Dev "philisophically opposed" to Apple's policies

Developer Joe Hewitt, the driving force behind Facebook's iPhone app, has quit working with Apple's platform to protest the company's review policies, according to TechCrunch. The well-known developer passed off the project to another software engineer, although he will still work with Facebook on projects for other platforms.

"My decision to stop iPhone development has had everything to do with Apple’s policies," Hewitt says. "I respect their right to manage their platform however they want, however I am philosophically opposed to the existence of their review process. I am very concerned that they are setting a horrible precedent for other software platforms, and soon gatekeepers will start infesting the lives of every software developer."

Apple has been criticized by a wide range of developers for various reasons. Many have complained that the company's review policies are inconsistent and nonsensical at times. Others have accused the review team of leaving an app in limbo for months at a time, sometimes as money is wasted on futile marketing efforts if an approval is never reached.

"In the long term, I would like to be able to say that I helped to make the web the best mobile platform available, rather than being part of the transition to a world where every developer must go through a middleman to get their software in the hands of users,” said Hewitt.

Apple recently revamped its Dev Center to provide status information including dates when the app is received for review, enters the process, and arrives on the App Store. It is unclear if the company plans on making additional changes to quell the objections.

by MacNN Staff