Is this Any Way to Run an App Store?

In the latest example of Apple's bungled and heavy-handed approach to its App Store approval process, Apple has begun to remove all apps with "sexual content" from the Store. Affected developers received an email last week notifying them of Apple's intent; the removal of apps began almost immediately thereafter. A CNET article claims that over 5,000 apps have now been removed.

As is typical for this sort of hot-button issue, reactions to Apple's move have been sharply divided. Some applaud Apple's decision; others view it as an unwanted and unnecessary intrusion. However, for this article, I want to step back from the smaller controversy surrounding "sexy apps." Instead, I want to focus on what I believe is a larger more ominous issue: How Apple mistreats its third-party developers and how this ultimately stifles innovation on the iPhone.

Developing an app for the App Store can take a considerable investment of time and money. Yet, other than its (inadequate) license agreement, Apple offers no pre-submission guidance as to the probability that an app will ultimately be accepted. In particular, Apple will typically not respond to developers' requests regarding a potential issue for a specific app. Only after the app is submitted will Apple reply.

This means that a developer can wind up spending thousands of dollars to create an app, only to have Apple reject it for reasons that could not have been anticipated.