iPhone: Peeps Rejected for Private API ... Huh?

12 Dec 2008, 16:47 PST

Update

Peeps has been approved!

After waiting 33 days to receive word on our app, Peeps, we've got a reply:

Upon review of your application, Peeps cannot be posted to the App
Store due to the usage of a non-public API.  Usage of non-public APIs,
as outlined in the iPhone SDK Agreement section 3.3.1, is prohibited:
 
"3.3.1 Applications may only use Published APIs in the manner prescribed
by Apple and must not use or call any unpublished or private APIs. "
 
The non-public API that is included in your application comes from the
CoverFlow API set.

Let's be clear here: We did not use private API.

The last thing I would do is deliver time-bomb code to a paying customer. Private API can be broken or removed at any time by the vendor, and relying on it is unfair to your customers -- they rarely have any idea that the application they just purchased may not work next week, or next month.

So when I needed a CoverFlow-like user interface I wrote my own -- from scratch. I suppose I should be flattered that Apple mistook it for their own implementation (demo 1, demo 2).

In the mean time, I've got a support request in, and I'm waiting to hear back from the App Store. I don't fault Apple for the misunderstanding, I just wish they hadn't taken 33 days to tell me.

If you're willing to brave the App Store waters and would like to license our implementation for your own app, just say hello.

Update: You can now download a demo and purchase a copy of PLJukebox (our implementation) directly from the Plausible Labs website