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If they were using private API's (as many here are claiming), then why didn't the infamous and lengthy app store review process find that before these apps made

If they were using private API's (as many here are claiming), then why didn't the infamous and lengthy app store review process find that before these apps made it to the market? If they can't even find out that an app is using private API's, what are they spending 7-8 weeks reviewing?

noarchy 17y ago
This is an issue that needs more attention. The app review process gets plenty of attention as it is, and in this case, deserves more than it is getting.
- rimantas 17y ago
  It is not review process that gets attention but horror stories associated with it. Nobody cares and nobody talks about the apps which were approved quickly, but review gone badly get too much (imho) attention. Especially from those who most likely will never have to deal with it themselves.
Zev 17y ago
You're assuming that the reviewers are programmers; don't. The review process was changed a month or two back; from something along the lines of "Will the app crash? Does it look like its doing anything evil?" to something closer to `automatically scans for private api usage` + "does the app crash doing basic tasks within the app". The review process now takes a lot less than 2 weeks (or 2 months, at worst). I've heard stories of approvals for updates within an hour recently.
- metachor 17y ago
  "I've heard stories of approvals for updates within an hour recently." For whatever this anecdote is worth: Within the past week I encountered this in the wild. I saw that an update for an app was available and immediately installed it. Later the same day, I saw another update was available for the same app.
- theBobMcCormick 17y ago
  I'm certainly not assuming the reviewers are programmer. However, it'd be super simple to create an automated tool that would scan an app to see if it uses any private API's. Am I suggesting Apple should do this? Not really. I don't actually see that much value in it. What I do think is interesting is that people often try to justify Apple's ridiculous, lengthy, and arbitrary review process by implying that the review process is someone keeping iPhone users safe from viruses or other malevolent programs. But clearly that's not the case. If the App Store approval process isn't sophisticated enough to identify apps that are using private API's before those apps are approved and released on the market, then clearly the approval process isn't going to identify malware of any reasonable level of sophistication.

noarchy 17y ago

This is an issue that needs more attention. The app review process gets plenty of attention as it is, and in this case, deserves more than it is getting.

rimantas 17y ago
It is not review process that gets attention but horror stories associated with it. Nobody cares and nobody talks about the apps which were approved quickly, but review gone badly get too much (imho) attention. Especially from those who most likely will never have to deal with it themselves.

Zev 17y ago

You're assuming that the reviewers are programmers; don't. The review process was changed a month or two back; from something along the lines of "Will the app crash? Does it look like its doing anything evil?" to something closer to `automatically scans for private api usage` + "does the app crash doing basic tasks within the app". The review process now takes a lot less than 2 weeks (or 2 months, at worst). I've heard stories of approvals for updates within an hour recently.

metachor 17y ago
"I've heard stories of approvals for updates within an hour recently." For whatever this anecdote is worth: Within the past week I encountered this in the wild. I saw that an update for an app was available and immediately installed it. Later the same day, I saw another update was available for the same app.
theBobMcCormick 17y ago
I'm certainly not assuming the reviewers are programmer. However, it'd be super simple to create an automated tool that would scan an app to see if it uses any private API's. Am I suggesting Apple should do this? Not really. I don't actually see that much value in it. What I do think is interesting is that people often try to justify Apple's ridiculous, lengthy, and arbitrary review process by implying that the review process is someone keeping iPhone users safe from viruses or other malevolent programs. But clearly that's not the case. If the App Store approval process isn't sophisticated enough to identify apps that are using private API's before those apps are approved and released on the market, then clearly the approval process isn't going to identify malware of any reasonable level of sophistication.