Apple now rejecting ebook apps simply becuase they’re ebook apps
You know that ebook apps have been in itunes ever since the app store launched, right? Well, that might not last much longer. Apple is pushing ebook app developers to instead submit an ebook to iBooks instead of submitting an app to iTunes.
I’ve come across a number of reports today from developers who had one or more apps bounced by Apple. It’s been happening for at least the past 7 months (I’ve heard from one dev who fought with Apple in November-December). I won’t be naming that dev; it was a private email. But I saw screenshots from that developer’s app and trust me, it would not work well in iBooks.
There’s more. A friend on Twitter tipped me to this 4 month old post on a public forum, and the story is much the same. The ebook app had text, background music, and sound effects, but that wasn’t enough for Apple. Also, a second dev chimed in about a month later on that thread; he had the same experience.
I also have a 4th case, and this one from the Baker Framework community. (BF is a pre-written library of code that helps you build ebook apps for the iPad.) One dev reported that his app was rejected because it wasn’t app enough. Apple told him to submit it to iBooks, even though it’s not clear that you could translate the design of his app into Epub.
On the other hand, the devs who maintain the Baker Framework have heard back from a bunch of developers who succeeded in getting their app into iTunes, which suggests that the rejected apps might be a minority. It looks like approval depends on who reviews the app.
So here’s the problem, folks. Most of these apps have complex formatting that doesn’t work well in iBooks. That’s why they were submitted as apps.
Even if they do work, I wouldn’t want to have them as ebooks. iBooks forces you to experience a number of faux-book effects that I really don’t like. It inserts a fake crease down the middle of the screen and as for the fake page turn – ugh!
P.S. Apple does have a rule for this, but it’s not being applied consistently.
* 2.21: Apps that are simply a song or movie should be submitted to the iTunes store. Apps that are simply a book should be submitted to the iBookstore"
What is a book?
P.P.S. If you have heard of other ebook apps being rejected, please let me know.
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