Google admits to violating App Store rules

View this article at: http://www.macnn.com/articles/08/11/26/google.vs.app.store.rules/

Wednesday, Nov 26, 2008 4:15pm

Google admits to violating App Store rules

Google has admitted to using undocumented APIs in the creation of its latest iPhone search app, according to a spokesman. The company is specifically said to be relying on an API connected to the motion sensor, which tells the app to engage voice detection whenever an iPhone is raised to a person's mouth. Users can thus speak a search term, instead of typing it in.

The difficulty in this lies with the rules of the iPhone SDK, which state that developers can only use the APIs provided in order to create software for the App Store. It is this very reason, in fact, which is said to be preventing Adobe from bringing Flash to the iPhone. Google does have a far closer relationship with Apple, as Google Maps is integrated into each device sold; the firm has not, however, made claims either way of receiving special permission to break SDK guidelines.

Google has meanwhile denied a related allegation, one suggesting that Google Mobile links to private and/or dynamic frameworks. This kind of strategy is said to be frowned upon by developers. The company may nevertheless be forced to revise Mobile, should Apple decide that Google has violated its terms.