Apple rejects iPhone app over access to Kama Sutra

Apple's iPhone app rejection policy continues to mystify.

This time, Apple has rejected Eucalyptus, an e-book reader app that can--after purposely searching for it--access the Kama Sutra. Like it does with all books available through the app, Eucalyptus downloads a text-only version of the ancient Indian book on sexuality from Project Gutenberg.

In a letter to the developer on Thursday, Apple rejected the app because it deems the content available on Eucalyptus as "objectionable."

What's interesting about this case is that the Kama Sutra is available in the iPhone App Store through several other methods. For instance, you can find it through Safari and Google on the iPhone. Even more baffling, you can also find the book using other e-book readers available on the App Store.

To be clear, Eucalyptus does not come with the Kama Sutra installed by default--in fact, it doesn't come with any books installed. You must search for and download the books yourself.

For now, Eucalyptus will not be available in the App Store, unless the developer specifically bans the Kama Sutra from the app. That also assumes that Apple won't find another book with "objectionable" content and refuse the e-book reader again.

[catch23]

Mystify?
No, it is just Apple. You will use the equipment you purchased from them how they tell you to. Well, how they allow you to.
How is that mystical? They do it all the time.

[jtaylor475]

Oh please get a grip.

Cracks me up how haters seem to camp out in this section just salivating at the latest Apple misstep.

See! It proves Apple sucks! The only difference between Apple's missteps - forbidding a book because it can access a classic erotic text? - and Microsoft (let's talk about Vista, ok?) is response time.

C'mon, clearly there's no agenda or the other sources for the text would also be unavailable.

[kojacked]

"Cracks me up how haters seem to camp out in this section just salivating at the latest Apple misstep."

They do it for Microsoft so what's new?

[gefitz]

Once again, at Apple (like at many other major companies), the left cheek doesn't know what the right cheek is sitting on.

Gee, I guess Apple is really a lot like every other company...except they charge more for the privilege.

[mrcjacobs]

Seriously, why are you guys still covering the idiocy that goes on with the App Store? We already know that Apple apparently doesn't know it's elbows from it's a$$hole!

[leodavinci314]

Ok CNET, we get the idea, we know what Apple's policy is by now so you can stop publishing every instance an app gets denied. Hopefully the rumors are true that once the new 3.0 OS implements parental controls, apps like this will be posted in an adult section.

[B-Ri]

Maybe it's good to publish each of these denials as it sheds light on the process and maybe pressures apple to make a change.

[swooded]

You're right, everyone should stop publishing stories on the hypocritical acceptance policies, because public pressure to right these issues clearly doesn't work...
Parental control putting this app in an "Adult section" isn't the problem. The problem is that they have rejected a simple e-reader based on the fact that you have the ability to read a certain book, which in no way is affiliated or included with the e-reader. By your example, all apps that allow you to read books should be in the adult section, along with the web browser & search engine. The point behind the story is that this is not the case - you can get this same book on any accepted app.

[wwdd00]

These stories are completely appropriate for a few reasons. First, Apple still needs to help people figure out their method of choosing what is and isn't appropriate material in their APP store, because it is confusing and conflicting. People that want to develop APPs need to know what they can do; it's incredibly frustrating to be sure to put all your time and effort into something just to have it rejected by Apple, for no real apparent reason. (No, I don't buy the "has access to Kama Sutra" bit, either...) Secondly, and what makes this story stick out to me, I think Apple should avoid conflicts of interest (Amazon's Kindle APP can get access to the same content, and more...)

[mrcjacobs]

@leodavinci314 You're kind right? how many parents actually know what their kids have on their phones? And just how is Apple going to make sure kids don't download the app? What Apple needs to do is stop trying to decide what people can and can't see!

[mrfess]

I found the kama sutra using the approved Stanza app. It took about 2 minutes. Also it was free.

[ballmerisanape]

You should be reporting why Palm still hasn't released an SDK for there supposed "iPhone Killer"...

The phone is set to release on June 6th.. and there is currently no way to develop for it.. Smart move.

[Button Boy]

Apparently there are some bodly functions that are acceptable for iPhone users, but sex is not among them.

[cvaldes1831]

Another day, another App Store Rejection Snafu. Just like clockwork.

Keep up the good work, Apple! Have a great holiday weekend!

Sincerely,

An AAPL shareholder (and customer)

[ducttape36]

fahrenheit 451 much?

[dumbspammers]

Presumably Safari will be removed from the iPhone, sicne that can also be used to access the Kama Sutra. And since Google can be used to search for "Kama Sutra" Apple will have to block access to Google in all its myriad forms...

Good Lord, this is a debacle as amusing as the DOS 5.0 fun (remember that? When your MS-DOS kernel would randomly decide to permanently mark *all* files on your hard drive as permanently deleted?).

Big Software is Watching .

[Super2online]

Classic Apple. The brilliance of Steve- combined with the brilliance of Steve.

[myles taylor]

So no matter what Apple does, rejecting or accepting an App, people will complain, criticize, write blogs about it, and no one will agree. I'm glad they don't seem to care.

[Seaspray0]

They were trying to keey applerocks1969 from viewing naughty material.

[unknown unknown]

This is the effect of arbitrary censorship. People start questioning your every move. wondering why one thing was censored and not another. It's just a mess.

[TotallyMadeUpName]

So the Apple "App Store" is actually the Apple "Christian App Store". And hypocritical at that.

[kingrah1]

I love you Apple, but this is getting rediculous, they need to launch their parental rating system already so that stupid stuff like this doesnt happen anymore(or at least no where near as often)

[swooded]

"unless the developer specifically bans the Kama Sutra from the app"

Exactly. Apple is literally in the business of Banning Books now. Amazing move.

[unknown unknown]

Count down to Godwin's Law.

[ecotony]

While I love my iPhone and think Apple is generally pretty good. This is just stupid. I could sorta understand if the drawings were attached to the text, but it isn't.
How farts and burp sounds are okay, but talk of sexuality in text form isn't OK baffles me.

Looking forward to the new OS to see if we can get beyond the big-brother babysitting stuff.

[Perry_Clease]

Farts are one thing, check out HotClock.

[Hellcat]

Ok this is simple. All these companies that make these apps for the iphone that get rejected just make them for Android and Palm phones and they probably won't be rejected. Then free thinking people, go buy these phones and leave Apple to the people who think Apple.

[Mergatroid Mania]

You mean leave Apple to the people Apple thinks for.

[cbk780]

As someone else pointed out, there is already an approved ebook reader for the iPhoine -- Stanza which accesses the Project Gutenberg texts:

http://www.pg-news.org/category/hardware/

Any company can be inconsistent in its actions but what I find particularly troubling is the inability to get the attention of a real person, capable of critical thinking, rather than one canned email response after another.

Is there anyone here who has not experienced the frustration and feeling of impotence in trying to get past the corporate stonewall?

Ultimately, public outrage can change corporate behavior. So props to cnet for publicizing the problem.

[Hellcat]

I wrote Sprint about a problem I had a while back and not only did someone wrote me back but later gave me a phone call to see if the problem was fixed and if there were any other questions I had.

Really, apps that provide the ability to ACCESS an obscene or objectionable text are barred? Clearly, Apple has gone off the deep end and now appears to be actively encourging iPhone users to jailbreak their iPhones so as to end this foolishness. I myself find the Christian bible in many ways objectionable, yet there's dozens of apps that not only provide access to it, but even the text itself. Perhaps Apple would like to ban libraries - there is no end to the goodies that can be had in such establishments. Seriously, Apple needs to take a deep breath, meet internally, and develop a means to stop themselves from further embarrassing themselves with more decisions like this one.