

Apple rejects iPhone camera app for using volume controls for taking photos - jsatok
http://taptaptap.com/blog/cameraplus-volumesnap-rejected/

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credo
It looks like the reviewers pointed to specific Apple requirements that the
app violated. That was great. The developers already knew that their app
violated the requirement and they are responding to the rejection in a mature
manner. This is also great.

Whether or not Apple should review/approve apps is a different question.
However, given the current system, it looks like the system worked as well as
one would want any review/approval system to work.

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tptacek
_They did not reject Camera+_ \--- Camera+ is one of the most popular apps on
the store (it's fantastic, by the way). They rejected a single release of the
app which _drastically_ violated Apple's interface guidelines, and
specifically explained why.

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GiraffeNecktie
Um. Well, yes. It's true that their submission _did not conform_ to Apple's
interface guidelines. I think it's a little over the top to say they
"drastically violated" them as if the poor guidelines were left raped and
bleeding on a lonely country road. Sheesh.

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mcav
When the iPhone 4's separate-button volume controls came out, I thought Apple
might use one of them for the shutter. It would have really increased the
utility of the phone as a camera. I already use Camera+, this would have been
a great new feature.

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masonlee
Seriously! In his keynote, Jobs likened the feel of the iPhone 4 to an old
Leica camera. A Leica without a shutter button?

~~~
jberryman
What a funny comparison. Perhaps it's because in both cases you pay more for
the name?

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jessep
That sucks. I've wanted an app that did this forever.

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jacquesm
There must be other phone brands that would allow you to do just that.

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jsz0
I think this is a good policy. I hate getting blasted with unexpected loud
noises especially with earbuds. It's a very painful experience. The volume
buttons should always work as advertised. There's a good argument to be made
that the iPhone needs an extra physical button. Either on the top right side
or perhaps the ringer on/off switch could become a multi-function button.
Toggle + press.

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mirkules
All I can think about is: the time and energy expended sifting through Apple's
red tape is time and energy spent not creating new apps and improving existing
ones.

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glhaynes
It would've been a surprise to most, I think, if this had gotten through.

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btucker
They should follow [Tapbot's lead]([http://tapbots.com/blog/pastebot/pastebot-
music-in-backgroun...](http://tapbots.com/blog/pastebot/pastebot-music-in-
background)). Play some music, have the volume buttons adjust the volume of
the music (thus following the HIG) while also triggering the shutter.

~~~
Groxx
i.e., play by the _letter_ of the rule, instead of the _intent_. And risk
being shot down in the future, because it's a rather asinine thing to do, and
any attentive reviewer would think so as well. HIG is important to Apple.
(note that I don't think Pastebot will be a victim of this, just Camera+ if
they do it)

The situations are also pretty drastically different: Pastebot is using music-
playing to get background operations to _work_ , which will capture clipboard
content _passively_ , not via the volume buttons. Meanwhile, Camera+ is trying
to use the volume buttons _actively_ to perform a function _which is not
volume related_. Prediction time: if they attempt this, it won't get past the
review stage, or will be shot down shortly after.

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imrehg
Stifling innovation? - there's an app for that!™

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harshpotatoes
It's nice they don't react angrily or surprised.

~~~
thought_alarm
Why would they? The App Store has allowed these developers to create and
operate a viable software business, and it's probably made them rich. That
wouldn't have been possible if the App Store was not managed correctly.

~~~
omaranto
_That wouldn't have been possible if the App Store was not managed correctly._

That's a silly thing to say: obviously some people might profit with an
incorrectly managed App Store. For example, many people profit handsomely in
very badly managed countries.

