[Macworld]

Post your comments for Apple denies CastCatcher update entry into App Store here

[Jeter2Fan93]

Yet, AOL Radio is still on the App Store.

[heyjp]

There are several other internet radio tuners in the iStore. I've been using one of them for several weeks. I'm not going to mention the name now, 'cause I don't want it to go away ;-)
JP

[gballey]

So they rejected the update. Is the previous version still available at the store?

[adobephile]

Apple has to have the final word in determining which apps it publishes. It's not only a right, but often an obligation in order to maintain certain levels of propriety, quality, security, operational integrity, etc. Only Apple can monitor/determine whether a given app meets these standards/considerations and/or weigh any possible public outcries/protests over a rejection against them.
Despite any apparency of arbitrary heavy-handedness, there are most likely good reasons for a given rejection.

[jmincey]

I see no basis to assume such decisions by Apple are not arbitrary. I see no basis to reject any application for the iPhone platform EXCEPT those which are malicious and pose a security violation. Computer manufacturers should not be in the business of evaluating which apps are worthy and which are not. This is up to the consumer.
As for bandwidth usage, that's not Apple's concern. That's for ATT (in the USA) to police. If bandwidth is being abused, then ATT can notify its customers and handle it from there.
Bandwidth is bandwidth. It should not matter which app consumes the bandwidth or to what end.
Jeff Mincey

[hillstones]

AT&T isn't the one distributing the applications, so they would not be able to control it, as you suggest.
It does matter which apps consume more bandwidth because it affects the entire network.

[hillstones]

Jeter2Fan93 said:

Yet, AOL Radio is still on the App Store.

AOL does low quality mono audio streaming over the cellular network, especially for EDGE. High quality audio is only streamed over WiFi.

If CastCatcher was trying to stream high quality stereo audio over cellular, that would be a bandwidth hog.

That's why most companies block streaming audio and video on their internal networks because it slows down the network for everyone.

[jmincey]

AT&T doesn't have to control the applications. This is not about what software is used.
If someone exceeds the bandwidth allocated to them in their service agreement, it doesn't matter what KIND of data was involved. Whether it's online radio or streaming music or video (or something else) -- is secondary. What matters is whether bandwidth levels are exceeded. And the levels of bandwidth are the province of AT&T -- not of Apple.
It's up to AT&T to place any restrictions in this regard.
Jeff Mincey

[dreyfus]

Well, while I am not for rejections in general... the fact that the AppStore application itself will not download files bigger than 10MB over EDGE/3G, and that the upcoming podcast download fucntion is rumored to be limited to the same 10MB when not on WiFi indicate that Apple likely has agreements with one or more carriers that govern bandwidth issues. This will likely be only with the carriers not implementing a bandwidth cap (internationally bandwidth caps are more or less the standard).
Leads to the questions:
- Why does Apple remove apps from all stores, if there is only a possible conflict with AT&T?
- Wouldn't it be better for consumers to have a decent bandwidth cap (say 1 or 2 GB) and a free choice of applications?

[jmincey]

Drefus, you ask, "Wouldn't it be better for consumers to have a decent bandwidth cap (say 1 or 2 GB) and a free choice of applications?"
My answer: Yes.
As it is now, there appears to be a stealth (or unspoken) bandwidth cap. AT&T needs to be specific about this and Apple should not have to police what should be the province of a wireless carrier.
Jeff Mincey