Apple marketing head speaks out about pulled apps


23 Feb 2010

The reason why Apple has yanked about 5,000 apps from its App Store is because developers have been submitting an increasing number of apps containing “very objectionable” content, said Phil Schiller, the company’s head of worldwide marketing.

Schiller told the New York Times that Apple had been receiving complaints from parents who were upset with what their children were able to view, and women, who found the content becoming too degrading and objectionable.

Despite Schiller’s comments, however, some confusion remains over how Apple decided to pull certain apps for “overtly sexual” content. For example, apps from Playboy and Sports Illustrated remain on sale while other seemingly innocuous ones, such as Dirty Fingers, in which a scantily dressed woman “wipes” smudge marks from the iPhone screen using a rag and spray bottle – have been deleted.

Apple, Schiller said, has considered the source of the app and its intent when allowing Sports Illustrated‘s app to remain on sale.

“The difference is this is a well-known company with previously published material available broadly in a well-accepted format,” he said.

Industry experts believe Apple is cleaning up the App Store ahead of the launch of the iPad, a tablet-style computer the company reportedly hopes will be popular with families and schools.

Photo: Apple has removed some 5,000 apps from its App Store for “overtly sexual” content

Photo – mosaic image, courtesy of 148Apps