Pre-Investment in an iPhone App Can Make You Lose Half a Million Dollars!

**sayam** · 03-20-2009, 01:44 PM

Apple's procedure for the AppStore approval has always been cumbersome. Many great apps have been rejected for useless reasons, many useless apps got accepted as well and many were totally ignored. The current procedure has left many good companies gaping. FreedomVoice is no exception!

The story of FreedomVoice urges me to wonder if Apple is actually approving apps by trial and error? The company submitted an app named newber about half a year ago but it is yet to be approved! According to them, all Apple guidelines were followed while making the app- leaving no errors. The app transfers an on-going call to another phone with out dropping the call. The company has tried to pester Apple using several methods but are yet to get a comment on the current situation. Finally, the company had to quit working on application which has entirely ruined a $600,000 investment on the app (including a $50,000 CES booth).

The company should have been careful before spending the money as I don't consider big pre-acceptance publicity a good idea! The company is however not much worried about current investment as they believe they could re-structure it to use with their other AppStore app FreedomIQ. "The developer time will also be re-purposed when we flesh out the application for more serious platforms (BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, etc.) at a later date and integrate it with FreedomIQ." said Eric Thomas, the CEO of FreedomVoice.

All the company wants to know is whether Apple wants to reject or accept the app. They do not even care if the app gets rejected but need just a comment from Apple.

Originally Posted by Eric Thomas

We just want to get Apple to have the social conscience to have a conversation. They can even tell me no.

This story is so far the worst one in the AppStore scenario but if Apple doesn't mend its ways, we might see some worse stuff really soon!

[Wired]

Graphic made by at004 a.k.a Amine

**xwinger** · 03-20-2009, 01:46 PM

it lose not loose

that sucks so much. losing $600,000 =O I didn't know that the app submitting process was THIS bad.

**r1994augusto** · 03-20-2009, 01:49 PM

wt...f
this is so bad!!!

**Channan** · 03-20-2009, 01:53 PM

Wow. Never really thought about it that way. And Apple doesn't even have to approve stuff even if the apps follow all their rules...scary.

**reesejr1975** · 03-20-2009, 01:58 PM

That sucks would love for apple to approve iblacklist to filter calls

**BenzoHartt** · 03-20-2009, 02:54 PM

Wow! Thats pretty bad, i wish those guys the best. It looks like they will need it.

**redcard** · 03-20-2009, 02:56 PM

MMI 'writers' are awesome-o

**sayam** · 03-20-2009, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by redcard

MMI 'writers' are awesome-o

huh??

**pfcfury** · 03-20-2009, 03:23 PM

can you say cydia store?

**sziklassy** · 03-20-2009, 03:27 PM

By the sound of it, I would say it's actually ATT saying no to this. They don't want you to save those precious minutes... why would they?

**jel530** · 03-20-2009, 04:44 PM

Newber is an app, FreedomIQ is not. FreedomIQ is a Hosted VoIP PBX: Business VoIP Service | FreedomIQ

**daching** · 03-20-2009, 05:46 PM

Who would spend $600,000 investing on an app?

**Channan** · 03-20-2009, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by sziklassy

By the sound of it, I would say it's actually ATT saying no to this. They don't want you to save those precious minutes... why would they?

Exactly. And like I said in my previous post, even if the dev follows all the rules, Apple still has the right to reject any app they want. But good thing there is a plan B called Cydia.

I know having your app in the App Store is better, but rather $600,000 be wasted, might as well try to get your money back. :/

**M4tt Dam0n** · 03-20-2009, 10:43 PM

I would be pissed if Apple ignored me.

**CaptainChaos** · 03-20-2009, 11:03 PM

Originally Posted by €hR!$

Exactly. And like I said in my previous post, even if the dev follows all the rules, Apple still has the right to reject any app they want. But good thing there is a plan B called Cydia.

I know having your app in the App Store is better, but rather $600,000 be wasted, might as well try to get your money back. :/

I can see where you are going with this, but Cydia is not going to have a chance of re-cooping what these guys are hoping to get back from the app. A handful of users versus a world wide base of users...don't see it happening.

**ethereal** · 03-21-2009, 12:22 PM

Apple might be up to something. If an awesome app comes about that has an awesome feature which Apple never thought of they will hang the app in approval for a while and even rejected them. Anyone remember that time when that pod cast app was rejected by Apple and then in the next few months Apple added that feature into their IPhone OS? Even Apple makes awesome products they are very self center and too arrogant.

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Thread: Pre-Investment in an iPhone App Can Make You Lose Half a Million Dollars!

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