Apple lifts veil on Apps Store approval process

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 24 Aug 2009 at 11:31

Apple's feud with Google over the latter's iPhone Voice app has offered a rare glimpse behind the scenes of Apple's shrouded application approvals process.

The company has been questioned by the US Federal Communication Commission as to why it rejected the application, which offers tools such as speech-to-text messaging and phone routing.

In a response to the question, Apple denied that it had rejected the app but expressed concerns that it replicated many of the iPhone's core functions - something forbidden in its terms of service.

"Contrary to published reports, Apple has not rejected the Google Voice application, and continues to study it," says Catherine Novelli, Apple's vice president for worldwide government affairs.

Apple has not rejected the Google Voice application, and continues to study it

"The application has not been approved because, as submitted for review, it appears to alter the iPhone's distinctive user experience by replacing the iPhone's core mobile telephone functionality and Apple user interface with its own user interface for telephone calls, text messaging and voicemail."

As part of the letter to the FCC, Novelli also offered a glimpse behind the App's Store approval process, noting that the company now employs 40 full-time trained reviewers, two of whom review every app submitted for approval. Novelli further claimed that 95% of applications are approved within 14 days of being submitted.

"We receive about 8,500 new applications and updates every week, and roughly 20% of them are not approved as originally submitted. In little more than a year, we have reviewed more than 200,000 applications and updates," she writes.