Apple Bans Thousands of Adult-Themed Apps from App Store
The BBCreports that iPhone app developers are outraged that Apple has removed thousands of apps from iTunes that Apple says contain adult-themed content.
Thousands of apps with adult-themed content have been removed from the store since Friday although some, such as one from Playboy, remain.
Apple has said that certain apps were removed following customer complaints.
Developer Jon Atherton is angry that previously-approved apps have been pulled, and accuses Apple of "experimenting with our livelihoods".
Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of product marketing, told the New York Times, "It came to the point where we were getting customer complaints from women who found the content getting too degrading and objectionable, as well as parents who were upset with what their kids were able to see."
The Timesstory says some of the apps removed do not contain nudity, but photos of women in bikinis and lingerie. Some apps with women wearing bikinis have been removed while similar apps, like Sports Illustrated's swimsuit app, remain. Apple's pattern of removing apps is confusing both consumers and developers.
The app ban could be related to the iPad, which Apple will soon be launching. Piper Jaffray analyst told the Times, "At the end of the day, Apple has a brand to maintain. And the bottom line is they want that image to be squeaky clean."
The BBC 
