Comments on: Apple rejects Nine Inch Nails iPhone app update

Nine Inch Nails' front man Trent Reznor reveals that an update to Nine Inch Nails' successful iPhone app is rejected by Apple. The reason? The 1994 album "The Downward Spiral."

[Draxon]

@Monkeyfun14

Yes OSX was 64 bit in 10.3 but not the apps \ kernel (that was 5 years ago), 10.4 Introduced 64 bit Apps and full 64 bit support, 10.5 is Pure 64 bit from the kernal up.

Mac's also use EFI instead of BIOS which is far better than the BIOS that runs windows machines windows has yet to support EFI and is completely dependent on the BIOS software that was written and not really updated since 1984.

oh and FYI EVERY computer running 10.5 is full 64 bit, maybe 5% of windows vista64 had TERRIBLE driver issues at launch (I'm writing this on a vista64 machine)

[Vegaman_Dan]

The terrible driver support is the vendor's issue. Can't blame Microsoft for that, no matter how you might try.

[ewsachse]

Plus Microsoft gives you the freedom to choice your own hardware. If one vendor does not support 64 bit Vista, then choose another vendor.

You cannot say that for Apple. You can only use their hardware.

[jalderwood]

Censorship.. maybe we should just get used to it.

[alchemistmuffin]

You do know that Apple has different people approving the app, and the approval rate depends on person to person.

My suggestion, if the app is rejected once, try submitting it again, since every app is reviewed by different people.

For example, Tweetie 1.3 was rejected the first time, since the trend feature had objectionable language. The app was rejected since the reviewer felt offended with that kind of language.

When the app was submitted the second time, with no changes, the different person reviewed the app, and was approved, since that person was not offended with the language found in the trend feature.

[jwombat]

I don't find it odd at all, I find it consistent - just another example of how the app store process is broken.

[stereocilia]

Apple doesn't care about your freedom of expression. It's a profit driven corporate giant that likes to pretend it's doing you a favor by selling you it's products. The fact is Apple is every bit as lame as Microsoft in that it does not want to embrace anything that trims at it's sales figure. Get off your high horse Apple. PS: you're computer's aren't that great, I own a PC, a MAC, and a UBUNTU machine and they're all about the same.

[cvaldes1831]

Considering we are talking about Apple and the iTunes Store, I don't find it odd at all.

[ducttape36]

uh oh. apple broke one of the golden technology rules, never do wrong by trent reznor. the internet loves that guy, there will be a huge backlash now. I havent checked yet, but im sure this is already on the front page of digg.

[The_happy_switcher]

Something tells me he won't be running to lame-o microsoft any time soon.

[ducttape36]

i never said he would, stop trolling. but my prediction about digg came true: http://digg.com/d1qFQI

[Vegaman_Dan]

@AppleRocks1963:

Somewhere out there is a person who cares. Perhaps you would like to go on a journey to find them? It's clear that they aren't here at CNET.

[The_happy_switcher]

Apparently you care since you respond to over 90 percent of my posts.

[TimMyers]

This is sooo stupid. We are PAYING for these apps. And if they're free, you still have to be connected to an iTunes account which more than likely has your correct age linked to it. If they're going to do this, they should put age restrictions on it like every other piece of music, movie, and software.

[Vegaman_Dan]

NiN only needed to include some way to mimic the abuse of infants. Apple supports and endorses that... unless people complain loudly enough and then pull the app only after making money from it.

Doublestandards are everywhere. This is another prime example of how screwed up their vetting process is. Apple's choice of keeping silent is not helping them attract developers or dispel the notion of censorship, earned or not.

[NervClaX]

I'm surprised Microsoft hasn't jumped all over this kind of nonsense in their ads. Why Apple put themselves in this position, I have no idea. Can't they just put an EXPLICIT LYRICS warning on there and let it go?

[Vegaman_Dan]

Microsoft doesn't need to do anything about this. Apple is doing fine shooting themselves in the foot time and time again.

[The_happy_switcher]

I'd be the first to admit that the app approval process is dumb and they should base it on the age of the user or something. You can download lyrics with offensive language by NiN but can't get the app?

I also liked Trent Reznor's quote regarding Microsoft Mobile: "and WinMo straight-up ***********." --LOL

[jCounsel]

Here is my "beef" with this story. While I agree that I would allow the application update, these are the situations when you are between a "rock" and a "fire." Let me explain. No, there is too much, let me sum up...

You allow this through and people get "offended" by the language. I can see an application being developed to let a user know how softly you have to shake a baby before damage is done, but some might see this as "offensive." Nobody has empathy anymore, and too many people seem willing to place their opinion "out there" even if it is based on innuendo and fiction.

Many of you are saying that you should allow the update, but I don't understand why you allow this and not allow the baby "shake" application. Either could be said to be "in bad taste" even if YOU like it. That said, many said the baby shake application was in "bad taste" but didn't think it supported, in any way, shaking babies...

If you don't like their policies, change phones to one that allows YOU to determine what you put on the device. With Apple, you have no way (sans hacking the device) to get the ability to move apps onto the phone.

Seems to me that all of these "arguments" are mute if there is no "big brother" telling you what is "appropriate" for YOUR phone.

Empathy might be applicable here, but I don't anyone will put aside their emotions to determine whether empathy might be applicable...

[Seaspray0]

I find it very inconsistent in the approval process. I would prefer they just opened it up and let the public decide.

[Vegaman_Dan]

Approval by commitee will be even more confusing.

[Joelily]

Wow, I'm impressed by all this. Apple makes a mistake and someone notices.

[Mergatroid Mania]

That's all that's needed now, Apple censoring free speech.

Glad I've never bought any of their pruducts.

[tonybove]

It is very logical for Apple to reject apps of questionable taste until the company puts in parental controls for the App Store, which are coming in version 3.0 according to reports. On the other hand, it is logical for stuff like this to be in the iTunes Store, because parental controls already exist. Parents should make these decisions. Apple should not open itself to such risks. (I own Apple stock, so I care about the company's welfare.)

[Lemon5]

Censorship pisses me off.

[Charismatic_tunes]

Well done...!!!

[AppleSuxLeo]

And I rejected Apple 20 years ago...

[ewsachse]

The lyrics to Nine Inch Nails song Closer must have hit a nerve to some of the personal preferences of Apple executives.