"We're at a critical juncture in the evolution of software. The web is still here and it is still strong. Anyone can still put any information or applications on a web server without asking for permission, and anyone in the world can still access it just by typing a URL. I don't think I appreciated how important that is until recently. Nobody designs new systems like that anymore, or at least few of them succeed. What an incredible stroke of luck the web was, and what a shame it would be to let that freedom slip away. I do not wish to fight any mobile device makers who want to create a software ecosystem and act as the gatekeepers for that ecosystem. What I do want to fight for is the viability of the mobile web. Developers are rushing to create native apps, meanwhile letting their mobile web apps atrophy (I have certainly been guilty of that myself). Web technology is still relatively weak, and improving slowly. At this pace, what will the mobile web look like in 10 years? Will we wake up and find that the next generation of great software companies have incredibly powerful native apps, but mobile websites that are little more than "About" pages?" - Paul Buchheit from Bookmarklet

But will Facebook stop working on iPhone apps just because of this? No. Neither will Google. Unfortunately, the big companies that have the clout to do something will not stand up for developer's rights, as long as the consumer insists on buying the iPhone and other such locked down devices. - Piaw Na

In fairness to Google they are fighting for openness in the one conduit they control which is Android. Its asking a lot to expect them to completely boycott iPhone which would be their only other leverage with Apple. - Ed Millard

Well, then I should expect Facebook to support Android, as well as all the other companies that have the resources to do so. :-) - Piaw Na

Piaw, are you saying that facebook isn't supporting android? last i checked there was a facebook android app -- plus, this is just one guy's opinions, he does not speak for facebook (as far as i can tell) - Chris Heath

Piaw, I'd imagine that Apple's non-approval of several Google apps has prompted Google to devote more resources to making superb Android apps (and yes, apps for the Pre and Blackberry) than iPhone. Where it really hurts is apps that have a hardware component. I don't know many/any developers willing to make consumer apps for the iPhone that require a hardware component because the rist of their hardware development being for naught when Apple rejects their app is simply too great. Nav systems are the exception to this rule because it's imperative for them to have mobile phone apps and they're willing to take the risk. - Kevin Fox

I imagine Facebook is putting their resources in the ports their user base is demanding. The number of users they have on iPhone demands attention, and shorting it for reasons that are somewhat political probably isn't wise. With the growing popularity of Android it will probably warrant increased resources. Kind of sounds like Joe would rather make the web app work better and that would be more platform agnostic though its pretty hard to do a really exceptional mobile experience through a browser. - Ed Millard

Is there a FB ad on Android? I switched from Android back to Blackberry earlier this year, but I definitely remember that there was no Android app before I switched. - Piaw Na

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009... - Ed Millard

I guess he's got his heart in the right place, but I can't get too worked up about this issue, not coming from the console game work, where all the platforms are locked down and always have been. - Andrew C (✓) from Android

I've never seen a major-label game be blocked from publication on a major platform for ambiguous and arbitrary reasons. Imagine if Modern Warfare 2 requires a patch to fix a hack and Microsoft decided to disallow it because they've decided that they don't want warfare scenes that take place within the United States? That's a fairer comparison. - Kevin Fox

I have heard a few horror stories of games being rejected, or at least delayed, because the console manufacturer in question had its own strategic reasons for doing so (because they had a similar in-house game coming out, or because they thought there were too many similar games coming out at once). Not quite the same thing, but still a pretty dangerous situation if you're the developer. - Joel Webber

Console platforms have a limited life (try playing the PS games on the PS3). Phone OS, however, look like they'll be around for the long term. - Piaw Na

Joel, those reasons aren't ambiguous nor are they arbitrary. - Chris Heath

They may not be literally arbitrary, but they are still opaque to the developer, and not in the developer's best interest. Not precisely the same thing (and probably less common), but close enough to bear mentioning. - Joel Webber

Piaw, dude, you switched from Android to Blackberry? You are a man who loves outdated tools :) - j1m

The switch was entirely based on my need for international roaming data plans at $20/month flat fee (this is on top of the standard fee, but the only time I *really need* data is when I'm roaming!). If any other smart phone came with that feature, I'd switch. - Piaw Na

Joel, when an app is rejected at the time of a bugfix for reasons that existed in the released product for months, or when an app is rejected for an issue which exists in dozens of other apps that have been approved and a developer is shunned when bringing up this inconstant application of rules, then yes, I would call it arbitrary. - Kevin Fox

Sorry, Kevin, wasn't being clear -- I was just responding to the assertion that console approval processes weren't as arbitrary as Apple's. I agree.-- Aplle's is even worse, and that's saying something! - Joel Webber