the developers of PhoneSaber say they have an explanation. THQ Wireless owns the rights to Star Wars development on mobile devices, and asked TheMacBox to pull PhoneSaber voluntarily. THQ intends to publish a rebranded version though, with TheMacBox assisting in production. It is uncertain at this point whether the new app will remain free.
Filed under: iPhone, software, iPhone apps
Other story tags: App Store, iPhone 2.0
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different
It sounds, though, like this was pulled by the developer, not by Apple.
Bandwidth
Could it be that Apple is pulling popular FREE applications that create a huge bandwidth draw on the servers since they are getting no money in return?
Disappearing
Ok, so now that it is pulled from the Apps Store, does anyone have a confirmed case of an installed app on an iPhone disappearing off their iPhone once it was pulled from the Store?
I have backed up all my iPhone Apps... so if Apple deleted them occasionally, I can just reinstall them again.
Any feedback on this from anyone?
No loss there
PhoneSaber was totally lame anyway. It just played sampled sounds, and did not generate sound that in any way corresponded with the motion of your iPhone or iPod Touch.
I doubt the licensed version will be free. George Lucas ran out of ideas years ago, and he is gleefully pumping all of his worn-out old franchises for pocket-money as he reaches old age.
GL
George Lucas asked for this to be pulled. This has nothing to do with free apps or the developer. This is George's greed.
NOW I'm pissed
This was a useless, but fun application. Everyone I showed this to got a smile out of it. Kids loved it! And yes it did correlate to the movement of your iPhone.
Re: Bandwidth
@guest
You must not be very smart. There is a free app with 1 million downloads. It's not the bandwidth stoopid.
By the way, you realize Apple has available, HD trailers, iTunes song samples available to download for free?
I'm developing...
...an iPhone app - when you move your phone like a sword, it plays sound effects of George Lucas throwing a hissy fit.
One of the world's
most useless apps. Goodbye and farewell. And many thanks to the developer or Apple that had it pulled. Now if they can just start pulling flashlight apps and leave only the best two.
best app on my phone
Everybody I show phonesaber cracks up. It's the first app I show people. Well men anyways. Women don't really get it. So has my free app appreciated in value now. And yes it does correlate to the movement. If you just move your phone slowly you don't get the kitchah sound...