Woah, who saw this coming? Apple has changed its super-controversial stance on third party developer tools for iOS apps, now allowing any and all comers, “as long as the resulting apps do not download any code.” We’re guessing this is mostly a nod to game developers, who use ported engines like Unreal and interpreters like Lua, but it also apparently covers apps developed in Adobe Flash CS5. In addition, the rules on mobile advertising have changed, so AdMob ads are seemingly back in, and Apple’s also publishing its App Store Review Guidelines at long last, which will give developers a better idea of how their apps are going to be scrutinized by Apple before they submit them. We’re sure we’ll be hearing plenty in the coming weeks as developers and arm chair analysts rifle through Apple’s so-far-secretive guidelines, but mostly we’re just excited to see what sort of innovation and development accessibility we’ve been missing out on while these third party tools have been off the market. The full (and brief) release can be found after the break.
Update: Google’s responded to the newly-relaxed restrictions, saying “Apple’s new terms will keep in-app advertising on the iPhone open to many different mobile ad competitors and enable advertising solutions that operate across a wide range of platforms.”
Update 2: Our friend John Paczkowski at All Things Digital has Adobe’s statement: “We are encouraged to see Apple lifting its restrictions on its licensing terms, giving developers the freedom to choose what tools they use to develop applications for Apple devices.”
Update 3: In case the last update didn’t give it away enough, Adobe announced in a blog post that it’ll resume development on its Packager for iPhone tools, for Flash CS5 devs who want to convert their work to the portable powerhouse.
Meanwhile, it seems like it’s time for a little recap:
Continue reading Apple backpedaling on some iOS development restrictions, will allow third party tools and ad services
Apple backpedaling on some iOS development restrictions, will allow third party tools and ad services originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 22:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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It’s been a long time coming — now native Google Voice apps have finally returned to the iTunes App Store. This, after a fourteen month hiatus in which we saw an FCC investigation into the matter that culminated in a loosening of App Store restrictions. So far, we’re only seeing the $3 GV Connect app in the store with GV Mobile + coming sometime Saturday morning according to its developer, Sean Kovacs. No word on when the official Google Voice iPhone app will make its appearance, but surely it can’t be long — Phil must have had a chance to study the app he personally 
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