Apple Finds More Reasons To Reject App Discovery Applications

Apple is continuing to reject or remove app recommendation applications from the App Store, though its reasons for doing so appear to be increasing. While citing clause 2.25 of its App Store Review Guidelines recently when rejecting such a recommendation app, in an explanatory email sent to the app's developer Apple outlines issues that extend beyond those highlighted in the clause itself. According to the app's developer, who wishes to remain anonymous, Apple indeed rejected the application in question under the aforementioned clause 2.25, which also served as the basis for AppShopper's controversial removal from the App Store in December 2012. As a reminder, the clause reads:

2.25 Apps that display Apps other than your own for purchase or promotion in a manner similar to or confusing with the App Store will be rejected.

The aforementioned developer notes, however, that Apple rejected the application citing 2.25, and appears to be expanding on the clause to include app discovery applications which include email or social network sharing. Speaking with PocketGamer, the developer added that according to Apple, applications that feature "filtering, bookmarking, searching, or sharing recommendations" could now be rejected via clause 2.25:

"Our app is primarily focused on sharing recommendations to your friends," the developer, who wished to remain anonymous, told us. "I have not seen this rejection notice before and believe that it is a new one. We thought that basing our recommendations on sharing was suitable for Apple, as it had previously stated that if you bake in social or local into your app discovery, you would be fine. "However, either we are not social enough, or Apple is going back on its position. Either way, it appears the scope of 2.25 continues to grow and I think they aim to be the only provider of recommendations for apps, along with being the distributor."

Apple's acquisition of Chomp indeed evidences the company's interest in developing and controlling app recommendations. What remains to be seen, though, is how willing Apple is to share this stage with third-party app discovery services. Has your app recommendation application suffered a recent blow under clause 2.25? Let me know. For more of today's news, see: Barclays Analyst: Apple To 'Change The Narrative' With Forthcoming Products, Google's Official Blogger iOS App Now Supports RTF And In-Place Image Editing, and It's About Time: PopCap's Plants Vs. Zombies Sequel Set To Blossom This July.