Dave Gee: Life from Right Field

Apple has always had a reputation for being rather heavy handed when dealing with other companies and individuals, and that attitude has continued with the tough approval process for iPhone and iPod Touch applications.

Iphone App developers have complained of long delays in getting new or updated applications approved for the popular handheld devices.

Other applications submitted to Apple for "vetting" have been rejected, for reasons believed to include competition with Apple's partners (eg. a Skype client), or for tapping into "undocumented Apple APIs (application programming interfaces)".

The latest application to fall foul of Apple's rules is one called "iBoobs". The program displays a pair of virtual breasts, tastefully wearing a black bra. Users can wobble the breasts by shaking their handheld device, which activates the iPhone/iPod Touch's movement sensors.

However, Apple's application store has rejected iBoobs, because it deemed that bouncing bosoms constituted "objectionable content".

Critics say iBoobs is just another in a raft of light-hearted iPhone/iPod Touch applications - like iBeer, iMilk, and Crazy Mouth - which may not assist greatly with productivity, but are just there to make people smile...

Update: I see Whale Oil has also picked up on this story... I guess I'm not surprised ;-)