

Treehouse Launches iPad App, Apple Prohibits Android Lessons - hugoc
http://tech.co/treehouse-ipad-app-2013-07

======
jbail
What guideline is being broken? If there isn't a good reason (and I really
struggle to think what it might be), this is just anti-competitive censorship.

Edit: On the other hand, this seems so ridiculous that I need to question if
it's accurate. Can Treehouse provide some proof that Apple said they can't
have Android courses available in their app?

~~~
fpgeek
It is just anti-competitive censorship. In the past, Apple has done things
like banning an Android-focused magazine app [1]. There have also been
controversies over books linking to Amazon when referring to other books you
might buy (as their print editions do) [2]. This Treehouse situation fits the
same pattern.

[1] [http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/11/26/apple-bans-android-
ma...](http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/11/26/apple-bans-android-magazine-
app/)

[2] [http://paidcontent.org/2012/02/29/419-who-decides-what-
gets-...](http://paidcontent.org/2012/02/29/419-who-decides-what-gets-sold-in-
the-bookstore/)

------
NicoJuicy
It's the same thing, an author who writes a business book (marketing), had to
throw away a chapter about using amazon in your business before his book got
allowed in the iBook store...

You can find the authors blog post at [http://hollylisle.com/apple-made-its-
decision-my-turn/](http://hollylisle.com/apple-made-its-decision-my-turn/)

~~~
NicoJuicy
Btw. We should just edit
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_by_Apple](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_by_Apple)
and update it.

It's probably the best way to do anything against (cr)Apple...

------
65Cole
Oh Apple... I lost the faith in the Apple's benevolent power when it was
revealed during the conspiracy case that Apple bullied Random House[1] into a
contract by blocking their iOS apps from the App Store. This move against a
teaching app just disillusions more of us developers

[1][http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/07/how-apple-led-
an-...](http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/07/how-apple-led-an-e-book-
price-conspiracy-in-the-judges-words/)

------
pixie_
It's amazing what charisma can do. Apple has acted like an evil
censor/gatekeeper since the iPhone was released. Microsoft didn't act anywhere
close to this bad in the 90s. And Microsoft is looked down on and Apple is
still cool.

~~~
npsimons
Apple has always acted this way, they just haven't had this kind of leverage
before. Really, this shouldn't surprise anyone who's familiar with their
history. Apple has always been a top notch PR firm and ad agency, albeit they
are their own (and only) client.

------
captain_mars
I wonder what Apple hopes to achieve by following a policy of no Android-
related content on the iOS app store.

It's not as if it will prevent people from learning about Android's existence.

------
toni
Link-bait title from an obvious splog network about a company looking for any
kind of PR.

From whom is that quote originating? Where is Apple's rejection letter? Which
section of App Store guidelines they specifically violated?

Edit: the link was changed from a TNW piece to an admittedly better story at
tech.co

~~~
dannyr
Treehouse itself was quoted in the post about Apple not allowing Android
content.

~~~
toni
But "Treehouse" is a company. Usually a human at a company sends an email. Who
in Treehouse sent that update? Because then we can ask him/her what section of
App Store guidelines they were supposedly violating.

~~~
hanley
There was a better link posted earlier today with all the information you are
requesting.
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6103149](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6103149)

~~~
alayne
Was the Android content bundled? Could the app download it to work around the
rule?

------
CodeCube
Up next ... they're going to ban chrome and any app with a webview because you
can access Android content! I am of course being facetious, but it sucks.

~~~
NicoJuicy
Their not going to ban Chrome, they will just wait 6 months to approve every
update in the app store.

Like what they did with Google Now for iOS (the Siri competitor):
[http://www.geek.com/apple/google-now-for-ios-is-ready-but-
ap...](http://www.geek.com/apple/google-now-for-ios-is-ready-but-apple-needs-
to-approve-it-1543641/)

They have always been good at sneaky stuff, like making iTunes slow for
Windows... Then it's Windows fault :-)
[http://apple.slashdot.org/story/13/05/15/0126252/itunes-
stil...](http://apple.slashdot.org/story/13/05/15/0126252/itunes-still-
slowing-down-windows-pcs-after-all-these-years)

And using an older webkit if a website is launched from the homescreen, so
people would prefer native apps instead of websites.
[http://www.macrumors.com/2011/03/15/performance-of-web-
apps-...](http://www.macrumors.com/2011/03/15/performance-of-web-apps-saved-
to-home-screen-hampered-in-ios-4-3/)

It's all about the experience of the user and apple knows that. In all the
above stories, it's about bringing a bad experience to the end user and
frustrating them, if they aren't doing it the "apple way".

Or just censoring it, if they have to..

I probably had one of the first iPhones and iPod's and as soon as i realized
at what sort of company i gave money to.

I switched to Google. Never had any regret.

~~~
ameen
I've been planning to switch to Google for a while now (both as a consumer and
as a dev).

The lack of apps had been a valid issue for me, but thankfully the Play store
has mostly caught up the AppStore. I'll still have an Apple device (stability,
better camera, etc) though.

------
drcube
Why is the Treehouse CEO saying "Man, this is ridiculous" while still playing
along with Apple's bullshit?

Might as well compromise your product and your users to make a few extra
bucks, right?

Grow some balls and stand up to your bullies, friend. Your product is popular.
People will request it. Keep it off the App Store until Apple comes begging
_you_ to submit it again.

~~~
melvinram
They are not charging extra for the app so it's not "to make a few extra
bucks."

They are attempting to do the best job they can for their customers. Depriving
your customers because you want to take a principled stand by taking steps
that is almostly completely guaranteed to not work just makes no business
sense.

~~~
drcube
So they're going to play censor for "business sense" but it's not about money?

Morals outrank money. And it's not even _economically_ a bad decision on a
long enough time scale. What's going to make your company look the best ten
years from now? Taking a principled stand against censors, on behalf of your
users, while maintaining your product's integrity and vision? Or sacrificing
your product in order to temporarily gain a few more IOS users, while Apple
continues to make themselves look like malevolent idiots?

If I were a business owner, I know what I'd choose.

~~~
kalms
It makes zero sense to pull this app just out of principle. Especially when it
wouldn't matter to Apple anyway - It would only hurt Treehouse, and the
investment they made. The kind of change you're looking for needs to come from
policy makers.

------
darkchasma
I would like to get an official statement by either company before I jump to
conclusions. I seem to recall someone at google claiming that Apple had not
yet approved the Maps app and it wasn't even submitted yet. Apple used to do a
lot of sketchy stuff like this, so we all assume it's true. But until I see
something official, then I'll hold judgement.

~~~
MrKurtz
Treehouse's comment is included in the post:

 _We teach Android at Treehouse as well, but Apple has refused to let us
release the app while including Android content. At the time of review several
other applications in the App Store included Android content, but in our case
we were told it was against App Store guidelines to have Android content in
our app._

[http://thenextweb.com/apps/2013/07/25/tech-education-
startup...](http://thenextweb.com/apps/2013/07/25/tech-education-startup-
treehouse-branches-out-to-the-ipad/)

 _I seem to recall someone at google claiming that Apple had not yet approved
the Maps app and it wasn 't even submitted yet. _ [citation needed]

Some tech "reporter" heard that some Googler was concerned that Apple may
reject the app: [http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/nov/05/google-
maps...](http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/nov/05/google-maps-doubt-
iphone)

~~~
darkchasma
Actually, the article I wanted to see was mentioned above:
[http://tech.co/treehouse-ipad-app-2013-07](http://tech.co/treehouse-ipad-
app-2013-07). Coming from a press release, or a quote from the CEO. TNW
however did not relay who the quote was coming from, and some random guy at
treehouse may not have all the facts. But apparently, Apple is up to it's old
tricks.

------
piyush_soni
Really ... Why do you continue Apple users? Why do you persist? Is creating an
anti-competitive shitty world for your children not at all a matter of concern
for you?

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mikhailt
Didn't Apple preach several times, especially at keynotes, about how they're
all about the intersection between education and technology?

Seems BS if you're just going to censor the education part for your own
benefits.

~~~
piyush_soni
Whatever they claim at the keynotes, they have never been about education and
technology. They have only been for and about money. That's it.

------
pjmlp
While they are free to do whatever they want with their platform, it is
interesting to see Apple returning to the old (pre-Mac OS X) behaviors, now
that Apple managed to achieve a considerable market share.

------
ameen
I believe this is an older policy even preceeding the AppStore. There aren't
many iTunesU courses for Android even (last I checked there was only one by
GSVU).

------
cormullion
It's worth pointing out that the iBook store has dozens of books for Android
development. Perhaps apps have different rules...

------
bparsons
Classy.

