Daring Fireball received a response from Apple Senior VP of Marketing, Phil Schiller, regarding the App Store incident involving the Ninjawords iPhone dictionary app.

Gruber quotes “the salient parts” of the email in full, but the gist seems to be that, unlike other dictionaries approved for the App Store, Ninjawords drew from Wiktionary — an open internet source — and thus the App Store suggested they wait until iPhone 3.0 was released with parental controls before re-submitting it. Not knowing the release date of 3.0 and not wanting to wait, the Ninjawords developers went ahead and filtered it themselves, thus ending up with a filtered app that took long enough to approve it timed itself into the 17+ rating anyway.

However, other dictionaries with the same “objectionable content” haven’t been flagged as 17+, so the capricious nature of the App Store — the very thing developers fear most — remains. Check out the above link to Daring Fireball for more on that aspect.

For his part, Schiller closes his response as follows:

Apple's goals remain aligned with customers and developers — to create an innovative applications platform on the iPhone and iPod touch and to assist many developers in making as much great software as possible for the iPhone App Store. While we may not always be perfect in our execution of that goal, our efforts are always made with the best intentions, and if we err we intend to learn and quickly improve.

On the heels Tim Cook’s comments about improvements needed to the App Store, if observable actions follow the sentiments, perhaps developers and users alike will begin to regain some faith in the approval process. Until then, it remains an unsightly blemish on Apple’s otherwise brilliant mobile platform.

(No word yet on whether Gruber asked him about Google Voice…)

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Daring Fireball: Apple VP Phil Schiller Responds to Ninjawords iPhone App Store Incident

In Stock: Blueant Q1 Voice Controlled Bluetooth Headset for iPhone

The revolutionary BlueAnt Q1 Voice Controlled Bluetooth Headset with Multipoint takes Bluetooth headsets to the next level of comfort and handsfree experience.

The BlueAnt Q1 uses advanced Voice Recognition software to allow you to easily control the headset and many phone functions just by using your voice.

That’s right: talk to it and it will talk to you.

To hear a list of the available commands just click the BlueAnt button and say “What Can I Say?”.

The BlueAnt Q1 incorporates dual microphones and BlueAnt’s superior Voice Isolation Technology - an advanced software solution that separates the user’s voice from all other sounds resulting in outstanding call quality, no matter where you are.

The Blueant Q1 Voice Controlled Bluetooth Headset for iPhone is in stock and available now from TiPb’s iPhone store…

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

In Stock: Blueant Q1 Voice Controlled Bluetooth Headset for iPhone

All Things Digital reports that, based on Bernstein Research analyst Toni Sacconaghi’s estimates, that while Apple takes in only 8% of cellphone industry revenue, they rake in a bind boggling 32% of the profit. This is similar to their share of desktop computing revenue and profits.

"With the iPhone and its Apps Store, Apple has established a formidable smartphone ecosystem, which history suggests is very difficult to overcome," the analyst explains. "In fact, Apple has the potential to become a de-facto standard of sorts in the consumer smartphone market, much like it became in the portable media player market with iPods, due in large part to its first mover advantage and tight software and hardware integration.

Indeed. Applying the Mac and iPod business model, especially as convergent, mobile devices begin to outpace traditional players and platforms, was said by Apple to be their strategy from the get go.

Looks like it just might work out for them…

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iPhone Rakes in 8% of Cellphone Market Revenue, 32% of Profit

David from ironicsans sent word that his genius Google Voice bookmarklet for iPhone Safari has been given a fairly awesome update:

Now there’s a script people can run (with instructions) that will convert your entire Address Book into Google Voice Speed Dial bookmarklets. It saves them to an html file that can be imported into Safari Bookmarks, rearranged or edited however you like, and then synced with the iPhone. Easy.

Check it out and let us know how it works for you!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Google Voice Bookmarklet Updated to Convert Address Book

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Join Dieter, Chris, and Rene for iPhone 3.0.1, iProd 1,1 speculation, more App Store craziness, top 5 jailbreak apps, and a dramatic reading! Listen in!

Featured Accessory

• Jabra SP200 Bluetooth Speakerphone for Hands-Free iPhone 3G/3GS Action

News

iPhone 3.0.1 - SMS Fix

• iPhone OS 3.0.1 Now Available Via iTunes
• Fixes SMS Security Vulnerability
• iPhone 3.0.1 redsn0w & ultrasn0w Safe for Jailbreak, no more Purplera1n

iPhone 3GS Watch

• Rogers Canada to Start Selling 8GB iPhone 3GS?

Apps and App Store

• App Store Insists Ninjawords iPhone Dictionary Remove "Objectionable" Content, Still Classifies it 17+
• Apple Adds "App Store Review Status", Escalation Email, to iPhone Dev Center
• FCC Investigating Google Voice Rejection from Apple's iTunes App Store, AT&T's Involvement
• AT&T Issues Non-Denial Denial on Denying Google Voice Entry into App Store

iTunes & iTablet

• iProd 1,1 Once Again Seen in iPhone Firmware
• Crazy Rumor: Apple to Turn iTunes Accounts into Paypal Competitor?!
• Apple Launches iTunes Store (Music) in Mexico!
• FCC Investigating Google Voice Rejection from Apple's iTunes App Store, AT&T's Involvement

Jailbreak Central

• Apple Officially Warns Against Jailbreaking
• Top 5 Must-Have Jailbreak Apps: Post iPhone 3.0 Edition

Carrier Talk

• TiPb Poll Results: Verizon Couldn't Handle the iPhone Either
• T-Mobile UK Offering Unlocked iPhones to Retain High-Value Customers?
• Rogers/Fido Canada Extend 6GB/$30 Data "Promotion" to September 15

The Competition

• Microsoft Gives Devs Guide to iCloning iPhone Apps for Windows Mobile
• iPhone developer revolt brewing, what can Palm learn?

In Other News

• Netflix Next to Stream to iPhone?
• Google's Eric Schmidt Resigns from Apple Board of Directors
• Nintendo: iPhone May Damage Sales

Help and How To

• Want Easy Google Voice Access on Your iPhone? Go Old School with a Bookmarklet!

Forums

• From the Forums: iPhone 3.0 Jailbreak Apps, Overheating, 3GS Photos, Battery Tips

Credits

Thanks to the the iPhone Blog Store for sponsoring the podcast, and to everyone who showed up for the live chat!

Our music comes from the following sources:

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This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb Presents: iPhone Live! #22 - Objectionable Content!

Welcome to From the Forums. If you are curious as to what all of the hot topics are on the TiPb forums, this is the place to be. In order to create any new threads of your own or reply to any of the following threads, you must be a registered member. Becoming a member is a simple process that will only take a few minutes out of your day, so if you haven't already, head on over and register now.

First post on the agenda today comes to us from xultar, and he has a question for all of you iPhone owners who have chosen not to jailbreak your device, why have you not taken the jump to jailbreak your iPhone?

Next up we have a thread started by naviwilliams and he would like to know which email service do you prefer - Yahoo or Gmail and what are some of the pros and cons of each? Stop by this poll thread and cast your vote!

Earlier today forum member, supermanfos, posted a article regarding the upcoming Tom Tom GPS Car Kit and it’s pricing. So what do you think? Is this something you will spend your hard earned money on or will you stick with applications such as G-Map that are already in the App Store?

Last but not least, TiPb would like to remind everyone about our new forum dedicated to iPhone wallpapers and ringtones. We encourage you all to share some of your favorites with all of the forum members here at TiPb.

See you on the forums!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

From the Forums: iPhone Jailbreak?, Yahoo vs Gmail, Tom Tom Car Kit, Wallpapers & Ringtones

A couple new and interesting cases of App Store rejection, including the stripping Perfect Acumen and owner, Khalid Shaik, of their developer account, and ejecting their 900+ application already in the store, and the blanket rejection of E-Books — both nebulously tied to copyright infringement or the fear thereof.

Details after the break…

First one comes via MobileCrunch and tells of the aforementioned Khalid Shaik who, using a team of 26 Indian and Pakistani based programmers, turned out a mind-numbing (in more ways than one) 943 apps in the last year. These apps aggregated text or images from the Internet around topics like army news, wrestling news, sexy ladies, etc. and typically sold for $4.99. The only problem, of course, is that Shaik didn’t own the rights to the content he was using, and when you start trying to profit off racy pictures of young starlets you pull from the internet, the copyright police will come knocking. (Though apparently other developers were incensed over his marketing methods, and many users were none to pleased with the quality of the apps they purchased).

Apple claims it received complaints about more than one hundred of Shaik’s apps, and since Shaik has failed to respond, they’ve stripped his company, Perfect Acumen, of their developer license and removed his apps from the App Store.

MobileCrunch points out similar developer, Brighthouse Labs and their 1000+ apps have yet to be removed, though Apple may simply be at an earlier point in their internal, infamously opaque ejection process for Brighthouse.

Second, Erica Sadun at TUAW has learned that Apple has begun a blanket rejection of E-Books and E-Book readers due to concerns about copyright infringement. TUAW says there’s no evidence to suggest Apple is trying to bully the deck clear in order to launch E-Books as part of iTunes to coincide with their mythically rumored iTablet.

Apple could be responding to the recent Amazon Kindle debacle, where 1984 and Animal Farm were yanked from the service due to copyright infringement claims — not all books enter the public domain in all countries at the same time, apparently.

Says TUAW:

Apple cannot police the developers and will not allow possibly fraudulent postings on their store. Apple does not want to be in the position of vetting rights claims.

By letting E-Books and E-Book readers into the App Store, Apple will no doubt get DMCA (or equivalent) take down letters by publishers who believe their rights are being infringed. However, this is a cost of doing business everyone from YouTube (which is built into the iPhone) to niche forums (many of which can be access by the also built-in MobileSafari browser) have to face.

Set yourself up as lone gatekeeper, it’s hard to feel sympathy when you start cutting corners to get your job done…

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

App Store Cracks Down on Copyright, Ejects 900+ Aggregator Apps, Rejects E-Books

After a brief respite showing off iPhone 3GS features, Apple has returned to their now familiar “App for That” playbook with two new TV spots, one focusing on Share and the other on Travel.

Share shows off photo transfer with Mover [Free - iTunes link], contact transfer with Billionth App Downloaded Bump [Free - iTunes link], and multi-player gaming with Scrabble [$4.99 - iTunes link]

Travel promenades with Rick Steves’ Historic Paris Walk [$4.99 - iTunes link], goes underground with Paris Metro 09 [$4.99 - iTunes link], and sends back the fun with Postman [$1.99 - iTunes link]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

New iPhone “App for That” Ads: Share and Travel