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The name was approved by Apple years ago. The developer built the brand on that name. What changed? Apple's policies (on their whims). If Apple has to come down

The name was approved by Apple years ago. The developer built the brand on that name. What changed? Apple's policies (on their whims). If Apple has to come down hard, they should bear the cost of the re-branding at least to measurably communicating widely regarding the rename. It is sad that Apple exercises so much power callously.

reaperducer 6y ago
What changed? Apple's policies Companies change policies all the time. I get dozens of terms of service revision alerts in my e-mail each year. Same goes for government policies, and even personal policies. You wouldn't make decisions today based solely on things you thought ten years ago. Life changes. Policies change. Things change.
- unethical_ban 6y ago
  Doesn't make it right. I shouldn't be shocked to find some contrarian/nihilist defending EULAs and corporate bullshit on HN, but here we are.
joseph_grobbles 6y ago
"The name was approved by Apple years ago" This isn't going to be popular, however getting away with something for a period of time is not the same as being approved/sanctioned/etc. In the petition the author claimed that the app "spontaneously began violating" one of the guidelines, when clearly it has violated it all along. Yet that disingenuous angle is used constantly when people get away with something for a while and suddenly aren't. As an aside, it's interesting that anyone thinks that making a big noise about this will cause Apple to revert their stance (as app using a pill as their icon, naming it after a controlled substance, and using narrative like "the most awesome keep-awake"). That is improbable. It seems much more likely that Apple will be very certain this app is renamed, and the narrative changed.
- silentsea90 6y ago
  Apple approved of the app. Hence the name was approved. Not sure what we mean by "getting away" here
  - joseph_grobbles 6y ago
    I drove by a cop over the speed limit yesterday. He didn't pull me over. Therefore I can always drive over the speed limit and it is "approved". This is childish, nonsensical argumentation. The app has always been in contravention of the rules of the app store.
    - Daho0n 6y ago
      Apple wrote a story about the App. They approved it and approved of it.
      - dinkleberg 6y ago
        Apple isn’t a singular entity, it is made up of lots of people. I’d find it unlikely the people approving apps are the same as those who pick the apps to showcase. And neither of those groups are likely involved with making up the rules.
        EricE 6y ago
        So because Apple is inconsistent internally developers should have to deal with those consequences? What's really nuts is if this was a company like Adobe instead of a small independent developer we wouldn't even be having this discussion. That's the crux of the issue here, not to what degree this app may or may not be promoting drugs (give me a frigging break).
    - ihunter2839 6y ago
      You want to talk about a nonsensical argument, take a look at the comparison you just made. In the first situation, you have no way of knowing whether the cop even saw you. Or if they were on duty. Or if they were previously occupied responding to some other call. In the second, the app was explicitly submitted for review and approved by Apple. Even more egregious, the app was explicitly mentioned, by name, by Apple. Next time, I recommend you speed up and catch the cop to make sure they know you were speeding and see how things play out.
frombody 6y ago
I just did some research and it appears that amphetamine used to have a coffee cup logo. Amphetamine rebranded to showcase it as a pill.
- silentsea90 6y ago
  You might also want to check if logo updates are reviewed by Apple. https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/61753 https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/61753

reaperducer 6y ago

What changed? Apple's policies Companies change policies all the time. I get dozens of terms of service revision alerts in my e-mail each year. Same goes for government policies, and even personal policies. You wouldn't make decisions today based solely on things you thought ten years ago. Life changes. Policies change. Things change.

unethical_ban 6y ago
Doesn't make it right. I shouldn't be shocked to find some contrarian/nihilist defending EULAs and corporate bullshit on HN, but here we are.

joseph_grobbles 6y ago

"The name was approved by Apple years ago" This isn't going to be popular, however getting away with something for a period of time is not the same as being approved/sanctioned/etc. In the petition the author claimed that the app "spontaneously began violating" one of the guidelines, when clearly it has violated it all along. Yet that disingenuous angle is used constantly when people get away with something for a while and suddenly aren't. As an aside, it's interesting that anyone thinks that making a big noise about this will cause Apple to revert their stance (as app using a pill as their icon, naming it after a controlled substance, and using narrative like "the most awesome keep-awake"). That is improbable. It seems much more likely that Apple will be very certain this app is renamed, and the narrative changed.

silentsea90 6y ago
Apple approved of the app. Hence the name was approved. Not sure what we mean by "getting away" here
- joseph_grobbles 6y ago
  I drove by a cop over the speed limit yesterday. He didn't pull me over. Therefore I can always drive over the speed limit and it is "approved". This is childish, nonsensical argumentation. The app has always been in contravention of the rules of the app store.
  - Daho0n 6y ago
    Apple wrote a story about the App. They approved it and approved of it.
    - dinkleberg 6y ago
      Apple isn’t a singular entity, it is made up of lots of people. I’d find it unlikely the people approving apps are the same as those who pick the apps to showcase. And neither of those groups are likely involved with making up the rules.
      - EricE 6y ago
        So because Apple is inconsistent internally developers should have to deal with those consequences? What's really nuts is if this was a company like Adobe instead of a small independent developer we wouldn't even be having this discussion. That's the crux of the issue here, not to what degree this app may or may not be promoting drugs (give me a frigging break).
  - ihunter2839 6y ago
    You want to talk about a nonsensical argument, take a look at the comparison you just made. In the first situation, you have no way of knowing whether the cop even saw you. Or if they were on duty. Or if they were previously occupied responding to some other call. In the second, the app was explicitly submitted for review and approved by Apple. Even more egregious, the app was explicitly mentioned, by name, by Apple. Next time, I recommend you speed up and catch the cop to make sure they know you were speeding and see how things play out.

frombody 6y ago

I just did some research and it appears that amphetamine used to have a coffee cup logo. Amphetamine rebranded to showcase it as a pill.

silentsea90 6y ago
You might also want to check if logo updates are reviewed by Apple. https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/61753 https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/61753