Now here’s a fishy situation. Cult of Mac points to a rather odd occurrence where Apple seems to have pulled the month-old Airfoil Speakers Touch app from the App Store…
If you’re not familiar with Rogue Amoeba, their main app Air Foil provides streaming audio functionality between devices/computers. Airfoil Speakers Touch allows streaming audio to an iOS device from other devices/computers. Follow me? Either way they make some great software. One of which called is NiceCast that we actually use to live-stream our Podcast.
Let’s get back to business though. Apparently without warning the Airfoil Speakers Touch app was pulled from the App Store with no reasoning or explanation to Rogue Amoeba.
Rogue Amoeba’s Paul Kafasis wrote this on the companies blog:
Today, we’ve been informed that Apple has removed Airfoil Speakers Touch from the iOS App Store.1 We first heard from Apple about this decision two days ago, and we’ve been discussing the pending removal with them since then. However, we still do not yet have a clear answer on why Apple has chosen to remove Airfoil Speakers Touch. Needless to say, we’re quite disappointed with their decision, and we’re working hard to once again make the application available for you, our users.
As far as we can tell, Airfoil Speakers Touch is in full compliance with Apple’s posted rules and developer agreements. We’ve already filed an appeal with Apple’s App Review Board, and we’re awaiting further information. Unfortunately, Apple has full control of application distribution on iOS, leaving us with no other recourse here.
Very strange. Moments later a tipster told Cult of Mac the app was pulled because it duplicated functionality in iOS 6:
According to our tipster, Airfoil Speakers Touch wasn’t yanked arbitrarily, but instead because it duplicates functionality in the still unreleased and officially unannounced iOS 6. Our source says that in iOS 6, an Apple TV, for example, can pipe sound from a movie to an iPod touch, iPhone or iPad, and any iOS device will be able to beam audio to another. We’re trying to get more details, and have reached out to Apple and Rogue Amoeba for comment. Original post is below.
Now that would make sense, IF iOS 6 WAS OUT. But since we’re still at least 5-6 months away from the official release, I can’t see why Apple would care. Unless of course they planned some jaw dropping demonstration for WWDC coming up in a couple weeks regarding a similar feature.
After reaching out for a comment, Rogue Amoeba told Cult of Mac:
We’ve seen that theory floated by a few folks as a wild guess, but there’s certainly no hard evidence that iOS 6 will contain audio receiving functionality. Anything’s possible, but I can’t say it seems likely that iOS 6 will turn iOS devices into AirPlay receivers.
Even if that is the case, however, iOS 6 isn’t here yet nor even announced. The timing on pulling Airfoil Speakers Touch now, a month after it was approved but before iOS 6 has even been made public, seems to make little sense with regards to this possibility. It’s certainly not something Apple has done before.
So it looks like only time will unfold this messy situation. But fact of the matter is, Apple seems to up and change rules sometimes without informing developers. Airfoil was rejected a few other times from the App Store prior to this, but they were usually let back with a few changes or raising a complaint. I hope it’s just some silly security flaw between the app and it’s communication with devices.
Let’s hope they get back in there soon.
Why do you think Apple pulled the app?
Source: Cult of Mac
